I interviewed Fred Smith recently about his wonderful and famous lightning/tornado photo that he took in 1993.
This photo was one of the subjects in my post "Weather Photos: Fact or Fiction" published yesterday (people are recirculating Fred's photo this Spring, claiming that the photo was taken in the Midwest during this Spring's severe weather outbreaks).
Fred says he's not a professional photographer but he was taking lightning photos from his back yard on June 15, 1993 when he got this lucky shot of a large waterspout on Lake Okeechobee, Florida. The photo was taken about 10:00 at night.
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I live near the water and have witnessed many waterspouts, they are fairly quiet unless they are on you. I remember this photo from the time it was shot, it was widely circulated in the press and the negatives are available. This was taken before photoshop and similar programs were widely used. Yes Virginia, some things are stranger than fiction.
Posted by owen baynard | July 1, 2009 4:33 PM
It has to be a fake, but what an awesome picture!
Posted by wizard | November 9, 2008 1:18 AM
I disagree Dennis, we had a tornado hit our neighborhood, decimating houses less than a block away from us (Stafford, VA May 2008). All we heard was a deafening thunder and rainstorm...no pressure changes were felt. Regardless, it is a still awe inspiring photo, especially if you've been touched by the effects of such a storm.
FROM JESSE: I agree, pressure changes only occur when you are obviously close enough to the tornado that you would know it is happening. Waterspouts, which are weaker, could easily pass by you in the night (or day!)
Posted by Jenny in Stafford | October 17, 2008 11:33 PM
I believe this thing sucks furthermore from that distance the picture was no accident other then trying to get a beautiful lightning shot you would most definitely know that there is a tornado coming the pressure would be very great and obviously your ears would hurt like heck from not only the pressure but the sound they make. However if it were a water spout might not feel that one but sure would here it but does not have the shape of a spout I read threw an email that sent to me the man snapped the photo was not aware of the tornado PURE BS
Posted by Dennis | October 14, 2008 1:38 PM
Just wanted to say really amazing photograph.
Posted by Daniel Cox | October 10, 2008 10:24 PM
I just saw this fake photo in an email that said it was taken Thursday night, April 3, 2008, at Sandridge Energy, south of Ft Stockton, Texas.
Posted by Beverley | September 22, 2008 3:45 PM
WOW!
Posted by shirley | August 2, 2008 4:02 PM
This website is using the photo, implying that it was from the tornado that struck the Boy Scout camp in Iowa.
Posted by Mark Morgan | June 12, 2008 10:05 AM