As recent thunderstorms rolled through southern Manitoba, local storm chaser and photographer Joey Siemens shares his passion for photographing extreme weather and the landscapes of the Pembina Valley.
Capturing the power of storms
While he doesn’t consider himself a professional storm chaser, Siemens has spent countless evenings tracking powerful weather systems. “It’s just that adrenaline that comes with chasing the storm,” he said. “Weather changes so fast and things happen so quickly. When you get that lightning strike in a photo over a beautiful canola field—or if I’m lucky, a tornado—it’s incredible.”
Siemens recently captured one of his most memorable weather events in North Dakota. “That was June 20th. I chased a massive wedge tornado. That storm was incredible. There were like 70 storm chasers,” he recalled. “This storm dropped four or five tornadoes… one of them came through the town of Enderlin and caused some pretty bad damage. It was an EF-3 wedge tornado.”
Though the chase brought stunning images, the experience was sobering. “It took about five days before I came off that adrenaline high,” Siemens admitted. “When you hear about the stories that come out after… it’s a mixed bag of emotions.”
A deep connection to nature through photography
Beyond storm chasing, Siemens also finds inspiration in stillness. “Nature is amazing,” he said. “The sky can be so crazy and there's so many things that you can look at, and I just want to capture those moments in a photo.”
He’s especially drawn to photographing abandoned farmyards and rural landscapes across the Pembina Valley. “Someone lived there. That was someone’s life… someone worked there. That was their livelihood,” he said. “I want to get a picture of that and freeze that moment.”
Siemens credits his mother for introducing him to photography. “She used to do a lot more portrait photography—weddings, stuff like that,” he explained. “She’s always been taking photos of us as kids. I’ve always been around a camera.”
One of his favourite images is a photo he captured standing beside her. “It’s the first photo I took as a photographer that really meant something,” Siemens said. “She was right beside me with her camera, and now I have that moment forever.”
Siemens emphasized that while photography can be peaceful, it often requires fast thinking. “The light is crucial to making a good photo for me,” he said. “When that light comes, it’s almost always a mad dash to get set up, expose the camera properly, and then you see something cool somewhere else and you have to go get repositioned.”
His favorite places to shoot are along the Pembina River. “There’s so many beautiful things around the river,” he said. “Rolling hills, rustic fences, trees… there’s always something to discover.”
To see more of Siemens’ work or connect with him, visit Joe Michael Photography on Instagram or his website at: Joe Michael Photography
Chasing storms all the way across the border
In June, Siemens took an impromptu trip to North Dakota where he joined over 70 storm chasers—including renowned meteorologist Reed Timmer—in pursuit of a tornado. What started as a spontaneous road trip quickly turned into a high-adrenaline experience as Siemens found himself following Timmer’s iconic storm-chasing vehicle into the heart of a developing EF-3 wedge tornado.
“The sky was falling, turning black, and rotating,” Siemens recalled. “Everyone was just following Reed, trying to stay close—but also trying not to crash into each other on gravel roads.” Amid pounding hail and rapidly changing skies, he managed to capture a few dramatic shots with his camera before racing to safety. The experience, equal parts chaotic and awe-inspiring, marked his first serious foray into storm chasing—and likely not his last.
Landscapes in focus exhibit coming up in Fall at Winkler Arts + Culture
This October, Winkler Arts + Culture will present Landscapes in Focus, a photography exhibition celebrating the stunning beauty of the Pembina Valley alongside captivating landscapes from beyond the region.
Opening on October 2, 2025, the exhibit will feature the work of local photographers including Joey Siemens (Joe Michael Photography), and Steve Hiebert. Visitors can expect to see everything from rolling prairies and dramatic prairie skies to quiet, reflective scenes in nature. The collection also includes a selection of images captured outside Manitoba, offering a broader look at the environments that inspire local artists and deepen our appreciation for place.
More details available at winklerarts.com/landscapesinfocus.
Join Siemens for a workshop and pizza-fueled excursion
To share his passion with others, Siemens is hosting a Photography Workshop and Excursion on Saturday, July 26. “We have it limited to 15 spots,” he said. “They’re starting to fill up.”
The workshop is open to photographers of all experience levels. “Anyone who's interested in photography, anyone who's enthusiastic about trying to get better photos, who wants to just get out into nature—this is for you.”
The event includes a classroom-style session covering exposure settings, composition, and lighting—plus a wood-fired pizza lunch handcrafted by Siemens himself. “Hopefully good food,” he joked. “I’m making the pizza, so we’ll let people decide if it’s good.”
Following lunch, the group will head out into the Pembina Valley for a guided shoot. “I do typically tend to find myself around the river,” said Siemens. “There’s rolling hills, rustic fences, trees—little scenes that you don’t see when you’re just driving by.”
To register or learn more, visit joemichaelphoto.com.