09/02/2026
I often think about the "zombie" responses on social media. A quick "cool" doesn't tell the story of the freezing nights.
I’m not a meteorologist with a degree; I’m a Site Manager from Welkom giving my spare time to the understanding of our planet. Everything I share here is self-taught knowledge from three years of the "grind."
This is my personal "Mind and Matter" take on what it truly takes to capture the invisible above South Africa.
1. The Science: What are these "Ghosts" and "Jets"?
Before we get to the photos, we have to understand the physics:
The Red Sprite: A cold plasma discharge in the mesosphere (50-90km above us). It happens when a massive Positive Cloud-to-Ground (+CG) bolt literally "breaks" the air's insulation (Dielectric Breakdown).
The Blue Jet: It shoots like a projectile directly upwards from the storm’s hail-loaded core into the stratosphere.
2. The Free State & Northern Cape & Mp & NW regions: Global Powerhouses
South Africa is one of the top three regions on the planet for violent thunderstorms. Our "Supercells" frequently reach heights of 18km, building the enormous electrical charge required for TLEs.
3. The "Sprite King" and the Kuruman Lessons
Despite my research, I remain a student. I’ve traveled twice now to the Kuruman Hills to learn from Albertus Horn, the South African "Sprite King."
It's a far drive to a place with no Eskom, no cell signal, and no mosquitoes. Every trip is a schooling on its own.
Elevation is Key: Albertus’s location is higher than mine in Welkom, making his shooting radius ridiculously larger than mine.
Insane Distances: Together, we’ve chased sprites from storms in the North West and even as far as Polokwane while standing in the Northern Cape!
To catch one at that distance (sometimes over 700km), your aim must be dead spot on. ] I’ve missed sprites where he caught them—it just shows how precise your gear and knowledge must be.
4. The "Welkom Handicap" & Geometry
Look at my Visual Atlas. Shooting from Welkom is a battle:
The 150-350km "Sweet Spot": My green zone where the angle (15° to 30°) is perfect.
Mine Dumps and Buildings: At a low angle of 10°-12°, I literally have to aim between mine dumps for distant storms.
The "Dry Line": I look for the Dry Line—that boundary where the air is crystal clear, free of humidity that eats up the faint red light.
5. The Photos: Forensic Evidence vs. Art
My photos are not "National Geographic" quality. They are grainy and full of noise.
I shoot with a Canon M6 Mark II (Crop Sensor) and a Sigma 30mm lens.
Being a crop sensor, my field of view is narrower (effectively 50mm). I have to guess exactly where that millisecond event will happen.
These photos are raw data proving these phenomena happen above our heads, despite light pollution.
6. The Grind – The 0.003% Chance
Only 5-10% of lightning is Positive (+CG).
Only ~10% of those rare positive bolts reach the CMC threshold to "break" the air.
I take if time allows it 3,000 photos per night. Over a season, I capture 60,000 photos.
If I get 2 successful photos out of 60,000, it’s a success rate of 0.003%.
It’s not luck. It’s science, burned rubber off and on the road, and an unwavering passion for capturing the power of our sky.
Ask me about the physics, the cameras, or the Kuruman trips—let’s appreciate the effort behind the pixels.
Swaicsa - Severe Weather And Information Centre SA We Are South Africans Storm Report SA Vista Newspaper Reënval in SA Volksblad Vox Weather
