David Mayhew

Skyscapes, capturing the emotional qualities of the skies. Most landscape photographers do not pay adequate attention to the beauty of the sky, despite the sky generally occupying a large portion of each photo. The normal approach is to find a location of natural beauty to photograph. My approach is very different. I seek the sky I want to photograph and interpret its emotional quality through the lens. The beauty of the sky is beyond comprehension. Never the same twice it makes for unique images that capture a fleeting moment in time. I strive to capture the full array of Mother Nature’s moods in my work from the color palette and limitless textures it conjures up. Forecasting for skies, night or day, is in itself as much an art as a science since weather is a living ecosystem, forever evolving. Adapting to its whim is like being a feather on a breeze, I drift wherever the wind carries me, feeling out the best light in order to capture an image that best depicts Mother Nature’s song. The severe weather of the Midwest plains provides the best opportunities for me in spring each year and it takes me anywhere from Texas to Canada. My journey has provided me with many awe inspiring events including the 2.6 mile wide El Reno Oklahoma tornado, the widest ever recorded. Dedication and persistence are certainly a requirement for my work, often traveling up to 1000 miles in a day and at times without seeing a photogenic storm. However, when the elements come together the result is undeniably spectacular.