The Pursuit of Power Severe Weather Calendar 2026 opens its monthly showcase with Dutch storm chaser and photographer Rick Bekker, whose stunning capture of a towering mothership supercell near Rouen, France, graces the January 2026 page. The calendar highlights Europe's leading storm chasers through their most powerful weather imagery, with Bekker launching an interview series that offers insights into each featured photographer's approach, passion, and striking storm documentation.
Rick Bekker, a 32-year-old passionate landscape photographer and storm chaser from the Netherlands, has dedicated his career to capturing nature's most dramatic moments, from serene foggy mornings to explosive thunderstorms. His fascination with severe weather began at age six, when he was captivated by the power and unpredictability of extreme conditions including heavy snowfall, severe thunderstorms, and large hail. This early curiosity evolved into photography in 2006 and eventually storm chasing combined with landscape photography starting in 2013.
For his storm chasing expeditions, Bekker relies on professional-grade equipment including a Nikon Z7 II and Nikon D750, paired with 14-24mm f/2.8, 24-70mm f/2.8, and 80-400mm lenses. His essential gear includes a solid tripod, lightning trigger for capturing daytime strikes, and cleaning cloths and towels to handle the inevitable rain that accompanies intense thunderstorm activity. Rather than using specialized vehicles, Bekker prefers a regular but spacious car and typically chases as part of a team where members divide responsibilities between driving, meteorology, and navigation.
The calendar's featured photograph represents what Bekker describes as an indescribable atmospheric experience. The 15mm full-frame panorama captures a supercell's mesocyclone - a rotating beast layered like a true mothership with cloud-to-ground lightning repeatedly blasting through inflow bands while green and yellow tones illuminated the forward flank downdraft. Bekker recalls his initial reaction upon taking the first shots: 'What on earth is happening here? This is insane!' The scene, which he says could have easily belonged in America's Tornado Alley, created an unforgettable experience of witnessing such a monster supercell on French soil.
Bekker's storm chasing adventures have taken him across multiple European countries, with regular expeditions in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, and France forming his yearly routine. Even during vacations in Italy, he cannot resist capturing stunning thunderstorms, noting that every country adds its own unique atmosphere to the chase experience. His biggest adrenaline rush comes from standing face-to-face with raging supercells, experiencing the overwhelming presence of well-organized storms with their insanely loud cloud-to-ground strikes and vibrant green cores of heavy rainfall.
Throughout his career, Bekker has drawn inspiration from renowned storm chasers like Skip Talbot and Pecos Hank, praising their unmatched knowledge and incredible chase footage. Several moments define his proudest achievements, including the spectacular morning shelf cloud over Kinderdijk's world-famous landscape on June 23, 2016, the intense lightning barrage near Metz, France on July 31, 2017, and documenting the supercell with an F3 tornado in Bihucourt on October 23, 2022.
Safety remains a critical concern in Bekker's work, with his closest call involving a dangerous downburst where trees snapped like toothpicks around him while near-zero visibility in heavy rain made finding escape routes nearly impossible. The experience taught him valuable lessons about storm unpredictability and the importance of staying aware and prepared in extreme weather conditions. He admits that lightning strikes too close for comfort have also provided sobering reminders of nature's power.
When asked about his dream chase scenario, Bekker envisions the ultimate combination of a raging supercell with incredible structure, vivid colors, and extensive branched cloud-to-ground lightning unfolding during golden hour above a stunning mountain range. His passion for storm chasing runs so deep that he jokes about finding valid excuses to slip away from work meetings when powerful supercells form nearby, though his road-based job sometimes allows for strategic detours when necessary.
Fans and fellow photography enthusiasts can follow Bekker's work and chase adventures through his Instagram account @rick_bekker, Facebook profile under Rick Bekker, and Twitter handle @RBekker93. He welcomes inquiries from those interested in purchasing his work, which spans from dramatic storm photography to serene landscape captures including aurora displays and coastal scenes.
The Pursuit of Power Severe Weather Calendar 2026 features 13 pages total, including a cover page plus 12 monthly pages showcasing the best European storm chasers through powerful weather photographs. Bekker's participation in this project helps demonstrate the strength, beauty, and diversity of European storm chasing, contributing to a growing community of weather photographers documenting nature's most spectacular displays across the continent.
