I have always been fascinated with weather of all types. While I was growing up as a child in Tulsa, Oklahoma I would spend much of my time drawing up weather maps and reading everything I could get my hands on about Meteorology.

While yes I was at a very impressionable age at the time twister came out it was actually not that movie that perked up my interests in chasing but rather was a IMAX film that featured Howard Bluestien and his chase team called Stormchasers. From the moment I first saw that film in a museum in San Diego, California I knew that I would in the future grow up to pursue a degree in Meteorology and chase tornadoes and film mother nature in her most extreme conditions.

As I grew older my passion for Meteorology grew even stronger and in 2004, armed with nothing more than my fathers SUV and a NOAA weather radio I set off begin my chasing career. It wasn't until late 2005 that I merged my interest in photography together with chasing, starting off with a simple Sony Handycam and my old 35mm Nikon SLR. In 2006 I obtained my first media relationship with KFSM 5News in Fayetteville and Fort Smith, Arkansas in the wake of the March 12th tornadoes that ripped through my hometown and the areas around it. Garrett Lewis, the Chief Meteorologist for the station learned of my chasing successes through a reporter that was interviewing me for my work with the red cross while helping assist those that were affected by the storms.

I chased for KFSM from March 2006 through May of 2008 and was briefly employed as a full time photographer for them until I decided to make a move to KNWA/ FOX24 of Northwest Arkansas where I currently have a very strong and active relationship.

In September of 2008 I first set up a paid stream account with SevereStudios.com and made several call-ins while chasing Hurricane Ike. Due to my professionalism and performance during that storm I was later contacted by Kory Hartman about a month later and gratefully accepted his offer to become a Associate Chaser for SevereStudios.com.

I chase for two reasons, to first and foremost to report the public and warn them of impending danger and help as needed in the event an area is hit (I am a certified First Responder and Rescue Diver)and secondly to capture and record the awesome power of mother nature on film and since Severe Studios and I both share this passion for severe weather and to assist and warn the public to help save lives joining the team here was a "no brainer."

Be sure to keep an eye out for me on the list of active cameras feel free to watch along as I do my best to accurately and successfully cover one of natures more awesome forces. If you have any questions or comments feel free to email me anytime at Bart@SevereStudios.com