The Johannesburg Thunderstorm

When it comes to taking photographs, there are a four things that I really love:

1. Clouds. For no good reason - I just love them;
2. Panoramic photos - because they're just more awesome;
3. HDR - because otherwise, thunderstorms just look dark; and
4. my iPhone - because it lets me do 2 and 3 instantly.

And if I'm honest (my CT folk will hate me for saying this) - it is way more satisfying taking photos in Joburg. Why? Well - for one thing, the clouds are better here. Fact. It's a climate/geography thing.

And secondly, you get to take something original. I'll be even more honest here - the Mountain, she is awesome. But so many photographs are taken of her that she's become an artistic cliche. It's like painting a bowl of fruit. Almost everyone has been there, arranged that, and thrown away the grapes after because they bought 'em from Checkers. And even if you are aiming for something different ("look at the sunset sky - look at the tree in the foreground - look!") - the first person to look at it goes "oh yes - pretty pic of the Mountain. Love the Mountain". And generally, the first person to look at it is you. Which can be quite depressing. 

So yesterday, while I was driving back from Stryjdompark (spelling??) or wherever, I crested the hill at Linden, and looked over at an infamous Johannesburg thunderstorm rolling on in. 

Magnificent.

Reminded me of the real meaning of the word "awesome". 

Leapt out of car with iPhone in hand.

Just before the storm arrives. You may definitely need thatch repairs. Note that number

At this point, I was beginning to risk my life. And I'm all for risking my life for art - but still. I'd prefer to risk it leaping off the Mountain, shouting "I'm gonna get me an aerial shot, security lady!" - rather than trying to cross a robot-intersection which has recently turned into a four-way stop with the red flashing discolights. And then I realised that the best view was from the middle of the road. Bugger.

So I raced around backroads looking for a better vantage point that didn't include death and rehabilitation, and I found this:

Breaking over the City Center

Now it just looks like it's breaking over Melville. But that's alright. Because I love the clouds. And then I went to Woolworths in Greenside and found this:

Wild success.