Lori Grace Bailey is a professional photographer with a passion for capturing extreme weather and extraordinary skies. Her pursuit of the perfect storm has taken her across the country, chasing supercells and tornadoes in the Midwest, towering dust storms in the Southwest, and rare atmospheric transient luminous events known as sprites. A lightning strike survivor, her connection to the forces of nature is deeply personal – she was nearly killed by a bolt of lightning in Arizona in 1998. Lori’s dedication to her craft results in vivid, evocative imagery that stands out in the world of weather photography. Below she shares her kit for photographing landscapes during inclement weather.
Product Preview – In This Article You'll Find:
–Sony Alpha 1
–Sony Alpha 7S III
–Sony Alpha 7R III
–Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master
–Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master
–Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master
–Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master
–Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master
–Sony 90mm F2.8 Macro G
–Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G
–Sony 85mm f/1.8
Cameras
Sony Alpha 1: The Sony Alpha 1 has been in my bag since the camera launched. The A1 is simply the camera I cannot put down and take with me everywhere. From portraits to weddings, then on to storm chasing and astrophotography, it really is the one camera to rule them all. My A1 has two priorities, and it never fails either: 1) Autofocus during events like weddings and portraits almost never misses. 2) The low light capabilities have enabled me to capture auroras, sprites, and the Milky Way in ways I’ve never been able to before. It does both of these, and everything in between, flawlessly.
In the photo below, these ethereal objects in the sky are known as sprites, part of what is known as a transient luminous event. It’s essentially upper atmospheric lightning, and they can only be captured in this level of detail with high dynamic range cameras in the darkest of conditions. The A1 coupled with the 50mm f/1.2 G Master lens in video at ISO 32000 provided the settings needed to capture these giant jellyfish sprites in magnificent detail. I was approximately 200 miles away in Arizona as the main storm that produced these sprites danced on the horizon in northern Mexico on August 25, 2024.
Photo by Lori Grace Bailey. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master.
My most colorful and dazzling lightning capture to date came thanks to the Sony A1 while I was shooting this thunderstorm near Amado, Arizona on July 19, 2021. A couple approached to ask if they were safe when these giant bolts lit up the sky and landed a few miles away to the south to all our amazement. The color range from blue hour on the left to the fiery red of the setting sun to the west created the perfect balance to this color palette.
Photo by Lori Grace Bailey. Sony Alpha 1. 1/2-sec., f/9, ISO 125
Sony Alpha 7S III: The Sony Alpha 7S III maintains its own separate functions for my bag, especially when capturing nature or storms. It settles in perfectly as a video camera to document not only the landscape, but it’s the perfect vlogging camera to follow me while I’m on a shoot. Finally the low light capabilities make it the perfect companion to my A1 to also shoot nightscapes, auroras and sprites.
The image below was one of the closer strikes I’ve encountered in recent years. While in the Patagonia Mountains in Southern Arizona, a storm moved north and began to drop lightning just to my west. I barely had enough time to position my A7S III with the 50mm lens and lock in settings at f/9, 25 seconds and ISO 250. Not only can you see the aperture blades of the lens imaged in the corners of the lightning, but the desert shrubs and hillside are lit up by the ground strike. I’m just thankful it didn’t land closer to me. Needless to say I promptly packed it up and exited the area.
Photo by Lori Grace Bailey. Sony Alpha 7S III. Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master.
Sony Alpha 7R III: The Sony Alpha 7R III was my introductory leap into the Sony Alpha Universe. At the time I needed both the megapixels and low light capabilities to resolve multiple situations, and it just did not disappoint. It stays in my bag for the third essential purpose of capturing incredible details in still images for the creation of my timelapse projects.
The image below was captured using the A7R III and Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master lens at 12mm as a rare supercell thunderstorm traversed north through the Sonora Desert in southern Arizona. The laminar, pancake-like structure illuminated by the sun left me speechless. The monstrosity of the storm was so big it covered my entire field of view directly above. I knew I had less than a few minutes before I had to make my escape. I shot as wide as possible at 12mm to capture the fullness of the mothership.
Photo by Lori Grace Bailey. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master. 1/13-sec., f/2.8, ISO 2000
Lenses
Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master: The Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master is the one lens I would keep if I had to get rid of every other lens in my kit. Portraits at f/1.2 evoke a special magic that I can’t explain. Also wide open, I use it to capture some of the faintest phenomena in the night sky known as transient luminous events (TLE) which include sprites and exceptionally rare blue jets. And when aimed specifically at lightning at 50mm, the detail and sharpness stand out revealing the starlike pattern from the aperture blades at around f/8.
Photo by Lori Grace Bailey. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 50mm f/1.2 G Master.
Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master: When I need to get up close and shoot wide, the Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master is one of my go-to lenses. The extreme part of weather photography sometimes involves being extremely close to damaging tornadoes, lightning and hail. It’s imperative I capture as much detail as wide as possible to accurately define the intensity of everything going on.
The image below was captured using the Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 GM. At this point, the gust front from the storm was quickly approaching but I was able to capture a solitary lightning bolt on the leading edge. This is a prime example of precisely why the 12-24mm stays in my kit. Get close, shoot wide.
Photo by Lori Grace Bailey. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 12-24mm f/2.8 G Master. 2-sec., f/8, ISO 500
Sony 16-35mm f/2.8 G Master: Same as with the 12-24mm, this is another go-to when I need to get up close and shoot wide. Usually attached to either my Sony Alpha 7S III or Sony Alpha 7R III. In this instance below, I’ve always tried to capture a bolt of lightning looking straight on and in frame at the San Xavier Mission, also known as “The White Dove of the Desert,” just south of Tucson, Arizona. On this afternoon August 12, 2024, a solitary storm formed just north of the mission which lined up precisely with my objective. Countless times and numerous years of attempts have failed to capture this shot, but patience and perseverance pays off when you’re set on capturing something unique as this.
Photo by Lori Grace Bailey. Sony Alpha 7S III.
Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master or Sony 35mm f/1.4 G Master: These two Sony prime lenses stay in my kit for specific circumstances when I’m looking for sharpness at all stops and when I can fill them frame perfectly for my composition. Using them for astrophotography is a huge plus especially when I’m attempting to capture elusive sprites or blue jets above distant thunderstorms. My favorite combo at night on the A7S III is the Sony 24mm f/1.4 GM. In the image below, a setting sun set the underbelly of a line of thunderstorms afire with color, just minutes after the storm dropped a tornado near Stratford, Texas in 2023. The A1 at 24mm captured this fleeting moment perfectly.
Photo by Lori Grace Bailey. Sony Alpha 1. Sony 24mm f/1.4 G Master. 1/30-sec., f/2.8, ISO 1250
Other lenses I sometimes include in my kit: Sony 90mm f/2.8 Macro G
Sony 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G, and Sony 85mm f/1.8.
Accessories
SmallRig Camera Cages: SmallRig metal camera cages with top handles for the A1, A7S III and A7R III to ensure I have multiple points to grab the cameras when racing to set up or making a hasty exit out of impending danger. I can also add additional accessories including my MK Controls Lightning Bug lightning capture devices or shotgun microphones.
Manfrotto 055 3-Section Aluminum Tripod: My Manfrotto 055 3-Section Aluminum Tripod with XPRO Ball Heads are battle tested and a necessity when reliable, stable, heavy tripods are needed to stand up against heavy wind gusts or when astrophotography requires the camera to be as still as possible.
IFAK Kit: Individual First Aid Kit: Because being on the road, you never know when you're faced with an emergency.
Midland Weather Radio: I can receive emergency weather alerts even if the power is out or if I'm not near a town.
POM Industries Pepper Spray: Because animals (and some bad people) are always a potential threat.
Photo by Lori Grace Bailey. Sony Alpha 1.
DJI RS4 Mini Gimbal: When paired with the Alpha 7S III's excellent autofocus and the 16-35mm lens, a new feature on the gimbal allows the camera to track me wherever I go.
Cases By Nanuk: They provide cost effective cases that yield solid protection and performance at a cost effective price.
Lightning Capture Device: MK Controls Lightning Bug Plus - they're my go to lightning trigger to capture bolts during the day which are sometimes next to impossible to time by manual shutter release.
Small Rig Phone Cage: Allows me to mount the atop the metal cage around any of my Sony mirrorless cameras. I can capture an additional timelapse, keep checking radar for storm advancement, or post to social media without losing my phone or losing focus of the storm.
Pelican SD Card Holder & SD Cards: To keep my cards organized and safe.
Photo by Lori Grace Bailey. Sony Alpha 1. 1/2-sec., f/9, ISO 125
More on Lori Grace Bailey:
In 2024, Lori was featured on CBS Sunday Morning in a segment exploring the science of lightning. Her work has appeared in prominent publications and media outlets, including Cosmopolitan Magazine (Issue 3, 2022) Backpacker Magazine (March/June 2021), and the "Tempest” issue of Flaunt Magazine (2023). Her photography has also been featured in several books focusing on weather and lightning phenomena. Many of Lori’s best works were featured in The Pantone View 2024 Home/Interiors “The Art of Living” publication.
Lori is the director of Monsoon Con, an annual convention held in Tucson, Arizona, that brings together storm chasers, photographers, and weather enthusiasts to celebrate and learn more about the monsoon season and storm chasing success.
She now hosts a podcast called "The Storm Before the Calm," available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. The show delves into the often-untold stories of thrill-seeking adventurers – storm chasers, extreme athletes, and boundary-pushing weekend warriors – who have faced life-threatening adversity.
See more of Lori Grace Bailey’s work on Instagram @lorigraceaz.
