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Slideshow: These are the Weather Photographer of the Year winners

Weather Photographer of the Year winners announced

A photographer from the UK has beaten weather-watchers from 119 countries to the title of Weather Photographer of the Year 2022 with a dramatic picture of waves breaking over a lighthouse during Storm Eunice. Christopher Ison’s image won him first place in the 7th annual competition run by the Royal Meteorological Society. Winners were declared across three categories, for adults, for the under 18s and those shooting on a mobile phone. Winners of the adult and phone sections received £500 each, a year’s membership of the Society and a Canon SELPHY CP1300 printer, as well as a book on smartphone photography by Jo Bradford for the winner of the public vote.

The winning images will also be used in a calendar.

The Royal Meteorological Society is a charity owned by its members and was founded on Wednesday 3 April 1850 as ‘The British Meteorological Society’ with the aim of ‘the advancement and extension of meteorological science by determining the laws of climate and of meteorological phenomena in general’.

You can see the shortlisted images and find out more about the Society on the Royal Meteorological Society website.

Storm Eunice

Weather Photographer of the Year 1st Place

Photographer: Christopher Ison, Midhurst, West Sussex, UK

Photo location: Newhaven, East Sussex, UK

Date photo taken: 18 February, 2022

After checking the time Storm Eunice would hit as well as the high tides times, Christopher discovered that the storm would hit Newhaven, East Sussex, at almost exactly high tide. When taking his photo, Christopher decided to head to high ground and stand slightly further away from the harbour wall with his back to the weather and was rewarded with a fantastic set of images.

“When the storm was predicted and that it was carrying the first ever red warning for the south coast, I knew I had to find a spot to record it – this was going to be big!”

Storm Eunice was a deep area of low pressure that hit the UK in February 2022. It was particularly disruptive as it underwent explosive cyclogenesis when a low-pressure system rapidly deepens. Low pressure systems can bring heavy rain/snow and strong winds, and the deeper the area of low pressure relative to the surrounding pressure, the stronger the winds will be.

‘I got there reasonably early to find many photographers already drenched in rain and sea water, standing very close to the harbour wall. I decided to head to high ground and slightly further away with my back to the weather. I was rewarded with a set of images that I’m very proud of.’

Camera: Canon EOS R5 and 300mm plus x1.4 converter

www.instagram.com/christopherisonphotography/

Frozen

Weather Photographer of the Year 2nd Place

Photographer : Zhenhuan Zhou, Toronto, Canada

Photo location: Ontario, Canada

Date photo taken: 5 January 2018

Zhenhuan captured this photo showing parts of Niagara Falls covered in ice.

During spells of cold weather, the mist and spray from Niagara Falls can freeze into ice over the top of the rushing water of the waterfall, giving the appearance that the Falls have frozen whilst the water continues to flow underneath the sheets of ice.

However, there are records that the Falls’ waters did stop once in March 1848. Strong winds pushed ice from Lake Erie into the mouth of the Niagara River, blocking the channel completely and stopping the water for about 30 hours. The wind then shifted, and the built-up weight of the water broke through the ice, forcing the Niagara River to flow again.

The photograph offers intricate detail of the icicles that have formed around the building and on the rock face. Icicles are hanging tapering pieces of ice that form when the temperature is below freezing. As water drips off the roof or rock, it freezes and becomes suspended in the shape of a droplet. As more water droplets flow over the surface, they freeze on the way down, and so the process continues until an icicle is formed.

Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

www.facebook.com/ZhouZhenhuan

Ghost Under The Cliff

Weather Photographer of the Year 3rd Place

Photographer: Emili Vilamala Benito, Barcelona, Spain

Photo location: Tavertet, Barcelona, Spain

Date photo taken: 8 June 2021

On the cliff of Tavertet in Barcelona, Spain, with the sun low behind and the valley of Sau covered with fog, Emili waited until a Brocken Spectre appeared. “In this geographical area, you can see these phenomena due to morning fog, and when it fades, it is possible to see this spectacular optical phenomenon”.

A Brocken Spectre is a large shadow of an observer cast onto a cloud or mist. So, when a person stands on a hill partially covered in mist or cloud, their shadow can be projected down onto the mist or cloud if the sun is behind them. An optical illusion then makes the shadow appear gigantic and at a considerable distance away from them. The shadow can also fall onto water droplets of varying distances, which distorts the perception and can make the shadow appear to move as the clouds alter and shift. This combines to make the disorienting effect of a giant shadow moving in the distance.

In this image under the cliff was the Sau reservoir of the river Ter, but it looked like a cliff with the sea below, a sea of fog, where this ghost appeared with my shadow.

Amateur photographer since 1982, more than 20 years photographing in black and white, with several state and international exhibitions and awards.

Camera: Sony SLT-A99V, Zeiss 24-70mm F2.8

www.instagram.com/emili_vilamala/

Sunset

Weather Photographer of the Year Mobile 1st Place

Photographer: Aung Chan Thar, Hpa-an, Myanmar

Photo location: Myanmar

Date photo taken: 18 May 2022

Following an overcast and rainy evening, the sun appeared through the clouds and mist just in time for Aung to capture this beautiful sunset photo. “Due to the sun, the pagoda became brighter”.

The sky appears red or orange at sunset or sunrise because of Rayleigh scattering. The sun is very low in the sky at sunset or sunrise, so the sunlight has to travel further through the atmosphere. As a result, the blue light, which has a shorter wavelength than red light, is scattered more strongly by the atmosphere and is deflected away before we see it. Therefore, the orange and red light, which is scattered less, is left for us to see during sunrise and sunset.

That evening the clouds were overcast and it was raining so I could not see the sun. Fortunately, just before sunset, the sun rose through the clouds and mist, creating a beautiful evening. Due to the sun, the pagoda became brighter and I captured this moment with the Vivo X70 Pro+

Camera: Vivo X70 Pro+

www.instagram.com/aungchantharmyanmar/?hl=en

Scotch Mist

Weather Photographer of the Year Mobile 2nd place

Photographer: Vince Campbell, Penrith, United Kingdom

Photo location: Tarbet, Loch Lomond, Scotland

Date photo taken: 15 September 2021

An overnight stop in Tarbet, Loch Lomond in Scotland, and an early morning trek with dogs Oscar and Ollie up Cruach Tairbeirt revealed this beautiful misty scene to Vince. “The woods, the alps, the loch and Ben Lomond were bathed in ‘Scotch mist’. This shot was taken just before the sun put in an appearance”.

Mist, like fog, is a low cloud or small water droplets suspended in the air, close to the ground. The relative humidity in mist and fog is more than 95%, but the difference between the two phenomena is all down to visibility. If you can see more than 1,000 metres, it is called mist, but if it is thicker and the visibility drops below 1,000 metres, it is called fog.

Mist is typically dissipated quicker than fog and can rapidly disappear with even a light wind.

‘I’m a keen hobby/amateur photographer living in the north lakes, Penrith. My surroundings range from the North Pennines, Eden Valley and Ullswater lake, all are within an easy 20 minute drive. I’ve recently retired, we got two border collies and a half decent camera to capture the lovely surroundings. When I remember I’ll take some pics with the phone, mainly for the benefit of the family whatsapp group, a little piece of home as both kids are away at university.

I’ve always had a keen interest in photography but never made the time to take things further, work and family commitments I suppose. Today with digital advances everyone has a good quality camera in their pocket.

My submission, “Scotch Mist” is an example of the dogs (Oscar & Ollie) and my inquisitive nature. Whilst doing a motorhome stopover at a wonderful restaurant, Slanj on the A83. We embarked upon an evening trek up the hills behind the railway station, it revealed some interesting misty views towards the “Arrochar Alps” Another trek in the morning was equally rewarding, surrounded with mist, the mood and atmosphere constantly changed. The woods, the alps, the loch and Ben Lomond were bathed in “Scotch Mist”, this shot was taken just before the sun put in an appearance.

Camera: Samsung SM-J530f 3.71mm F1.7 1/250 sec ISO 400

www.flickr.com/photos/vinco-camm/

Mammatus Sunset

Weather Photographer of the Year Youth 1st Place

Photographer: Eris Pil, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Age: 16

Photo location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

Date photo taken: 16 June 2022

Eris said, “the sky was completely lit up in a way I had never seen before, like these beautiful backlit watercolour clouds”, displaying these spectacular mammatus clouds overhead.

Mammatus clouds are some of the most unusual and distinctive and are usually associated with large cumulonimbus clouds. They appear as a series of bulges or pouches emerging from the base of the cloud and form in the most unstable cumulonimbus clouds due to turbulence within the cloud.

Mammatus comes from the Latin mamma, which translates to ‘udder’ or ‘breast’, and they are more visible when the sun is low in the sky, and the sunlight frames their pouches.

“I love mammatus clouds; this was my first time ever witnessing them. I hope I have the opportunity to see them again, and I’m excited to share what they look like with others”.

‘I had just gotten out of the shower, expecting it to be almost dusk, and noticed it was unusually bright and shining through the curtains. I went outside, and the sky was completely lit up in a way I had never seen before, like these beautiful backlit watercolor clouds. It completely brightened my day, although it was night. I love Mammatus clouds; this was my first time ever witnessing them. I hope I have the opportunity to see them again, and I’m excited to share what they look like with others.’

Camera: Google Pixel 3

Tyndall Effect

Weather Photographer of the Year Youth 2nd Place

Photographer: Shreya Nair, Trivandrum, India

Age: 14

Photo location: Trivandrum, India

Date photo taken: Feb 23, 2022

While taking a walk through their backyard in India, Shreya spotted the light passing through the tree canopy.

The Tyndall effect is when sunlight is scattered by small particles in the air, such as dust or smoke particles. Similar to Rayleigh scattering, it is the process that causes the sky to appear blue and the sky at sunset and sunrise to appear orange or red. Under the Tyndall effect (and Rayleigh scattering), the shorter wavelength blue light is scattered more than the longer wavelength red light, and as our eyes are more sensitive to blue light, we see the sky as blue.

Camera: Redmi Note 9 Pro

Departing Storm Over Bembridge Lifeboat Station

Weather Photographer of the Year Public Vote Winner

Photographer: Jamie Russell, Shanklin, Isle of Wight, UK

Photo location: Bembridge, Isle of Wight, UK

Date photo taken: May 27 2022

After chasing storms and showers west to east across the Isle of Wight to capture some incredible rainbows, Jamie reached Bembridge as the final shower left. “In a panic I waded into the waist-deep water, fully dressed, just to compose this scene”.

Rainbows are optical phenomena that occur when sunlight shines through raindrops. The light is refracted as it enters the raindrop, then reflected off the back of the droplet and then refracted again as it exits and travels towards our eyes. This causes the sunlight to split into different colours. The sun needs to be behind the viewer and needs to be low in the sky. The lower the sun in the sky, the more of an arc of a rainbow the viewer will see. Also, the rain, fog, or other source of water droplets, must be in front of the viewer. The angle at which the light is scattered is different for everyone, which means that every rainbow is unique to the observer.

Double rainbows form when sunlight is reflected twice within a raindrop. They are relatively common, especially when the sun is low in the sky, such as in the early morning and late afternoon. The second rainbow is fainter, and more ‘pastel’ in tone and a key feature of a double rainbow is that the colour sequence in the second rainbow is reversed.

Camera: Nikon D7500, Sigma 10-20mm lens. Exposure time 1/200, F10, ISO 400

www.instagram.com/island_visions_photography/

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This article comes from DP Review and can be read on the original site.

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