This year, I managed to pull off a few days of vacation by Lake Balaton.

The weather was perfect. During the day, it was pleasantly summery, and in the afternoons and evenings, there were some storms that resulted in some dramatic pictures. One afternoon, a downpour came from the west, occasionally accompanied by lightning. It looked best from the water, so I went into the lake with my tripod and backpack. It was a bit nerve-wracking due to the lightning. From the direction of the pier, I could faintly hear people saying that the photographer probably knows how long it’s safe to stay, and later, someone suggesting it might be better to get out. No, I didn’t know, but sometimes the urge to capture a shot overrides part of the fear, making it easier to handle things like acrophobia when needed. In this case, I mostly relied on my guardian angel to keep the lightnings away from me or my surroundings. I think it was worth it for the pictures.