Adventures into Darkness - Warren Faidley - Page 4

      "In 1995 I was contacted by a Warner Bros. writer about a new motion picture project with a storm chasing theme. The main character was to be based on a chaser like myself.
      But in the complex world of motion pictures, Michael Crichton's book "Twister" was ultimately used as the basis for the film. I was however, used as an initial technical consultant
      and better yet, rewarded with the ultimate bragging rights to have one of my tornado images used for movie marketing, including the poster and digital packaging. The actual image
      was taken near Miami, Texas in May of 1994 - after being pounded with hailstones - but well worth the welts."

"The skies over Tornado Alley can change in an instant. A creative opportunity can come and go in
seconds. I've lost countless scenes by arriving just seconds too late. "

      "I started my career as a freelance newspaper photojournalist. My specialty was disasters, fires, riots and other mayhem. Such events were exciting and forced creativity under
      the worse conditions. But most importantly, they landed my images on the front page which rewarded me with my first, fulltime job. I found these two gentlemen trying to move
      a firehose closer to an exploding building fire, but the heat was so extreme they had to flee for their lives. Covering insane and dangerous events as a journalist was perfect
      training for my future occupation as a professional storm chaser."     (Tucson, Arizona - 1986)

      "Most storm photography is a constant search for color. The majority of storm skies, from tornadoes to hurricanes are grey and void of contrast. Occasionally, Mother Nature
      rewards the persistent photographer. I shot this image near Tucson, Arizona in 1996. The sunset was so brilliant, the long exposure on film saturated the image with a fantastic
      color." Thanks again Mother Nature."

      "Storm surges are often filled with all kinds of debris. I've seen everything from bodies, sewage, hazardous chemical drums to snakes and money floating by. I was once stung
       or bitten in surge waters by an unknown creature causing my leg swell up like an balloon."      (Hurricane Ivan - Pensacola, Florida - September 2004)

      "The first storm chasers were a handful of weather enthusiasts and university researchers in the 1950's into the 1980's who chased for the pure love of science, photography and adventure.
      The explorations were carried out over lonely highways where you were lucky to see another chaser on any given spring day. Unfortunately, this would all change as the once hidden concept
      of storm chasing was exposed to millions via motion pictures, cable television shows and social media. Suddenly, the abandoned highways were filled with hundres of vehicles -- often clogging
      roads while pursuing storms with dangerous, agressive behavior. The world of storm chasing finally faced reality after four storm chasers were killed and a crew from The Weather Channel was
      struck by a massive tornado near El Reno, Oklahoma in May of 2013. Despite the sharp rise in chase-related deaths and injuries often caused by agressive chasing behavior, the majority of
      modern day chasers conduct their adventures in a responsible manner."

      "On May 22, 1987 I conducted my very first torando chase, targeting Southwestern Texas. Little did I suspect, that I would end up that evening in what was left of Saragosa,
      a small farming community, suffering almost complete destruction by a large F4 tornado. It was a humbling experience for a young photojournalsit turned professional storm
      photographer. The next morning, as I walked though the shattered landscape, a woman pointed out this fork embedded into a tree trunk, carried from where her home once
      stood. She survived by hiding in a broom closet, the only part of her home left standing. Many people were not so lucky as the twister killed 30 people. This tragic toll also
      included a large number of children attending a graduation ceremony. I swore that day I would give something back while chasing. Keeping my promise, I eventually earned
      my State EMT certification so I could assit with future disasters.

      Arizona Snow Globe. "Although it snows in the Sonoran Desert near Tucson about once per year, it's rare for snow to accumulate. On March 2, 2023 the foothills east of Tucson were turned into to a
      winter wonderland."

      "A lightning strike started The "Big Horn" fire north of Tucson, Arizona in June of 2020. The fire burned though over 100,000 acres in the Santa Catalina Mountains. Non-native,
      Buffelgrass helped fuel the fire and assisted in igniting hundreds of Arizona's famous saguaro cacti, many that had stood for hundreds of years.

      "Rainbows have a way of showing up after some of the most tragic events I've covered. Fortunately, this rainbow in Eastern New Mexico was a parting gift as I headed
      home after a long chase season in 2004. After a few weeks recovery...... I can't wait until next spring!

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