Photos of Intense Lightning Storms in Volcanic Eruptions

Francisco Negroni is a Chilean freelance photographer has spent years pointing his camera at volcanic eruptions. Over time, he has captured a series of incredible photos showing the lightning of “dirty thunderstorms” that are found in massive volcanic plumes.

Dirty thunderstorms occur when ash, rock, and other “ejecta” collide and create static electricity in the plume of volcanic eruptions. Researchers estimate that about 35% of volcanic eruptions are accompanied by lightning.

Colossal writes that Negroni travels light in the Chilean backcountry as he travels to eruptions, bringing only a backpack, laptop, camera, tripod, and three lenses in his car.

You can find more of Negroni’s work on his website and Instagram.

---

Image credits: Photographs by Francisco Negroni and used with permission