Perfect Storm

An intrepid storm chaser captures an imagined image.

- Barry Tanenbaum

IT ’S NOT PHOTOSHOPPED. SHE’S STANDING THERE.

For years, photographer Mike Mezeul had wanted to come up with an image of extremes, one that showed both severe weather and a human element—call it a beauty and the beast setup, pretty much like the one you’re looking at.

Mezeul’s been photographing severe weather for 16 years, but it’s not his main line of photographic work. He accepts being called a storm chaser, but considers himself “more of a storm photographer.”