Wow!!! Wrath of god type stuff. Awesome, just like all the mothers out there. Have a great day and thank you for all you do for your families.
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Inverted Christmas tree effect.
Shocking!!! the cloud almost looks like a heart emerging from the fiery depths... i love lightening and thunderstorms - spectacular. The composition of this photo is fabulous, too. dark on the right brightening and then fading, the silhouettes of the trees in the foreground, hazy mountains in the background - nice!
Now that's one heck of a scary picture....Apocalyptic, even...
Beautiful and deadly. Thanks Ray. I am looking forward to a day of nothingness Sunday! Yay.... one whole day a year!
Oh.. and this shot reminds me of the Live song "Lightning Crashes".
How incredibly bizarre. Living in the West I am used to Lightning Storms and Heat Lightning, but this actually looks like an elephant!
What a sight! Another frighteningly beautiful picture. And...thanks, Ray...for thinking of us.
My thanks to you too, Ray! :)
I heard they were going to hold a Gay-Pride parade near the volcano. Maybe McCain's spiritual advisor is right.
Anyone else see the elephant? Come on SouthernLady, I know you see it too!
MT... good call!! One of my all time favorite songs! And, a good one to celebrate Mother's Day!!
One of most awesome photos ever! Great choice, Katie!
What a photo. Looks like the end of the world. I see the elephant, but I also see a hot air balloon. It's amazing what people can see in clouds and smoke.
Thanks Ray! This may be my favorite picture of all the ones I've seen on the blog.
Absolutely magnificent!
I saw a giant fly. The way the lightning curls around its head is very dramatic and makes this an awesome photograph.
Wow, one of my favorites of all time. It took me a while to grasp the enormity of it. I like thunder and lightening but am a little afraid of volcanic eruptions! I hope the residents all made it safety.
This is incredible. Absolutely stunning. I see the elephant. I love that song. And Ray, your thanks make me feel a lot better about the dozen eggs that ended up on the kitchen floor last night. Thank you.
Krista, Eggs are a b!tch to clean up. My hubby and kids cooked breakfast this morning, and my son spilled his full glass of chocolate milk on the table, and half of the food too. Mmmmmm... chocolate scrambled eggs! They tried really hard though!
WOW! this pic is soooo unbelieveable!! If I saw something like that, I would be running my a$$ off. And yes I see the elephant as well. Happy moms day :)
I also see bayaga's front yard in this photo. The lightning is the left-up Christmas lights, the dark clouds are the rotting pumpkins, and if you close one eye and squint with the other, you will see the large plastic Easter Bunny. Love ya, Kip!
i see the elephant (of course i would - it's the school mascot!) and the balloon too. but i still see the heart (anatomically correct human heart)
It looks like a dog named " SPARKY "
I see the elephant, the fly and the heart; but mostly I see the hot air balloon in Rob Zombie's remake of "The Wizard of Oz".
Obviously, an incredible photo - it looks like it would have to have been a frame from some movie heavily laden with CGI. But it really gives me chills when I think about how much energy is being released right there. And its energy that's around us all the time, the volcano just triggered its release. The center of one of those big bolts is hotter than the plasma on the sun.
Neosho---great eye and thought Ap---about time---was getting worried hope the wife is doing Ok and is home soon also--- Fantastic picture----
AWESOME
After thinking about it for awhile, all I can think is about all the power of the earth and heaven combined and this is just a small sample of that. I would have been thrilled to have been the one to have captured that photographic moment. However, I think the incredible power of the whole thing would have had me diving towards the ground and looking for safe cover!
Now I see nothing but the elephant-god of the underworld.
bayaga...Somehow I knew that you would worry about me ;)...I will bring my Lady home..The middle of June. Not the same here without her. Thank the Lord for Digital phones. Gotta love the long distance phone calls with no big phone bills.
MT - And they are sticky too. We had a barbeque. HB gets to clean up. We went to Disneyland on Friday for my Mother's Day present. That and a new car stereo due to a wayward 30 cents. Zip-a-dee-do-dah.
I don't see the elephant or the fly, but I see a calf's head. Anyone else see that?
Looks like a scene from "Independence Day". Lighting is an awesome event of nature. I once saw a lightning bolt blow out the top of a tree and then shoot out the bottom of the trunk. By the looks of this pic, you wouldn't want to be within 20 miles of this monster. Whoa....
Krista-My oh my! What a wonderful day!
Do people who spontaneously see figuration in random visual structures also tend to hear voices?
LOL, justsaying... of course I see it! And a raging, ferocious elephant, at that!!! Yikes! I am deathly afraid of lightening... this would freak me out! And, Ray, thanks for the thought... my day was a great one... kids, grandkids and greatgrandkids over for the day... beautiful! What more can a mother want? Plenty of sunshine coming our way... zippidy do da, zippidy day!!! EVERYBODY SING!! Love it...
bada$$. completely bada$$.
MMM, first thought as I look at this. I wonder what all the fanatical Environmentalists will do now. This one explosion put more green-house gas into our atmosphere then Canada for the year. I hope they all take a trip down there, and protest on the mountain top.
I love lightening! We had several absolutely beautiful lightening bolts when we had the storms here last week. I wonder what it is that makes some so different from others? I assume something in the atmosphere???
Man, it does look like a like raging bull elephant!
Good Grief! It looks like a brain.
Ahhhhhh----Anon---Clap-clap-clap Twit---excuse me---could you repeat your question---the voices in my head were making too much noise----- well--AP---I was about to take the broom out and do a fly by of the route you gave---thought you might be stuck in Gettysburg---one of my favorite places Justsaying---I know--I know---as soon as I mow the front acre you want have to squint to see the bunny---love-back at cha'
Good Grief!!! I love lightning!!! I do live in California, though, and we don't get it like this here!!!
Is this what grapes of wrath look like?
Did this make anyone else think of the Rapture and Armageddon?
Editors, any idea where I can get a re-print of this?
woah buddy, totally chivo!
Twit-they told me to tell you "No, not at all, never, huh uh, nopers and negatory."
OH MY GOD,IS THIS WORLD COMING TO AN END?FROM THE USA TORNADOS TO CHILES VOLCANO TO CHINA TO MAYANMAR TO IRAK AND THE WAR TO AFRICA OF STARVATION TO GLOBAL WARMING WHAT IS IT COMING TO?
Amazing. How'd they get a picture of my kids fighting over the last juice box?
i surprised man made hasnt came up. with the technolngy we have now. (quick note look up nickoi tesla) he invented a device that can effect the weather. and another device to start earthquaks. hence china. everyone sit back and think of the last four to five months then think of the problems in the weather. from hurricans to earthquaks to volcanoes. shoot from those earthquaks in nevada the super volcanoe in yosimite's probably next.
I am from Chile... and is at the same time, amazing and scary to see this scene. If people is wondering, yes everybody was evacuated safetly (this is located in a rural, non very populated south town), and they are still wondering what would the volcano eruption develop. And is not common to see his kind of lightening in Chile neither... It funny to read how many people made the conection with movie!(hollywood movies!!)...probably, in our modern culture is more common to have had more contact with the screen than with real nature..
I love this photo it just goes to show how nature is so beautiful even in a scary and life threatening way.
What a amazing photo! There are no words other then Amazing!
That is breathtaking and absolutley amazing. Also frightenting but i think that being afriad of mother nature can be a good thing
omg holy****! Out of all that lighting the one thing that catches my eyes besides the obvious elephant is the one stream of green lighting that I have never seen before....Why only one, how odd.. but so cool.
Miss Katie~~I hope you had a good Mother's Day, hope the new baby is doin' ok. Where can I get a print of this?
wow i never seen anything like this. do u think the volcanoes eruption triggered the earthquak in china on 5/12/08?
The most incredible picture I've ever seen. It's as if Hell itself is emerging from inside the earth.
Maria, thanks for sharing your first-hand experience. This picture reminds me of long, hot summers spent in the high plains of eastern Montana as a child. Gosh, what lightening shows! I'd like to think we all have more contact with real nature, but you're probably right about many folks relating to the screen more. Great comments and glad everyone evacuated safely.
CLO, in answer to your question, "Yes, it is." Only one person knows when, and He is not telling. He's giving us clues, but only tells us to be ready. It is coming like a thief in the night.
Awsome and terrifying! It is Mother Earth bending over and dumping a load onto us humans for being careless with her. I do not hear voices but I do see her...Let's take care of her.
No matter how many times you look at this photo...WOOW!! Years ago I was out backpacking in the appalachian Mtns when a violent storm rolled in. With no place to hide; the log I was sitting on was struck by a lightening bolt. When I came to I was on my back staring at the sky!
"Everyone in America will have universal health coverage or may God strike..."
Thanks for the post Maria. Personally, I love to get in touch with nature. Sometimes, nature just has a not so funny way of touching me back.
When the thunder rolls...
I wonder what all the wildlife in the area did... run? Must have been very scary for them too.
I think I saw that on "Ghost Busters" Great photo
Maria from Chile - I absolutely love your country. I had such a time when I was there.
I wonder just who is still in control? Mother Nature or Man?
Increible, esta de miedo!
Awesome. Nature's fury or extreme power...thats nature...noone can compete against it easily...:) The lightning around the volcano is bcos of the high volateg power & heat it has - so it conducts electricity.
Hi Maria, Glad to hear everyone was safe. This looks like a beautiful area of the world. Maybe someday I will get to see it. Good Luck to you and yours. And welcome to the MSNBC photoblog.
Never doubt the power of great Ganesh!
Earl - great story, and I'm glad you *did* come to! Have any numbness or lack of motor function for a while afterward? Had a paper route when I was a kid and one summer morning when I was going out to deliver a storm was rolling in. Several bolts hit within a few hundred yards and then one hit within maybe 50 feet. I'll never forget the distict hissing sound the split second before the explosion. Luckily I didn't conduct anything myself but my blood ran cold for a few minutes. Paper delivery was a little late that day...
I'd also like to chime in with my blogger friends here and say thanks to Maria for your post. Much as the banter digresses from the actual theme of the photos, I think I can speak for many when I say that we are most fascinated with comments from someone who has "been there". Good to hear from you and glad all were evacuated safely.
Welcome Maria. I am glad that you are safe. I have never been to your country, but would like to visit - it seems like such a beautiful place!
OhioBob - know what you mean about the hissing (sizzlin) sound. While playing softball a couple of years back, we had a strike on the outfield scoreboard. We heard the sizzle, then had the simultaneous flash and report. The smell of ozone afterwards was intense. Needless to say, we got under cover until the storm passed. The funny thing was, it wasn't much of a storm cloud, but it still could have been deadly.
I found a site with more photos of this event: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=563975&in_page_id=1811
At work, Customers see my boss...He is tattooed all over, his ear lobes are split and he has those disks in them, like some of the tribes in Africa, but mostly they notice all the piercings he has in his face. So they always comment about it, and ask me why he would do that to himself. I just tell them "To each, his own" and that he's actually a very nice person...But, I would never stand next to him during an electrical storm :)
That is so great. What a wonderful picture.
OhioBob..There was 3 of us sitting on the log when it was struck by lightening. If we had taken a direct hit it probably have blown us up. That kind of voltage surge causes all your muscles to lock up. My brother experienced aching knee joints for a few days - We were Lucky!!
Earl: That was close dude!!! though it does explain alot. JK
Thanks, CMan! Great link!
Twit--I was thinking the same thing! Amy--too funny!! Dee--God.
Absolutely amazing. The photo's okay, too.
Thanks CMan- AWESOME photos in that article.
I've been visiting this PhotoBlog off and on for several months now and have enjoyed the photos and comentary by each of the editors as well as the colorful banter, friendship and parties (toga) put on by the regular bloggers. After seeing this amazing photo, I just couldn't stay quite on the sideline any longer. I just had to come aboard and say "WOW". Kudos to Katie Cannon for picking this photo to post.
That picture is so tight!! AT first I saw a crazy tornado but then I saw the elephante-my spanish teacher is from Chile-cool.
ok you new cali girl....natural, huh? WELCOME TO OUR LITTLE WORLD... Beings you like our parties...you host the next one.... where ...when...who...and we need a theme hint...if you invite CF, the party gets sooooooo much more fun...And i will surely bring my ducks....
biker from my state........you going to the Rhody fest this year...
I looked at it for the very first second or two and it looks like jesus's face spitting out lightening bolts. This is a awesome photo!!!
NtrlBlondCA - Welcome. And we love our party's too. psssst - I would start another toga, but I think there are some whimps who are tuckered out and need a break. I might suprise you all and start one up soon. But don't tell anyone. I want it to be a surprise. OK?
Welcome to blog-dom, NtrlBlond!
Hmmm. I can't put my finger on it, but there is something about NaturalBlond that makes me think she is not being completely honest.
NtrlBlond eh - How can we know for sure?
Reminds me of the storms passing through La. last night...wild weather! Scary, too!! I don't want no part of that!
C-Man...thanks for the site, I now have a new desktop pic.
Wow. Now that is truly awesome in the litteral sense of the word.
Welcome, Blondie, and I agree!! Fabulous Photo!!
Wow, talk about fire and brimstone!
NtrlblondCa...I hate to put you through this but in order to maintain the high standards of integrity and honesty on this blog..I'm going to have to ask you some questions. 1) How many beers are there in a 12 pack? 2) Who is buried in Grant's tomb? 3) Your waiting at the bus stop..for what? A) train B) horse drawn carriage C) the ice cream man D) bus
Ya'll leave NaturalB alone. Don't be askin' here about carpet match drapes, and such. Welcome
NtrlBlond - you HAVE to know you opened yourself up for good-natured teasing! ed & earl - as always....very, very funny. Gotta love you guys! MT - LOL!!!
Welcome NtrlBlond... and just ignore Earl... he's jealous cause you're natural! LOLOLOL...... Earl and Ed... be nice, or we'll make ya'll sit in Time Out at the next party! Hey, Ntrl... pick New Orleans, pick New Orleans!!!
Too funny MT. Go, Spurs, Go!
earl, if you're going to challenge someone on their intellect, you can't use "your" when "you're" is what's needed. signed, NaturalRedHead
Just when you think nothing can surprize you! Bam! Mother Nature takes it to the next level!
If one were to witness the beginning of the end of the world, It would have to look something like this.
oregon - Get your ducks all in a row. I just purchased the Toy Story plane a few pics back. The bounce house has been patched up. Mickey's pony has recovered. SL has new music for her kareoke machine(I think I spelled that right). Ed and earl have finished cleaning the last party site. Sheli, NEOSHO & Kristi have been kind enough to wash the toga's. We are almost ready. What's the scoop on the others? Please go get NtrlBlondCA. We need to coach her (and warn her) about our parties. All are invited!
CLO Read a little history willya? this ain't hardly nothin yet. (says the guy on the sidelines)
It's pictures like this one that remind me just how powerful God is . . . AWESOME!
Oregongirl, Rhodyfest looks like a blast, but no plans for that one. You? It is looking like a great bike-riding week-end though. Bring on the sunshine! signed, TackyHairColorOfTheMonthBikerLady & ConnoisseurOfFineElephantLighteningArt
NtrlBlondCA: Welcome Blondie! We love our blog buddies, too. Aren't they a hoot? BIG FUN!! Come to the next Toga or Party on the Bayou!! We'd love to have you. Avoir'Mon Amie
earl: LMAO!! You're too funny! Margaret: you go girl!! Lovin it!
amazing shot
T actually the end of the world is signaled by a great darkness just as when Jesus was about to die... the sun and moon liteerally went dark for about a couple hours, and the stars did not give off light either. prety nifty for a mostly sunny afternoon and then things went pitch black. not to mention the earthquake that shattered the streets and broke open tombs.
When I was tiny and afraid of thunder, my mother explained that it was just "God's dogs barking." A friend of mine told me her mother said the angels are bowling. When my own kids were little I used the lightening as a tool for them to get really excited about what was coming-THUNDER! Yippee! Woo hoo! What were you told as a child to allay your fear of thunder?
NEOSHO...My dad told me to take a crowbar and go stand out on the front lawn hold it in the air and my fear of lightning would soon go away....just kidding, I can't remember what he actually told me :)
Fear of thunder and lightening? I don't ever remember being afraid of it. huh. We weren't really allowed to fear anything growing up. Not that we get any thunder storms around here. Maaaaybe one a year. I experienced a few in Mississippi and Colorado on visits. On the odd occasion we have any weather here at all, I don't make a big deal out of it.
That's funny AmPat! I think Ed may have some neighbor kids he might like to try that on. I know of a few adults I wouldn't mind trying it with. Might need some help though, and a lot of duct tape.
Even hollywood could not re-create this! WOW! well, nothing says "god does not want you living here anymore" like a little lava lightning! Add one & check it off to my "bucket" list.. holy moly
Krista..So what are you saying? Because San Diego has a warm sunny Mediterranean climate all year round that the rest of the country sucks..uuhh I think your right!
Ntrlblond... no offense, but I just gotta!!! "How can you tell when a blonde is having a bad day????"
NEOSHO, "Get under the bed and shut up... it ain't gonna kill ya!" Just kidding... I was always told the angels were bowling, too. KayfromP... well??? Finish it hon!!!!
SouthernLady-that's what I heard when they had me retrieving the rat traps out from under the furniture. JK
NEOSHO..."She has a tampon stuck behind her ear, and she can't figure out where she put her pencil..."
Earl...now sugar, you're putting words in my fingers. The rest of the country does not suck. It's not better, it's not worse...just different. We may not have snow, tornados, hurricanes or extreme heat. But we have earthquakes (well, sometimes little ones, but you can't do anything about it anyway) and um...sharks. But I think that's a good thing.
Hey Kajun... the bayou would be a great place for a party... make sure there's a ton of mudbugs and lots of beer... and I'll bet they'll ALL come! Ha! How far are ya from I-10 past Baton Rouge? MTfromLA, you? LOL.....
SL: That would be so awesome!! Party on the Bayou. We have those around the Lafayette area...they call it that just to draw a crowd...ha. I'm only 45 minutes from the Red Stick...and there's plenty of mudbugs here...Selects at that! But you have to hurry...the season is almost over. You know, I've been hungry for blue point crabs, too. Yum!! Maybe we should just all ride out to Cameron and do some crabbin'. You get a line and I get a pole and we'll go down to the crawdad hole...honey...baby oh mine! Remember that one?
Southern, I can get to Baton Rouge in 2 hours.
Kajun...I remember hearing a story once about the origin of the name Baton Rouge. I know if means "Red Stick" but do you know why the city was named so??
KayfromPCreek: Baton Rouge comes from a French Explorer in 1699 leading an exploration team up the Mississippi River who came across a reddish cypress pole with bloody animal and fish on it that marked the boundary between Houma, La. and Bayou Boula tribal hunting grounds - therefore calling it the Red Stick. I love history... SL: Hun, we really need to talk about meeting somewhere in Baton Rouge sometime in the near future. Maybe a Joe's Crab Shack...MT, you know where that's at?
Kajun, thanks for the info. I knew there was a story; I just couldn't remember it!! I'd still like to look you all up next time I'm down that way....
Couldn't this be similar to the power of a black hole in it's explosive energy to create a new galexy? In regards to the amount of pressure accumulated between the atmosphere and the volcano.
KayfromPCreek: I'd love it! All you have to do is email me at my office when you're coming...don't know if the editors will allow the address...but here it is: flos@ace-safety.com I'd be so happy to share some Cajun heritage with you anytime!
earl... those questions are sooo easy. 1) depands on the brand. 2)I don't remember his first name but last time I saw him, he wore boots. 3)I'm not going to drive so what does it matter what actually pickes me up. LOL! You all are very funny and thanks for the warm and whitty welcome. MTfromLA, you'll just have to wait for the next Toga party to see if they match. KayfromPC, I don't now... how can you tell is a blonde is having a bad day? Anyway, thanks everyone. Ciao! Kay
AWESOME PHOTO! How can people look at this and say there is no God? He is the Creator of all.
This just goes to show us humans that we dont own anything on earth but the earth owns us..we all need to respect our earth.
This photo vividly captures Nature's power and mystique at its finest. The most renowned computer graphics designer(s) wouldn't be able replicate this photo with such detail.
Awesome! Finally something we can't control. Mother Nature
Like the dude in Alien said," Game over, man! GAME OVER!"
This is what the inside of my stomach feels like after an evening at El Jeffe's Mexican Restaurant. Muy picante!!!
omg thats beautiful but i'd be scared shitless! omg I evny the person taking this photo and yet at the same time I don't......
Wow, This isnt Photo Shopped...I would't call it the Wrath of God..I'd call it more like capturing a breif moment of His Art Work. whn I seen it it look apoclyptic. This also should inspire even the young photographers to get out there .. This want taken with the average camera though....
Too cool...
Little late but I totally see the Elephant. Beautiful!
Breathtaking photo. This image captures the awesome might, power and beauty of Mother Nature. I feel blessed to live on this planet and see such awesome displays of Earths splendor.
whoaa! crazy! pretty..this has got to be one of my fav photo
