As the creator of this contest, it’s been something I’ve thought about for a very long time. I love photography. I remember my own passion for it being sparked by lightning photos I saw on Wunderground over 11 years ago. They were inspiring and awesome. All I wanted to do was learn to capture bolts just like that.

Fast-forward to today and photography is now how I earn a living. It’s my love. My passion. My dream. And I know countless others out there, like me, who love to take photos of storms. Nothing can stop you from blasting down a road towards a supercell, tornado or mega downburst. You could be on no sleep, no food, and maybe have only a gallon of gas left in your car, but you will chase nonetheless. We all share that drive.

The motivation for making this contest is to reward those who work so hard every year. I see the images that cross my Facebook, Instagram and Twitter timelines all day. Many of them are mind-blowing, and then they disappear down the newsfeed and that’s it.

My hope is to recognize your efforts, hard work, epic photos and reward you for that.

Mike Olbinski