Orange Diablo: The Calm Before the Storm
There are moments when photography transcends a simple image and becomes a witness to history. This photograph, another from my series on Mount Diablo, is one of those moments. While the mountain itself is a constant, the true story here is the incredible, volatile storm that enveloped it.
The morning I took this shot was filled with what they call “dry lightning”—strikes that hit the ground without any accompanying rain. The atmosphere was thick with tension and an eerie orange glow that was more natural than influenced by editing. This powerful, almost cinematic, tint was the result of smoke and dust in the air.
Looking at this photo, I’m reminded of the immense power and unpredictability of nature. The calm, orange hue in the image belies the chaos that was to come. Later that very same day, the frequent lightning strikes started what would become the devastating LNU Lightning Complex Fire, which went on to burn down half of Lake Berryessa and the surrounding areas. This photograph is a permanent record of the day that changed the landscape, a beautiful yet foreboding capture of a quiet moment just before a historic tragedy.