First-time Lightning Photography (for me)

[andyw513]

I noticed from the recent storm around here that there was a large amount of lightning, so I grabbed my camera and ran outside. I'd never had the slightest notion to take a picture of lightning before yesterday, but something "struck" me to do so.

I learned from taking pictures of cardinals that holding the button down halfway to "pre-focus" the lens was the best way.

After a few duds and misfires, I finally caught an arc, albeit small, but this is still my first lightning photograph, and I thought I'd share it with everybody:

I wasn't satisfied with this, because of all the arcs I'd seen, this was the smallest one. So, I waited a while, and let the clouds get somewhat darker, and began snapping again:

Bingo! I finally got one. I know there are better pictures of it out there (just Google it) but this was a first-time experience for me.

 

[andyw513]

P.S....

If you all have any pictures of lightning, please feel free to post, I'd like to see them.

 

[Flying Turtle]

Nice shots, Andy. I've never been lucky enough to catch a bolt like that.

Geoff

 

[FlashInThePan]

Neat shot Andy - and congratulations on catching it! Lightning's definitely hard to photograph, but definitely worth it when you do. :thumbsup:

By the way, one other trick you might find helpful is using a longer exposure. If your camera has manual settings, try programming it for a really long shutter speed (say, 15-30 seconds), and then just compensating with a really tiny f-stop setting. (After all, if your camera is "watching" the scene for 30 seconds, you have a much better chance of catching the lighting when it does occur!).

Hope this helps! Thanks again for sharing these great pics.

- FITP

 

[LEDobsession]

Neat shot Andy - and congratulations on catching it! Lightning's definitely hard to photograph, but definitely worth it when you do. :thumbsup:

By the way, one other trick you might find helpful is using a longer exposure. If your camera has manual settings, try programming it for a really long shutter speed (say, 15-30 seconds), and then just compensating with a really tiny f-stop setting. (After all, if your camera is "watching" the scene for 30 seconds, you have a much better chance of catching the lighting when it does occur!).

Hope this helps! Thanks again for sharing these great pics.

- FITP

Dont forget the Tripod! :twothumbs

 

[DoctaDink]

Here's one I took a while back. The rain and reflection are actually Photoshop creations.

 

[bretti_kivi]

lightning is really difficult. However, there is an "easier" way to do it.

Back in the summer, we had a couple of serious storms, one of which was whilst I was at the summerhouse. The outside light is a PIR and was reacting BEFORE the lightning flashed. The idea that there's a large bolt of Infrared before the main strike is known and proven - this really did clinch it for me.
So I'm going to build an IR trigger. There are several descriptions on line of how to do it - I just need to get on with it. Storms are pretty rare here, though, so it's difficult to justify the time.

ah yes, a link: http://www.astro.uni-bonn.de/~kbagschi/blitze.shtml

Bret

 

[andyw513]

That's a nice Photoshop, I must say. Looks pretty real. Thanks for the help with the shutter speed, and the link in the last post. I'll use these next time I have batteries, lol.

 

[DoctaDink]

Bretti,
Thats interesting info. I didn't realize that there was an IR "Preflash" with lightning. Let us know how your IR trigger works.

 

[UnknownVT]

Some really spectacular examples -

Lightning Photography pictures photographs weather picture photos ...

There are lots more via -
Lightning Photography - Links

There was a program on the Discovery Channel program from the series Raging Planet - on Lightning. There was a very enthusiastic photographer who was obsessed with lightning photography - David Stillings - here's a web page of his photos -

http://www.gographics.com/lightning/

Some helpful tips -

Lightning Photography - Photo Tips

Photography techniques: How to photograph lightning

 

[DoctaDink]

UnknownVT,
Great links. Thanks for sharing.

 

[will]

Camera on a tripod, manual settings,

 

[andyw513]

Wow, this thread is making my contributions look primary. I like the tripod photo will. Great work on that! It looks "old-timey" too.