Storm Chaser Captures Tornado Forming In Front of Camera

If there’s one man that knows how to capture tornadoes at their most beautiful and breathtaking, its renown storm chaser Mike Olbinski.

Captured in a simple one-minute short titled The Tescott Tornado, Olbinski showcases the raw yet stunning power of a tornado forming and touching down on a rural horizon.

“The 2018 storm chasing season has been a tough one…long days with not much reward. But May 1st, was a different story,” writes Olbinski.

While pursuing supercells across the rolling plains of Kansas, Olbinski raced after a brewing storm to Culver City, setting up his camera for a timelapse at a safe distance.

But seemingly out of nowhere, sirens began to angrily blare as the sky swirled and roared above, swelling to a brutal twist of black, grey and blue. Suddenly, a cone tornado “dropped” right before his eyes, the time-lapse conveniently capturing it all in mesmerising 4K.

As the tornado dissipated into the rain, it then returned as a “full wedge tornado”, that tore mercilessly through the landscape. Fortunately no serious damage was caused, as the tornado narrowly missed the sleepy city of Tescott.

To capture the footage, Olbinski utilised two Canon 5DRs, equipped with a Canon 11-24mm f/4 and 50mm f/1.2.

Olbinski is no stranger to storm chasing, with previous pieces such as the gorgeously monochrome Breathe and captivating Monsoon IV showing the lengths he goes to in creating such magnificent work.

“Best tornado footage I’ve captured on time-lapse and it’s the highlight of the spring so far!”

For more of Olbinski’s work, visit his website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

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Ed Carr is a Yorkshire-born landscape photographer and nature writer. Having spent his youth in the North Yorkshire Moors National Park, he takes any opportunity to don his hiking boots and head out, camera in hand. When not out taking pictures or hastily scribbling down his thoughts, Ed’s halfway up a hill out chasing after his dog, Hendrix.