Why We Built Bolt Hunter (And What’s Next)

Bolt Hunter started with frustration. I loved photographing lightning, but every trigger I used missed more shots than it caught. I wanted something dependable — something that actually understood lightning instead of just reacting to it.

1. The moment that started it

It was 2019, on a chase near the Texas Panhandle. A perfect CG bolt hit the ground right in front of me. My trigger fired, but the frame was empty. I remember thinking, “If I can’t rely on my tools out here, what’s the point?”
That night, I decided to build one that worked.

2. The process

From that point, it became an obsession — recording lightning data, studying timing curves, building prototypes, and chasing storms to test them. Every version got a little smarter, a little tougher. We weren’t building a product for a lab; we were building it for dirt roads and thunderheads.

3. What makes it different

Bolt Hunter isn’t about fancy marketing words. It’s about one thing: capturing lightning when it happens, no excuses. It learns your camera, it predicts the flash, and it just works. That’s it.

4. The bigger mission

This isn’t just about selling triggers. It’s about connecting a community of photographers, storm chasers, and weather enthusiasts who share a respect for nature and the drive to document it. When someone captures their first bolt because of Bolt Hunter, that’s success.

5. What’s next

We’re already collecting data from the field to make future updates smarter and faster. The mobile app will continue to evolve, and we’re exploring ways to integrate environmental sensors and predictive storm mapping down the line.

But the heart of it won’t change — simplicity, reliability, and respect for the chase.

Building Bolt Hunter has been the hardest and most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. It started with one missed photo. Hopefully, it helps thousands of others never miss theirs.