2011 Monsoons are whipping a punch!

So here we go again. The 2011 monsoon season started a few days ago. Of course this is now the busy season for moi. I chase these storms with vigor to capture nature's deadly beauty - a.k.a. lightning. Of course sometimes I don't have to go far at all to capture my sequences. For example, last night - basically in my front yard. Here are just a few still frames from last nights little cell, or was it?

New Storm Stock Footage now available...

Exclusively available through and at Pond5.com from me, the renown and crazy storm chaser. 

Here is a sampling video for ya:

The First 2010 Monsoon that showed its true flare...

Basically this year has been a weak monsoon season in regards to light shows. A couple of weeks ago we had one night of true illumination. Fortunately the vantage point helped as well. Nothing like getting up high with a known view of the mountain ranges around Tucson, yet still safe. I can't emphasize enough that the "safe" part is one of the most crucial components of shooting such wonders. Lightning photography is not for the amateur that knows no common sense. Think about it. You are working usually with this item called a tripod. Tripods make for great lightning rods. So if you attempt this, the very least you should be doing is staying as far away as possible to get the shot. These shots were a good 20 miles from the source. Lenses help. However, these were all shot with a 50mm/F1.2. So you don't need to zoom in either. If you do so, chances are that "Murphy" will make you aim at the wrong spot anyway. Lightning is too unpredictable to even try to zoom in on. Some of the shots (towards the end) do show just how far reaching lightning can be. What I call the "golden arch" shows one long bolt reaching from the end of one mountain range (Rincons) to the end of the other (Catalinas) - A whopping approximate 15 miles! So all I can say is, be careful. Don't go at it alone. And keep your distance. Now enjoy:

The 2010 Monsoon Season Kickoff

Well, well. The 2010 monsoon season finally kicked off. The video above is just a sampling of what's coming. From growing rainbows to gigantic thunderheads to powerful lightning strikes on the horizon. It's a frenzy! Stay tuned.

P.S. The footage you see is also available now as stock footage:

Search Stock Video by Andreas Hohl

View Andreas Hohl's Artist Profile on Pond5

My stuff in a newly released motion picture!

Sometimes, in the stock footage industry one gets real lucky. Let me explain. In the stock footage industry, us shooters simply provide so-called "b-roll" or "second unit" footage. The way it works is fairly simple. We shoot whatever suits us at any given time. And what I mean here is literally what suits us! We go out and about not really knowing if it will ever sell or if it has a use. We only take our best guess and "shut up and shoot!" Of course, we try to find or shoot things that make some sense. Or perhaps they might have subject matters to do with current events. Sometimes we just shoot because we want to see how far we can push the limits. I do this every year as the monsoons roll in. I shoot lots of storm footage, lightning, cloud formations and whatever else that might just be really exciting to look at. Having done so, it sometimes feels like a crap shoot. :) Pun intended.

Through the various agencies, these clips get sold at random. We usually never know who is buying what. But what makes this somewhat interesting is that every once in a while we actually get to see our stuff on TV, or in a motion picture. Very cool. I have been fortunate enough to spot some of my stuff (as well as fellow artists' stuff) on various shows. For example, over the last year having watched the Weather Channel, The Discovery Channel, The Science Channel, The History Channel and even the local news, I have been fortunate enough to actually recognize some of my stuff. (As well as other fellow artists' stuff.) I suppose there is a really proud feeling when this happens. Bragging rights of course! But most of all, it helps build credibility. Think about it. We "stock shooters" are constantly behind the camera and every time we shoot something, we learn new tactics, techniques and concepts. I call this "camera wrangling". We learn or stumble upon our own little "secrets" of how to get a shot. Chances are, we, as a collaborative have more experience, knowledge and hours behind a camera than most of the cinematographers in Hollywood. Okay, maybe not but totally debateable. But we are all damn good at what we do. And the proof of this is when someone actually buys your stuff. Even better proof is when someone buys your stuff and makes it a point to let you know they bought your stuff. Very cool.

Well, this has now happened. And to say the least, it is a very cool feeling to not only hear from them, that they bought your stuff. But for them to actually tell you what they will use it for, the scene it should be in etc... This is a real ego booster to say the least. But more importantly, it inspires one to keep on shooting, no matter what!  So to make a long story short - about a year ago this clip was purchased by an independent production company (in the UK):


Important Note: You too can own this clip. No, actually, since you are reading this, you have to buy this clip. Otherwise you won't be able to prove to your friends what is listed below. Purchase it here. :)

Now fast forward to today, and yes, they gave me a "heads up" that the movie has been released in Europe, but is also available on Amazon already for the US. So, here is what I recommend to all that read this:

1. Purchase the movie ASAP!
2. Purchase a second copy for your friends, again ASAP!
3. In case your movie gets damaged, purchase a backup copy for yourself, also ASAP!
4. Watch the movie, admire the most elaborate cinematography you have ever seen and take note that you can tell your friends that you read the guy's blog about how this all came to be and how you know exactly where in the movie his clip is. (Hint: over the cruise ship in the Bermuda Triangle) - And you know this because you left comments at this guy's blog, and you are now really close friends with this guy and you have bragging rights for even knowing this guy and ... and.... and NO, I won't verify your claims to anyone! :)
5. Purchase the stock footage clip above as evidence that you know me. Maybe then I will back you on your claims of knowing me. NO, not really. But buy the clip anyway. :)

But just click on the box cover below and buy the damn movie. It's going to be one of those smash hits soon anyway, so why not have it before it's all sold out?

Available on Blue-Ray and DVD! Buy now! Really, buy this masterpiece now!

03/12/10 - UPDATE:

Finally got the movie in. Did a quick preview. Actually from the looks of it, it is quite a twisted story and done very well. The title "Triangle" (a.k.a. The Bermuda Triangle) implies "another one of those" - but it definitely is not another "one of those". Actually a very well thought out twisted story line. - I did recognize my footage and it is at one of the highlights of the storyline. (3 times even at about 1 to 2 seconds each.) I am always amazed how the compositors make use of footage. If I didn't know what I was looking for, I would have missed it. :)

Monsoons 2008 - A Preview

Just a little taste of what's to come this year. This is a small compilation of some new footage shot just a few days ago along with some older footage. I thought I would give it a bit of a latin guitar twist to enhance the mood of the southwest. In this compilation there is a combo of video stock footage as well as some still shots. All of this of course is available as royalty free stock footage from you guessed it, me.

2008 Monsoons are back and they are going to be bad...

From the looks of it we are in for quite a monsoon season this year. Hence, expect a ton of new storm footage, photographs and adventures. Just in the last few days, I have shot some pretty crazy stuff. But this year I started off in New Mexico on a little side trip. It all started last week while driving to Alamagordo and taking a quick peek at the White Sands National Monument. Of course we got there mid afternoon. I really don't recommend visiting the Sands at that time of day unless it is totally overcast. It wasn't. Talk about being snow blind.

However, that evening was absolutely fantastic. There was a special sunset tour and it was a full moon. However, we really didn't get to enjoy the moon as it was. A storm had worked its way in during the latter part of the day. But this made for some really awsome sunset footage and some really neat pictures. Here is a clip of the sunset in timelapse and HD! Sweet. (Yes, you can purchase this clip and many others as royalty free stock footage.)

Of course, that having been the beginning of this years monsoon adventure, there is nothing like driving through Roswell in hope sof spotting a UFO. We didn't :( Then on to Clovis, home of Cannon AFB and also my new Grand Daughter! I'm too young for this. Nanner Nanner.

But hey, aside from seeing this lovely newborn young lady, I did manage to get a little time to click a few shots of some awsome lightning. The storms on those upper plains are unbelievable. We even had a small tornado whip past us while eating dinner.


On the way back, once again we decided to make a quick stop at the sands, this time it was overcast and definately more bearable. I shot some neat timelapse of a gigantic storm front with lenticulars and cummulus all in one. Then off to spend the night in Las Cruces. Entering Las Cruces we got a free car wash from yet another nice storm with some really powerful lightning bolts. Of course I couldn't film those as I was the driver. Remember, it's not safe to fiddle with a camera, cell phone and a coffee all at once. :)


In any case, this Las Cruces storm was a monsoon, and it gave me an idea of what to look forward to. We got back to the Old Pueblo (a.k.a. Tucson for you "furners") and not even a day went by before the first storm hit. Cool.


So you all know what I will be up to for the next few months. It is afterall the annual monsoon season. So stay tuned as I will be announcing really cool things that I get on tape or as a still. And yes, you can buy copies, rights etc.