Ryan Brenizer, New York Photographer, Snaps Panorama Of NYC Storms (PHOTO)

Powerful storms swept through New York City on July 26, leaving a trail of social media chatter in its wake.

Ryan Brenizer, a local photographer, snapped the panorama of the thunderstorm front moving over Manhattan.

Taken at 7:40 p.m. from 27th Street and Second Avenue, and posted to his studio's Facebook page last night, the storm photo quickly went viral, being shared more than 1,700 times and earning more than 4,500 "likes."

Some Facebook commenters debated the photo's authenticity, while others compared the photo of the dark, stormy front to scenes from "Ghostbusters," "Batman," "Independence Day" and even "Harry Potter."

Brenizer said the image, which is a composite of 23 photos taken with a 24 mm lens last night, was "not Photoshopped to heck."

"Photoshop was only used for resizing and two types of sharpening -- small-radius sharpening to look crisp on the web, and a bit of large-radius sharpening for increased contrast," Brenizer told The Huffington Post via email.

The storm picture posted on Brenizer's Facebook was a compressed version of the original.

"In the original file, you can see in the buildings' windows," he wrote.

Brenizer has been a professional photographer for more than 13 years.

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• Clouds gather over apartment buildings a

  Clouds gather over apartment buildings ahead of a thunderstorm on the east side of Manhattan July 26, 2012 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/GettyImages)

• Derecho!

• Scary clouds over New York City!

• Pedestrians pass an umbrella vendor during heavy rains in Times Square, Thursday, July 26, 2012, in New York. The storm resulted in more than 20,000 customers without power in the Elmira area in upstate New York, where buildings were damaged, power lines and trees toppled, and hospitals placed on disaster status after a possible tornado hit the city Thursday afternoon. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

• Storm clouds loom over Times Square as Manhattan braced for heavy weather, Thursday, July 26, 2012, in New York. The storm resulted in more than 20,000 customers without power in the Elmira area in upstate New York, where buildings were damaged, power lines and trees toppled, and hospitals placed on disaster status after a possible tornado hit the city Thursday afternoon. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

• Pedestrian's umbrellas buckle under high winds as a massive storm loomed above Times Square, Thursday, July 26, 2012, in New York. The storm resulted in more than 20,000 customers without power in the Elmira area in upstate New York, where buildings were damaged, power lines and trees toppled, and hospitals placed on disaster status after a possible tornado hit the city Thursday afternoon. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)

• Clouds gather over an apartment building

  Clouds gather over an apartment building ahead of a thunderstorm on the east side of Manhattan July 26, 2012 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/GettyImages)

• Storm clouds move overhead in the Bronx

  Storm clouds move overhead in the Bronx July 26, 2012 in New York. A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect in the New York City area. AFP PHOTO/DON EMMERT (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/GettyImages)

• Storm clouds move overhead in the Bronx

  Storm clouds move overhead in the Bronx July 26, 2012 in New York. A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect in the New York City area. AFP PHOTO/DON EMMERT (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/GettyImages)

• Clouds gather over apartment buildings a

  Clouds gather over apartment buildings ahead of a thunderstorm on the east side of Manhattan July 26, 2012 in New York. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA/AFP/GettyImages)

• Storm clouds move overhead in the Bronx

  Storm clouds move overhead in the Bronx July 26, 2012 in New York. A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect in the New York City area. AFP PHOTO/DON EMMERT (Photo credit should read DON EMMERT/AFP/GettyImages)

• The storm roles in...

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• storm clouds over North Wildwood 07/19/2012

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• storm clouds over North Wildwood 07/19/2012

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• Central Park North

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• Storm Clouds Gathering

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• Shades of Gray

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