About Me
Jonah Lange - A Storm Chasing Photographer
Hello! My name is Jonah Lange. I am a freelance photographer and storm chaser based out of Fort Collins, Colorado.
In brief, I have been holding a camera since I was 6, when I could take pictures of the tractors in our backyard! Since then, I have gone through many cameras, tripods, and other various gear. Today I sit at age 23 with a passion for photography and an even bigger passion for storm photography. Time-lapse photography has taken over my life as a new love for videography emerges. Every year, I set out with a goal in mind: Show people the raw, untamed power of Mother Nature. One of the best ways to do that, in my opinion, is via a time-lapse, showing you just how quickly a storm can change course, produce a tornado, and then evaporate.
Learn all about me below.
What makes me unique?
Storms. There’s a beauty and a terror inside these natural phenomena, one that used to terrify me. On the same day, someone may be experiencing the worst day of their life. The other, maybe the best… Just like Mother Nature. She can produce these furies every day without fail; it’s not a matter of if, but when and where. Monster storms are all the eye can see in the wide open plains of America. It is here that you truly realize how small you are in this world. It is truly belittling to stand under a force as powerful as Mother Nature. From the moment I saw that first towering cumulus over a lush green field swaying in the wind, I was forever hooked. While I find these things remarkably beautiful to watch, the sheer unpredictability of weather is what really excites me more and more every time. Storms have been around for so long, yet scientists still know so little about what makes them do what they do. It’s the unknown that inspires me to learn more new and exciting things each and every year. Of course, it also helps that no two storms are ever the same. When I’m out filming and photographing these beauties, I know I’m looking at something no one will ever see again.
Taking everything I have learned about the science behind forecasting these forces of nature, I set out with a goal in mind: Show people how powerful Mother Nature really is… for better or worse. At her worst, I’ve seen houses and buildings completely destroyed and people’s lives changed forever. At her best, clear views into the outer reaches of our world or a calm, beautiful day on the coast. Somewhere in between, some of the most beautiful storm structures I’ve ever seen. I want to change the way people look at Mother Nature, one picture at a time. To realize the immense power she holds and how incredibly fortunate we are to observe it unfold every day. To show the 9-5s just what they’re missing and make them realize just how small they and everyone else is in this world. Most importantly, I want to show everyone something they’ll never see anywhere else. A moment in time that will never expire.
Photography
Photography has been part of my life for years now. I first got into photography at age 6. I was infatuated with tractors… So naturally, I began taking pictures of the tractors in the backyard! I started to really get into photography in sixth grade, when I picked up an old camera my parents used. One of the first things I ever photographed with that camera was a beautiful supercell that happened to split into two storms as it passed over. From then on, my interest in storms and photography grew enormously. After just months, I was in the market for a new camera. I looked into Nikon simply because my older brother shot with Nikon and was familiar with it. For Christmas that year, I was fortunate enough to receive a Nikon D3300. All winter, I watched videos and read articles about my new camera, learning lots of cool tricks I still use today. The few years following would be full of both failed and successful photo opportunities. If I ever did something wrong, I would research it and see what I did and how I could improve. In 2018, I decided I wanted a full frame camera. I ended up getting a Nikon D800. A few years later, I started getting into time-lapse photography after watching a video of Mike Olbinski’s. I was infatuated with his work. I decided to get another camera so I could run two time-lapses at once. After lots of research, I purchased a Nikon D850. Not even a few months later, I am out doing what I love again. This time, with two cameras to catch that one pesky lightning bolt…
storm chasing
Storms have always been an interest in my life. Weather, to me, is a beautiful representation of the force and power of Mother Nature. It wasn’t too long ago, though, that I feared storms. Anytime we were supposed to get bad weather, I could be found in the basement with my dog and all the emergency supplies we could ever need. The crackling thunder is what scared me most. It wasn’t until about 6th grade that I got over that fear. I grew up watching Storm Chasers and The Weather Channel (funny enough, I still watch the same two shows) on the T.V. Everyday since then, my interest in weather has grown greater and greater. Watching Reed Timmer and crew chase storms really brought out my own passion for weather. Watching Storm Chasers on the Discovery Channel made me realize that was what I wanted to do some day. So, I started working for it. Before I turned 16 and got my license, I had to bug my dad to take me storm chasing. It was usually just around home. Once I got my license, however, I started chasing around our county. Once I turned 17, my parents grew enough trust in me to be able to chase all over southern Wisconsin. Since I became an adult, I have chased as far as Texas, Colorado, and North Dakota, and every state in-between. I was also fortunate enough to meet a number of storm chasers I had watched growing up. I could not imagine a life without storm chasing.
