There's no doubt the weather in Alberta keeps things interesting.

But for some people, bad weather isn't a time to stay at home, curled up under the blankets.

For people like Beth Allan, a storm chaser and nature photographer from Calgary, an incoming storm is the time to get in the car and chase the weather down.

We've chosen Beth as September's Photographer of the Month on account of her jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring weather photos.

Beth was kind enough to share some of her photos and answer a few questions for us:

Q: Where did you grow up and where do you currently live?

A: I grew up in and around Toronto and Aurora, Ont. until I went to Huron University College in London, Ontario. After a couple of years in Edmonton and northern Alberta, I moved to Calgary almost two years ago, and I plan to stay!

Q: How long have you been shooting photos?

A: I started in photography around about 2006, when I purchased my first digital SLR camera. After a couple of years of playing around, I decided to take photography more seriously and in 2009 I started working toward making the transition from amateur to closer-to-professional.

Q: What about Alberta inspires you?

A: Alberta has an energy to it that is unlike anywhere else in the world. The undercurrent of excitement, of possibility, coupled with the tranquility of the prairie (and mountain) landscapes feeds something in my brain. To go from photographing a building surrounded by a million people in Calgary and then, 20 minutes later, to be standing in the middle of a field with only the sounds of birds and wind is an amazing experience. We are so lucky to have nature so close to us in this province - the duality between nature and the march of progress is fascinating.

Q: How patient do you have to be to photograph weather and wildlife? Have you ever waited a really long time for a certain shot?

A: For weather photography, it’s less about waiting for a long time and more about returning to a place repeatedly or chasing storm after storm. Sometimes it takes years for weather conditions to come together into the perfect shot. Photographing storms is the epitome of “hurry up and wait” photography. It’s important to get into position early enough to be on time, but since nature doesn’t listen to a clock, once I’m in position for storms, sometimes there are hours of sitting in a field under a hot blue sky before storms start to happen. That’s where patience comes in handy. Most of the time, capturing beautiful shots is more about returning to a favourite location numerous times to catch the right light, the right clouds, or the right angle. It’s a different sort of patience, maybe better called persistence!

Interview continues after the slideshow: