Dewdrop of The Flight of a South Georgia Storm Chaser
Hey y’all! I am Jenn (aka Dewdrop), a storm chaser in south Georgia! Yes, a storm chaser in south Georgia. It’s not easy chasing storms in south Georgia, but it happens. One of my main motivations for chasing storms locally is to be able to report valuable ground level information to the local Weather Service office, so warnings and advisories may be made to help protect the public. With the dense population and heavy tree cover and typically heavy precipitation storms we experience locally, a great potential exists for a tornado to be on top of people before they know it. Sometimes, you don’t see them coming, and despite what you might have heard, they do not all offer the tell-tale freight train sound as a warning.
I have always been interested in weather! Even as I child, I remember my brother hiding under the bed during “LIghtling” storms, as I ran for the front porch to try to get a closer look. Mom always brought me back into the house to look through the screen, but I have always had a fascination for the weather. My first “chase” was at the age of 14. The weather was stirring up, and I sat at a nearby field and watched as a funnel cloud descended out of the dark ominous sky. I watched for some time, later learning that a tornado dropped from this storm and did quite a bit of damage very close to where I had been. After that point, I was hooked. It was recently (2 years ago) when I was introduced to a local storm chaser, who taught me the ins and outs of local storm chasing, and encouraged me to get some SKYWARN spotter training, which I have done many times over, learning as much as I could. Together with another local chaser, we formed a team of southern storm chasers, the SOUTHERN WEATHER BRIGADE http://southeasternstormchasers.blogspot.com/ . Last June, I took a trip out to the northern plains to shoot a storm chasing show, called the Twister Sisters, which aired in December and January. It was thrilling.
When I am not storm chasing, I am out shooting pictures of anything and everything… people, landscape, animals, the sky…
Why do you blog?
My dewdropweather.com blog exists to share what I know. I have learned that the more people know about weather, the safer they will be from approaching weather. Many forces in nature have devastating capabilities. Tornadoes can wipe out entire cities, as we saw with Greensburg, in May 2007, where 95% of the city was wiped out when a catastrophic EF-5 tornado tore through that city. Fortunately, a storm chaser/meteorologist called in a spotter reports and saved many lives by prompting a tornado emergency for that area, urging people to get into their tornado shelters. Loss of life was greatly reduced. Flood water can sweep a person away at 6 inches. Educating people that they should just turn around to avoid drowning could save lives. Lightning strikes up to 50 miles outside of the storms edges, educating people that if you hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck saves lives. Also, for information sake… I love to share what I know because I find it interesting, and I know lots of other people find weather interesting. It is something that all people have in common. It’s something that people talk about when there doesn’t seem to be anything else to talk about… I love sharing my photography. Sharing it has prompted me to compose my shots with more thought… capture more of the world around me, and the encouragement from others has improved my technique tremendously over time. I have now used my own photography to decorate my home.
If you only had time to read three blogs a day, which ones would they be?
Tough question. There are so many blogs I check out daily. I guess the 3 that I can’t seem to get by without checking are…
** Jeff Gammons — http://stormvideographer.com/blog/ (storm chaser/videographer in southern Florida)
** Mike Wilhelm — http://alabama-weather.blogspot.com/ (storm chaser in north central Alabama and fellow chase team member)
** Queen Annie — http://good2bqueen4ever.blogspot.com/ (my dear non-storm chasing/indeed storm fearing friend in west central Florida)
How long have you been using Photoshop/been a photographer?
I never got into Photoshop, but I LOVE photography. It is a challenge to me to capture the shot exactly how I want it without altering it at all expect perhaps some contrast changes for lighting. I have been taking pictures since I was about 10, but I have just gotten serious about photography over the past 5 or 6 years.
What type of camera(s) do you shoot with?
Sony Super Steady Shot Point and Shoot
Mac or PC?
PC… my boyfriend’s mac drives me up a wall.
What is your favorite piece of photo or computer equipment (other than your camera)?
My tripod. A must for night shots and lightning shots!
What piece of equipment would you most like to get but don’t have?
A DSLR! A must. It will be my next purchase.
What advice do you have for a novice creative professional/photographer?
Keep shooting. The more you shoot, the more you see what you like, and your technique improves because you make the adjustments.
What inspires you to create?
Nature.
What would be your most important piece of advice about life?
Carpe diem. No time like the present. DO IT NOW! Don’t wait.
Where would you most like to live (other than where you live now)?
In the plains.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Take pictures… storm chase… do new and exciting things.
What talent would you most like to have?
An ability to draw or paint.
From Inside the Actors Studio:
What is your favorite word? love
What is your least favorite word? lies
What turns you on? Weather (gosh, I am starting to sound really redundant…)
What turns you off? Concrete block walls
What sound or noise do you love? Children giggling
What sound or noise do you hate? Choking
What is your favorite curse word? Well, s**t, I don’t f***ing know.
What occupation other than your own would you like to attempt? Professional Storm Chaser
What occupation would you not want to participate in? Plumber??
Heaven exists, I would you like to hear God say… “We’ve been expecting you”… when I arrive at the pearly gates?
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