Front Row Seats

Matt Merritt

Front Row Seats

Thunderstorm at Lido Key beach, Florida. The two brightest celestial bodies are the Moon and Venus. Because of the storm most people cleared the beach, but because of the storm, I was drawn towards it.

Unfortunately, I did not get another good shot of lightning that evening – I forgot to bring my tripod, so the photos prior to this one are too blurred. I captured this clear shot by setting my camera on a beach chair, and propping up the lens with one of my flip-flops. And this stroke of lightning was the last significant one. But I’m sure grateful for it!
(Photo taken on July 17, 2007)

”#12 Great Features.”

Front Row Seats belongs to the following groups:

Astronomy, Beach Art, Dawn and Dusk Light, Florida the Sunshine State , Horizons, Light In The Darkness, Lightning and Storms, Live, Love, Dream: , Masterpiece: Photography, Miniatures and Mammoths, Mood & Ambience - Strictly Photos, Nature's Wonders, SEA, Shoot The Moon, Sunrise, Sunset, The true beauty, United States and Vibrant and Vivid Color Available for sale as

Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints and Framed Prints

Front Row Seats by Matt Merritt
  • salsbells69

    salsbells69

    What a capture!!! Magnificent job~! Well done.

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks salsbells!

  • EOS20

    EOS20Greeter

    WOW!! Amazing image Matt!

  • filthy6

    filthy6

    Awesome shot Matt

  • ADMarshall

    ADMarshall

    This is such a great shot MM – sometimes these things are worth the wait….?

  • Steven Guy

    Steven Guy

    Oh my, this is a most beautiful shot.

  • Matt White

    Matt White

    great shot well done

  • LindaR

    LindaR

    whoa ~ THIS is an award winner or should be!! you have the celestial sky and a storm dancing all in the same shot ~ a miracle truly!! I love the way you came to shoot it and the flip flop tripod fix has me lol…excellent in every way ~ xx

  • Michael Rowley KeepsakesPhotography

    Michael Rowley...

    what a shot brilliant work matt

  • Matt Merritt

    Matt Merritt

    Thank you EOS20!

    .

  • bmckain

    bmckain

    This is a really nice image, wouldn’t have found it if it weren’t in the contest. Great work!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks for the complement Bob!

  • eXposure

    eXposure

    such ana amazing outlook and beautiful capture …

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks Wendy!

  • dinghysailor1

    dinghysailor1

    brilliant capture! well done that flipflop! and you of course! this is an exceptional image!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thank you Ding!

  • estrada

    estrada

    Beautiful!

  • Matt Merritt

    Matt Merritt

    Thanks Estrada

  • Denis Dalby

    Denis Dalby

    Dramatic and surreal Matt! A great capture.

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks Denis!

  • Rebecca Cruz

    Rebecca Cruz

    This is incredibly stunning, Matt! Definitely surreal. Well done!

  • Matt Merritt

    Matt Merritt

    Thanks Rebecca!

  • Nixter

    Nixter

    Wow..great shot!

  • ECGardner

    ECGardner

    Magical capture! I can certainly see why you were grateful for and drawn to the storm. It made for an incredible moment. Your beach chair/flip flop tripod sounds like something I would do, lol. :)

  • Matt Merritt

    Matt Merritt

    Thanks Erin!
    Sometimes improvising is the only way to succeed.

  • stacyshell67

    stacyshell67

    This is a magnificient shot! I love Lido Key!

  • stacyshell67

    stacyshell67

    You should enter this in the national geographic photo contest. It is free too, I think you have an outstanding chance of winning.

  • Matt Merritt

    Matt Merritt

    Stacyshell, thanks for the complement, and the tip about the national geographic photo contest!

  • Audrey French

    Audrey French

    This is freaking amazing! I love it

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks Audrey!

  • Bradley Shawn  Rabon

    Bradley Shawn ...

    Absolutely superb shot. Propping up your camera with your flip flop – sounds like the kind of thing I would do. What an excellent capture.

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Bradley, thank you for the complement and for favoriting this!

  • Pischapa S

    Pischapa S

    wow! Brilliant capture!!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks Pischapa!

  • Dayonda

    Dayonda

    Another lovely work of Art, Matt!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thank you Dayonda!

  • Dayonda

    Dayonda

    Again, it’s me—check out our new Group Avatar!

  • Rachel Stickney

    Rachel Stickney

    Superb capture! Love it! A fave for me! That sky is amazing. I’d love to get a shot like this but I’d be too afraid of getting struck by lightning. Glad you got this fantastic shot safely!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thank you Rachel!
    Being a lightning photographer demands that I respect the dangers of lightning. Generally I stay inside if lightning is closer than 4 miles away (20 seconds between the flash and the thunder), and 4 miles is probably closer than I should be. But I have gotten good photos from indoors, and from storms that were over 20 miles away.

  • Steve Sharp

    Steve Sharp

    Beautiful photo, it must have been quite a sight to witness!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks Steve, it was!

  • Roddy Atkinson

    Roddy Atkinson

    Stunning capture, love the beach chairs!

  • Jen Millard

    Jen Millard

    Wow, this is incredible! What a shot…

  • Stephen Vecchiotti

    Stephen Vecchi...

    Very nice and unusual cloudscape shot.

  • Rikki  Pool

    Rikki Pool

    How have i not seen this. This is truly superb! Thanks so much for sharing!

  • Lam Tran

    Lam Tran

    This is amazing my friend! well done

  • MattGranz

    MattGranz

    Great story on how you got this tremendous shot! The hues turned out beautiful and your framing of the event is magnificent. The title is fantastic as well. You really nailed this one good.

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks MattGranz, and thank you for favoriting this! I am very happy with how this turned out.

  • KiimiG

    KiimiG

    that looks wicked – great capture

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks KiimiG!

  • eelsblueEllen
  • LukeThomas

    LukeThomas

    An incredible, magical picture. An excellent piece.

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks LukeThomas!

  • Tibby Steedly

    Tibby Steedly

    WOW!!! Beautiful and magical shot!!! Congratulations on being featured!!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thank you Tibby!

  • Daniel  Sly

    Daniel Sly

    Awesome shot, well done!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks Daniel!

  • HELUA

    HELUA

    An amazing capture…the colours and drama are extraordinary !!!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks Helua!

  • ROUBLE RUST

    ROUBLE RUST

    Gorgeous!!!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thank you Rust!

  • Donna Adamski

    Donna Adamski

    Beautiful capture…Congrats on your TOP TEN finish in the Never Placed in the Top Ten challenge in the #12 Great Features group.

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks Donna, I was glad to see that! :)

  • LindaR

    LindaR

    congrats on your placing in the top ten ~ so deserving! xx

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thank you Linda! :)

  • riverotter

    riverotter

    AMAZING capture! WOW!! And, congratulations on this capture!!!!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks Emily!

  • Gethin

    Gethin

    incredible capture.. well done

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thank you Gethin!

  • dimsim

    dimsim

    amazing, superb work!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks dimsim!

  • Beve Brown-Clark

    Beve Brown-Clark

    Stellar shot….such incredible details…what a story line!!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thank you Beve!

  • clizzio

    clizzio

    Wow, The purple color is amazing with the moon too. This is quite unusual. Nice capture.

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks clizzio. I was quite excited when I saw how well the photo turned out.

  • Donna Chapman

    Donna Chapman

    fantastic

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks Donna, it was an amazing sight!

  • kathy s gillentine

    kathy s gillen...

    fantastic shot

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thank you kathy!

  • MoxieNox

    MoxieNox

    This is stunning! I abolutely LOVE how you captured the chairs. Is there a popcorn stand nearby so I could sit in one of those chairs and watch? Instant fav!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks Moxie, and thanks for favoriting it!
    I don’t know about a popcorn stand, but there were a lot of seats to choose from. lol

  • Laura Cutmore

    Laura Cutmore

    stunning.. that sky is just exceptional!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks Laura! :)

  • Jens Helmstedt

    Jens Helmstedt

    Great picture!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks!

  • Novice

    Novice

    A
    W
    E
    S
    O
    M
    E

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thank you, it really was!

  • Brandie1

    Brandie1

    Fantastic Capture

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks!

  • Asoka

    Asoka

    WHAT A WONDERFUL SHOT!!!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thank you!

  • Heather Caye

    Heather Caye

    Wow, I love the coloration in this photo, and I love the photo in itself.

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks Heather!

  • Forget-me-not

    Forget-me-not

    I love this picture. You have captured a great moment!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thank you, I’m glad you like it!

  • BarbaraManis

    BarbaraManis

    Wonderfully captured!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thank you Barbara!

  • jeffrae

    jeffrae

    great job!!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks!

  • Gina Cormier

    Gina Cormier

    Awesome. We can get creative when we want the shot!! lol Great job!

  • Matt Merritt replied

    Thanks Gina!

  • Nori Bucci

    Nori Bucci

    Wow, what a fantastic shot!!! Unbelievable.

  • Santamaria

    Santamaria

    I love all your work!

  • Derek Dobbie

    Derek Dobbie

    wonderful capture

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