Storm puts photographer in frame for global award
APHOTOGRAPHER and self proclaimed ‘weather geek’ has been nominated for an award after snapping a dramatic stormy scene.
Mark Boardman, 51, is a photographer from Tytherington who enjoys getting out with his camera into the countryside around the town to capture its landscapes and wildlife but also its weather. He has weather pictures online which include sunsets, snow and storms.
He also founded an online community of meteorologists, storm chasers and weather geeks named StormHour which each week posts the best weather picture of the week by users.
Now one of Mark’s dramatic weather snaps has caught the eye of judges at the Royal Meteorological and Royal Photographic Society and he has been nominated in the World Weather Photographer of the Year competition.
Mark captured the swirling other-worldly scene of a hail storm while standing at Macclesfield Forest looking out across the Cheshire plain, with Jodrell Bank visible.
Mark said: “It’s a big deal to be nominated and I’m really proud to be shortlisted, although there are many professional journo photographers in there too.
“The picture was taken on April 27 this year from the edge of Macclesfield Forest looking west across Macclesfield towards the radio telescope at Jodrell Bank and beyond.
“The weather was cold and a northwesterly wind blew this shower of hail to engulf the telescope.
“I took many shots but this one, after Jodrell Bank had reappeared, was my favourite, with the setting sun giving a warm glow to the end of a cold day.
“I do like how Jodrell Bank gives a great idea of scale to the photograph, with such a large structure dwarfed by a relatively small and isolated shower.”
The Royal Meteorological Society and The Royal Photographic Society state they are looking for the best photographs from around that world that depict weather in its widest sense – from clouds, lightning, rain, fog and wind through to the impact of weather on man, cities and the natu- ral landscape.
Mark said: “So I think it’s pretty good that Macclesfield and Jodrell Bank are in the final. If people want to vote for me they can go online, I’d be really pleased to get their votes.”
Go to weather-photo. org to vote. Mark’s pictures can be found on Instagram.