Front Row Seats

Artist: Matt Merritt
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Card: US$4.46
Print: from US$19.09

Front Row Seats

Twilight storm at Lido Key beach. 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.

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!

I didn’t modify the picture except to increase the brightness and contrast a bit, and remove camera artifacts. I’m not too good at making photos look more ‘artistic’, but for landscape, atmospheric, and flower photos, I think I prefer the more natural look.
(Photo taken on July 17, 2007)

Front Row Seats belongs to the following groups:

All Things Poetic, Artistic, Philosophical, Amateur Photographers' Association, Astronomy, Beach Art, Dawn and Dusk Light, Florida the Sunshine State, Horizons, Images & Ideas, Light In The Darkness, Lightning and Storms, Live, Love, Dream: , Miniatures and Mammoths, Mood & Ambience - Strictly Photos, Nature's Wonders, Once In A Blue Moon, Scenery, SEA, Shameless Self-Promotion, Shoot The Moon, The true beauty, Travel and Adventure, United States and Vibrant and Vivid Color Available for sale as

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

Michael Bermi...

Simply stunning Matt…Awesome!!
stevealder

Hi Matt, Great image with lots of colour and drama. You’re a photogenic-storm chaser like me !! Regards, Steve
Ern Mainka

Totally awesome. Great combination.
William Jackso...

WOW! This is one helluve baddas shot man!!! amazing!
William Jackso...

*helluva
Mara Panich

This is fantastic! I thought it was digitally composed when I first looked at it! amazing.
Daniel J. McCa...

Terrific capture, Matt. Looks fantastic!
solarrain

cool shot. almost makes one wonder if the people who might have been sitting in the beach chairs were vaporized…
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks solarrain
Vaporized? Hmm. To me, it makes me wonder why they left before the show was over… I guess they were intelligent. :)
Matt Merritt

Thanks everyone!
What do you think of the title, “Front Row Seats”?
solarrain

yes!!!
EOS20

Wow, Great capture!!
Wanda Lechene

wow this is really cool. and looks great with the frame.
Hiroko

How awesome!!
Matt Merritt

Thank you all!
Benjamin Scheurer

DRAMATIC shot!!!....love this.
nikirios

brilliant image!
bugsbunny

blown away matt fab foto!!!
tonilouise

What an amazing image and how lucky were you to witness and capture this..
Al Bourassa

Great capture Matt!
jesika

Very dramatic and superb
j
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks jesika, and thanks everyone!

(Note: I lowered the price on this work.)
Mark Weaver

this is a first class capture.
Rhonda Fulks

All I can say is WOW!
Moegirlsinging

The shadows of color behind the rain and the cloud coming down/moving up remind me of a nebulous cloud of a galaxy.

That shot is beautiful.
Matt Merritt

Thanks Mark, Rhonda, and Moegirlsinging!
It’s interesting that elements of this photo come in pairs. I certainly didn’t plan it that way! I can see at least 4 pairs…
Scott Denny

Stunning! Straight to the Favs!!!!! Superb timing.
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks Scott!
Imber

Spectacularly good!
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you Imber!
JoLennox

Wow! this is great.. the deck chairs put it into perspective and it is amazing!
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you JoLennox! Even though I was on a vacation, and the weather was not what most people would call ideal, I was fortunate to get this great photo! Now I just need to sell one… :)
JoLennox

Mmmm!! i know the feeling ! i bought some of my own last week.. sad but true!! he he!!
Matt Merritt replied

I’m sorry to see that your work is not selling better, JoLennox – you deserve it! I noticed that your purchase of your own work did not count as a sale. That stinks! And I was thinking of buying one of my own, so that I would get a bought / sold check on my profile! lol
joolz

Awesome shot!
reflector

Stunning image, well timed and caught ! Rare perspective too.
Matt Merritt

Thanks joolz and reflector!
micmac

Impressive view,fantastic capture.
Ellen

This is so beautiful!!
Matt Merritt

Thank you micmac and Ellen!
H M Bascom

What an amazing photograph! Well done. It’s beautiful.
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks Helen!
RichardV

Stunning capture and colours Matt.
Steven Sandner

Great shot!!!
Ine Spee

Wow, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Venus so bright (or maybe I have and simply didn’t know!). This photo for some reason seems very surreal to me, so cool!
Matt Merritt replied

Ine, I think that Venus looked so bright because the exposure time was several seconds, and the thin cirrus clouds expanded the area of brightness. I agree, it does look surreal, but it was real! :)
Sean Farragher

amazing image
Matt Merritt

Thanks Richard, Steven, Ine and Sean!
Forest Friends...

This is AWESOME Matt! And you captured this so perfectly!!! Tina
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you Tina!
Lam Tran

Wow! Beautiful work! Love the mysterious effect of the sky!
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you Lam!
Megan Dacy

Wow, this is absolutely crazy stunning!
Marvin Collins

Excellent!!
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you Marvin (and Megan)!
Jacqueline Baker

fantastic!.........Did i say fantastic? I meant brilliant!
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you, Jacqueline!
lurline

A Superb capture! And the colours are wonderful! :)
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks lurline!
ScottH711

WOW….Everything about this photo is perfect.The image is outstanding,the chairs on the beach, the title…..it all fits together perfectly.
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks Scott!
Michael Rowley...

wow awsome image it has it all great capture
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you Michael!
Mui-Ling Teh

Great shot! This presents many wonders of the sky!
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks Mui-Ling!
Kathie Nichols

Wow, Matt, this is totally awesome photography!!!
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks Kathie!

Unfortunately I did not get another good shot.. I captured this clear shot by setting my camera on a beach chair, and propping up the lens with one of my flip-flops. That lightning strike was the last significant one that evening.
elliewinds

incredible.
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks elliewinds, indeed it was!
Atheum

Nicely done. I enjoy to see the awesomeness of nature’s fury and good photography all at the same time.
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you Atheum!
Adrian Carmody

Unbelievably good, well done
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks Adrian
Squealia

What an amazing capture, who needs tripods?!
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks Squealia :)
Daniel J. McCa...

Simply beautiful, Matt! Nothing like flip-flops : ) Great capture!!
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you Daniel! Without my flip-flops I certainly wouldn’t have gotten as good a photo. :)
hillsrain

Bloody hell! Strewth mate that is up there with one of my all time favourites!
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks hillsrain, and thanks for favoriting it!
Babbler

very nice
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you for the complement and for favoriting this, Babbler!
nicklily

Nothing quite like being in the right place at the right time eh Matt? Now if that had been me, my battery would have gone flat and I would have witnessed this breathtaking shot as I fumbled to replace it, knowing I’d just missed the shot of a lifetime. Well done! Oh, and thats the perfect title!
erika15

WOW!!! I don’t know what else to say….instant favorite!! :)
James Cole

What an amazing capture. Beautiful shot.
Virginia N. Fred

Awsome work not something easy to get
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks Virginia!
And thanks James, erika, and nick!
Jase036

Amazing work!

You have been featured! – 14 March 09
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks Jase!
Colleen Milburn

Stunning capture, Matt – and perfect title :))
Congrats on the feature!!
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you for the complement Colleen! :)
shaneran

congratulations on your feature ! This is so fantastic ! and that nature was the artist is even and your ability to capture it is absolutely wonderful !!
Andrew Murrell

MAMZING!!!!! One of the best lightning images I have seen. An instant favourite. Congradulations of being selected as a feature work.
Dave & Trena P...

WOW! Amazing shot!
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks David & Trena!
Thank you Andrew and shaneran!
raindancerwoman

awesome capture :))
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks!
BCasTal

Congratulations on your feature in Photography 101!
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you Barbara!
SMOKEYDOGSOCKS

THIS IS A FANTASTIC SHOT, IT HAD TO GO INTO MY FAVES. DON’T EVER WORRY ABOUT NOT GETTING ANOTHER SHOT, BE GLAD YOU GET THE ONES YOU GET. WHEN I WAS USING FILM IN 1982, WE HAD A HUGE ELECTRICAL STORM COME THROUGH. BY THE TIME I GOT FINISHED SHOOTING THE SUNSET, I ONLY HAD TWO FRAMES OF FILM LEFT. I GOT ONE FANTASTIC SHOT OF LIGHTNING IN THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY AND ONE SO, SO, SHOT A FEW MINUTES LATER. I’M GLAD FOR DIGITAL NOW, BECAUSE IT DOESN’T REQUIRE CHANGING OUT FILM AFTER 24 OR 36 SHOTS. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVEN’T HAD THE OPPERTUNITY TO GET ANY DIGITAL ELECTRICAL STORMS AS YET. GREAT SHOT. BOB ;)
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks for the story and favoriting this Bob!
frankjames

I too am drawn to the beach when others flee storms. Your photo is a work of art.
Matt Merritt

Thank you for the complement frank!
breezyXyokom

this is amazing!!! my jaw dropped..=)
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks!
Lorraine Parra...

wonderful capture, amazing light in the clouds, love the two beach chairs too!
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you Lorraine!
P3T3

Brilliant photo.
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks Pete!
Jimson Carr

That’s fantastic work Matt! Great job!
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you Jimson!
ssvarovs

This is the most stunning, thoughtful, and emotion-inducing image I’ve seen so far. Bravissimo, Matt!!
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you!
armadillozenith

Incredible! It looks like a high-budget effects shot! (Ha, but God provided the best of those already in Nature!)
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks!
kibishipaul

Wow! You are one lucky, lucky guy!
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks Paul!
Melanie Dogan

Amazing shot—love the title! :)
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you Melanie!
dlamb

One of the coolest photos I’ve ever seen. Hats off!
Matt Merritt replied

Thank you!
Forfarlass

You sure caught the power and the beauty of nature with photo.It is fantastic.
Matt Merritt replied

Thanks!
NicoleH

Beautiful shot, simply amazing! I appreciated your ingenuity in using a beach chair to capture this! I have had to improvise like that on occasion as well!
Matt Merritt

Thank you Nicole, I’m glad you like it!
Dane Austin

Incredible! One of those “shots of a lifetime” :) :)