There’s something endlessly captivating about how a timelapse can reveal the dynamic beauty of storm clouds sweeping across a landscape. We were backcountry skiing in the Southern Sierra Mountains, enjoying a perfect spring day—bluebird skies, no wind, and perfect corn snow turns all afternoon. But as we made our way back to camp, the weather began to shift. Clouds gathered on the horizon, and the wind started to stir. I grabbed my camera and tripod and hiked to a favorite overlook above Crowley Lake. In the distance, Boundary Peak glowed subtly on the Nevada skyline. I set up for a timelapse video and settled in to watch nature’s drama unfold. The storm rolled in quickly and the clouds looked intense out over Crowley Lake but only a few scattered raindrops found their way to me. Just as the last light bathed the landscape, a rainbow appeared—a perfect finale to the scene.
The panoramic photo above was taken during the same time as the timelapse video. I was fortunate to be at this spot at this time to photograph this beautiful view. Check out more photos from this trip in my Southern Sierra Gallery. All photographs are offered as prints for your wall!
