Isn't Lightning Cool?

Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

Nice photo /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif, long exposure or just a lucky shot ?

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

It is WAY cool....

When it is seen way out over the bay, or far off....

But NOT when it whacks your house (next door neighbors total loss) or hits a tree JUST across the street ($300 to fix our work 'puter).

But I do like to see it anyway! Cool pic!

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

Nitro,

Thanks for that 9/11 link, powerful stuff that I wish all Americans could see again just as a reminder.

Brightnorm

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

I'm not sure if I'm alone here, but I like the lightning too.... the thunder though scares me though. I had a close call in a parking lot, where a metal post was sticking out at the end of the lot. It was maybe 80 feet away, and it was struck by lightning. That was the loudest explosion I have ever heard. About 20 or so car alarms immediately went off.

Its cool when it lights up the sky from a distance, but when its up close its a different story.

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

I love the audio/visual symphony of a thunder storm. Great shot, Nitro.

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

It is indeed "way cool" from a distance /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

As a kid I was sitting in our kitchen late one evening during a spectacular summer storm in Chicago. As I was looking out the window lightening struck the well head not 10 feet from where I was standing in the house looking out the window. All I can say is WOW, and OUCH, and very glad I wasn't in the shower at the time...


Many years later, when coming in to work I had to drive across the rail road tracks at a regular crossing. Just as I was almost there the tracks about half a block away were struck. The funny thing is that the gates went down for about 30 seconds and then back up again!. During that same storm we were hanging out of the store door (that was right after college when I was working at a local video store (see what a college degree will get you? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif ) and watching the storm and the transformers up a poll in the next block were struck and exploded. They shot sparks up in a huge cascade of fire. Just like in a movie! Needless to say the lights at the store went out, so we closed up and went home...

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

Glad you guys enjoyed the shot. I took it out of my window. I have a digital camera that I can set to continuously take pictures. That night I set it to take a 30sec exposure every second. My camera will hold about 100 photos, so I can take pictures for almost an hour unattended using that setting. Every hour I'll scan though the pictures and delete the blank ones.

In one storm I might get 5 to 10 shots with lightning, 1 or 2 really cool ones. I've shot about 10 storms total, and this is the best shot so far. I especially like the power lines in the shot. Really gives the sense of electricity.

There are some high power lines nearby. I'd like to get a shot of one being struck, but I have to figure out where to setup my equipment. I don't want to be outside near them in a lightning storm.

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

Nitro
Thanks for the link. That presentation is totally awesome. It brought tears to my eyes. I hope a lot of people see it. It seems we're forgetting what we're up against.
Fester

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

Nitro - Thanks for the thought provoking link!

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

Nitro I have not nor will I forget, thank you for the link.
Topper

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

Thanks for the camera idea.

I've been really taken by all kinds of severe weather ever since I was a kid.

Now I only like it through glass...

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

I almost got struck by lightning in the late 1990s here in Seattle. I was on Capitol Hill at the time (near the former Elite II tavern about two blocks west of Broadway). I heard this crackling sound for a couple of seconds, then the lightning bolt came down just behind the 1-story building I was in front of; there was no discernable delay between the light and the sound, so I know it was very, very close. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif Since I was in my electric wheelchair, the rubber tires (or tyres) provided enough insulation between me and the sidewalk, so I didn't get zapped. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I quickly ducked into a nearby bar to wait the rest of the electrical storm out.

We don't get lightning in downtown Seattle very often, so it was a lucky coincidence that I was that close to lightning as I was that day.

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

Nitro, we here in Northern Illinois sure have been seeing a lot of lightning lately, huh? I saw several close strikes today coming home from the jobsite in New Lenox. Awesome!

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

it is awsome!

I have about 2 dozen good shots

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

Cool shot Brock!

Check this out!

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

I got another one last night.

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

A cool picture of a plane getting hit by lightning!

http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/keslasers/vwp?.dir=/&.dnm=plane_ltg.gif&.src=gr&.view=t

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

Broken Link perhaps Lasernerd? Or too much bandwidth. Try getting it working. Would love to see that.
Cameron

Re: Isn\'t Lightning Cool?

I could not access it either. And I tried the direct click and the copy & paste methods.