VINCO — Ron Shawley loves weather, and the more lively and dangerous it is, the better.
“I just love it,” he said enthusiastically. “You get such a rush.”
The 50-year-old disabled U.S. Navy veteran has been photographing weather phenomena for years and posts many of his shots on AccuWeather’s Web site.
“Taking pictures has always been a hobby of mine, and I think that if you take pictures, you should share them with people,” said Shawley, a self-proclaimed backyard meteorologist and storm chaser. “Weather is important to everyone and is taken for granted, so I just love to do this and try to capture that optimum picture.”
Shawley said the Laurel Highlands region – in particular the Chickaree Mountain area – is a great place to photograph weather because of the four seasons it experiences.
“In our region, storms can happen at any time,” he said.
“Right now, early spring, is my favorite time of the year to shoot because of the active weather we can get.”
He said his favorite weather activity to shoot is lightning because it’s so unpredictable and dangerous.
“If you’re able to capture lightning, it’s a beautiful thing and a real gold mine,” Shawley said. “I’ll probably take
800 shots to get just one good one, but I love when lightning is all around me.”
And shooting lightning has led to some close calls. One time Shawley was so close to the strike site that he felt the electric shock surge through his body.
“People tell me I’m nuts, and why take the risk of getting seriously hurt,” Shawley said.
“But for me, I just love the beauty of it all, and you are capturing a moment in time that we will never see again.”
Shawley also has clocked wind speeds for AccuWeather on Chickaree Mountain – a few gusts reaching more than
80 mph – and chased down mini-tornadoes in the northern part of Cambria County.
“Oh man, those are some of the best storms ever,” he gleefully said.
What keeps him photographing weather is the hope that he’ll luck out one of these days and capture an unknown phenomena.
“We see new types of weather every day, like vertical lightning, so who knows what you can shoot next?” Shawley said. “If in some small degree I’m helping the scientists, well, so be it.”
Although Shawley isn’t taking his photos to make any profit, he has sold some shots to national newspapers and has had an artist reproduce a weather shot in paintings.
“I’m not in this for money; for me this is something that should be fun,” he said.
It’s hard for Shawley to pick one photo that is his favorite, but he said he is extremely proud of a sunset picture he took in Johnstown in January 2008. The photo has received rave reviews and a top rating from other posters on the AccuWeather site.
“Of course, my lightning
photos also are my favorites,” he said.
Besides weather, Shawley likes to photograph wildlife and has been experimenting with night photography. He even tried his hand at shooting paranormal activity on the battle-grounds in Gettysburg.
He has taken his love for all things weather one step further and co-founded AccuKidz, an interactive site sponsored by AccuWeather that encourages elementary- and middle-school pupils and homeschooled children to get involved with weather activity.
Shawley noted that through the site kids are able to post their own pictures and videos of local weather. They also can create AccuKidz teams – where schools can work together on projects and share data and use the free forums and blogs to talk about weather with other students from across the world.
“We encourage children, schools and the general public to sign up for this free service,” he said.
In the meantime, Shawley plans to keep snapping away and hopes that one day he’ll be able to go out West with AccuWeather to chase down and photograph larger tornadoes.
“I’d get bored if I wasn’t doing something,” he said with a laugh.
In the Spotlight
Related Photos
-
Todd Berkey
-
Todd Berkey
Discussion
Storm chaser: Vinco veteran captures beauty of nature's wrath
- In the Spotlight
-
-
Voyage of discovery: Geology prof charts new waters in floating classroom
Bill Brice set sail on a sea of learning and serving during his final semester of teaching.
-
Recipe for living: Westmont couple view adversity as a blessing
Ignazio Panebianco hasn’t let four brain tumors get him down.
-
Funny and flexible: Richland grad turns talents into show biz career
Jonathan Burns describes himself as a comedian who happens to be able to do weird things with his body and do strange things with everyday objects.
-
Grave concern: Ladies tend to final resting places for those who can’t
For Natalie Becker and her family, it’s all about helping people.
-
Cutting career: South Fork barber retiring after more than 7 decades
David Crute set aside his clippers last week.
After barbering in South Fork for nearly 74 years, the 86-year-old retired Thursday
– handing the business solely to his daughter. -
Girl forgoes birthday to brighten poor kids’ lives
Page Prebehalla was so inspired by her grandmother’s desire to help children suffering from cleft lips and palates that she wanted to do the same.
For her 16th birthday on March 7, Page asked family members and friends attending her birthday party to donate money to Smile Train instead of buying her gifts. -
Windber man digs into third career: Public speaker
One career wasn’t enough for Leonard LaPlaca of Windber, so he’s on his third.
-
Canine coach: Ex-drill instructor helps dogs with basic training
Bryan Walker has spent much of his adult life advocating discipline.
From his days as a Marine drill instructor to operating a dog obedience school near Friedens, Walker has used positive reinforcement to develop desired behavior. -
Mothers' helper: Johnstown mom’s store specializes in children’s goods
Carrie Wagner knows it isn’t always easy being a single parent, so she decided to do something that helps not only her but also others.
-
Culinary 'chemist': Love of cooking is Westmont mom’s recipe for success
Teena Petrus of Westmont has taught cooking classes, won ribbons at the county fair, serves as a field editor for a food magazine and enjoys cooking in her own kitchen.
- More In the Spotlight Headlines
-
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament
Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought
Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking
Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles
Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK
