Monsoon II (2015)

• 69%
• 2015
• Documentary
• Mike Olbinski

Arizona is known for its heat and gorgeous landscapes...but people often forget that during the summer months, powerful monsoon thunderstorms ravage the deserts and bring much needed rain to a dry climate. These storms produce heavy downpours, dense dust storms, intense lightning barrages and some of the most beautiful sunsets anywhere in the world. But when you are standing there in real time...you miss the motion, the life and the way the atmosphere is churning the clouds all around you. This short time-lapse film delivers the Arizona monsoon to the viewer as never seen before. Photographed during the summer of 2015 over the course of 48 days, the rain, the dust and lightning come to life right before your eyes. 17,000 miles driven resulted in 105,000 total frames shot, with only half of that making the final edit of the film. This was the result of a passionate, relentless pursuit of the best storms this summer had to offer. This is the Arizona monsoon.