The Big Cloud: The Lovely Monster

In my continued exploration of subjects in nature that have an ability to illustrate the interconnection of all life on Earth, I found myself stalking a type of single giant cloud called a Supercell.

Supercell storms are capable of producing grapefruit-sized hail and spectacular tornadoes. They extend as wide as 50 miles and reach as high as 65,000 feet into the atmosphere. The clouds are so large that they have the capability of blocking all daylight, making it very dark and ominous standing under them.

These storms can cause great damage. Residents in the small towns in Tornado Alley think of the storm-chasers as a bad omen and would ask fearfully, “Is it coming this way?” But, for me, there is creation and great beauty, not just destruction, in the force of these storms.

Camille Seaman has been photographing these extraordinary clouds since 2008. For more information on her work, visitwww.camilleseaman.com.