- Post your Lightning Photos -

[aero-nut]

We had a really impressive thunderstorm in the desert here recently... At one point it averaged 2-3 strikes per second. Luckily the storm was about 50 miles away when I took these pics. Most of these were 1-2 min exposures at an ISO of 400 or 800 to capture multiple quick flashes. Because of that you can see some artifacts of the noise reduction I had to put them through...

Thought I would post some anyway...

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/30620844-M.jpg

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/30620847-M.jpg

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/30620849-M.jpg

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/30620850-M.jpg

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/30620851-M.jpg

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/30620853-M.jpg

Anyone have some lightning pics they'd like to share?

[gus]

Just one...i only worked out how to do it at the end of the storm season (oct-march) but this one rolled through in May which is very very odd.


http://wadjelaphotography.smugmug.com/photos/22675579-M.jpg

[ian408]

I have nothing to offer but nice things to say. That first one is
pretty cool with the stars and lightning.

Gus, I think your balcony qualifies as "the spot" to shoot from :thumb

[Stan]

Just one...i only worked out how to do it at the end of the storm season (oct-march) but this one rolled through in May which is very very odd.


http://wadjelaphotography.smugmug.com/photos/22675579-M.jpg
Very impressive Gus!

http://stan.smugmug.com/photos/26527738-L.jpg

http://stan.smugmug.com/photos/26527729-L.jpg

Two from June in the UK

Cheers
Stan

[gluwater]

I also have no entries but must say that these are very cool indeed.:clap

[Phil U.]

I don't have any, but I'll direct you to JamesL's gallery. Some of the most impressive I've seen. He just signed up here recently. C'mon James, hope you become an active member here at dGrin!

Here's his lightning gallery: http://home.comcast.net/~langfords/lightning/index.html

[JamesJWeg]

Just one...i only worked out how to do it at the end of the storm season (oct-march) but this one rolled through in May which is very very odd.


http://wadjelaphotography.smugmug.com/photos/22675579-M.jpg
Would you mind sharing a little about how you did it, I havn't tried yet, but I am guessing shot around the 30 sec mark?

James.

[fishlips]

i had posted these a couple of weeks ago when i first joined dgrin, but this seems like an appropriate thread for a repost. these were taken at the beach earlier this summer. unfortunately i didn't get down to the beach until the "show" was coming to an end. i took these with my 18-55 at about 18, to get as much of the sky and lightning as possible. now after cropping i wish i hadn't gone that wide.


phil

http://fishlips.smugmug.com/photos/30887606-M.jpg

http://fishlips.smugmug.com/photos/29356913-M.jpg

[hichuz]

Here's a lightning photo that I took a few years ago... after the fact. We were living on the Florida west coast at the time... considered the lightning capitol of the USA. The strike came down a pine tree, blew the corner of the driveway apart, followed the rebar under the drive to the house, then blew the electrical meter off the house. Took out all the TV's and other appliances, computer HD included. I was in the house at the time, could feel the electricity in the air, smell the ozone. The point is... if you're going to shoot lightning pics, be careful and give lightning the respect it deserves. This was shot with my first low-quality digital... a Sony Mavica

[gus]

Would you mind sharing a little about how you did it, I havn't tried yet, but I am guessing shot around the 30 sec mark?

James.No worries james...thanks everyone for your compliments.We have seen up to 189 strikes per minuite over the city. Plenty of time to practise. Locals are very cautious about being out in it.

Keep ISO as low as possible...this is about long exposure not fast shutter speed. The lower the ISO the clearer the shot.

Use an long exposure to catch multiple strikes (30 sec is a good time for me).

Use small apature to keep foreground & the distance in focus & this will help slow the shutter speed.

Use the widest lens youve got to get as much in as possible.


Date Taken:2005-05-18 17:46:00Date Digitized:2005-05-18 17:46:00Make:CanonModel: Canon EOS 20D Size: 4048x2698 Bytes: 7472777 Aperture: f/16.0 ISO: 100 Focal Length: 10mm (guess: 8mm in 35mm) Exposure Time: 30s (30/1)Flash:Flash did not fire, compulsory flash modeExposure Program:Aperture priorityExposure Bias:0ColorSpace:sRGB

[gus]

Here's a lightning photo that I took a few years ago... after the fact. We were living on the Florida west coast at the time... considered the lightning capitol of the USA. The strike came down a pine tree, blew the corner of the driveway apart, followed the rebar under the drive to the house, then blew the electrical meter off the house. Took out all the TV's and other appliances, computer HD included. I was in the house at the time, could feel the electricity in the air, smell the ozone. The point is... if you're going to shoot lightning pics, be careful and give lightning the respect it deserves. This was shot with my first low-quality digital... a Sony Mavica
Great hichuz !! Did you dig for your fulgurite (http://www.roger-russell.com/lightning/lightning.htm) ???

Gus

[gluwater]

Thanks for the info on your shot Gus and also for the informative link, it was a very interesting read.

Nick

[ian408]

Now is prolly not the time to tell you about a fascinating book called "Shattered Air" :uhoh

It's about a lightning strike on the top of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park. Caught
a few people on top. Some lucky. Some not so lucky. Circumstance really paid off for
those who were lucky.

Many of the characters in this true story are from SF Bay Area. Specifically the city I
live in...

Ian

[aero-nut]

Wow! Great posts folks! Gus, I will always remember that picture. Great capture. Phil, great gallery link. Hichuz, glad to hear nobody was hurt...

[wally5656]

Wow! Great posts folks! Gus, I will always remember that picture. Great capture. Phil, great gallery link. Hichuz, glad to hear nobody was hurt...http://photos19.flickr.com/23488443_6affbfe23d_o.jpg

[hichuz]

never heard of it. Thanks for the info. As they say... "you learn something new everyday!"

Great hichuz !! Did you dig for your fulgurite (http://www.roger-russell.com/lightning/lightning.htm) ???

Gus

[gus]

never heard of it. Thanks for the info. As they say... "you learn something new everyday!"I work around a lot of high voltage wires & when one hits the ground & stays live (which they will do) you can dig one up...& thats just 11KV (actually 6.6KV to ground i think :scratch ) & it turns the soil to glass where it sits buzzing away.

I have a friend that has a fulgurite where lightning hit the beach & its a glass cylinder & you can see small shells in it.

[ajgauthier]

If you are anywhere near central Arizona:

http://uanews.org/cgi-bin/WebObjects/UANews.woa/wa/MainStoryDetails?ArticleID=11449

Adrienne (who is hoping to get some nice monsoon lightning shots in the coming weeks!)

[Dani]

heres one of mine

http://images3.fotki.com/v35/photos/7/70144/864772/lightning12-vi.jpg

lots more here
http://public.fotki.com/adhaney/photos_2004/nature_and_animal_life/lightning/

[Stan]

heres one of mine



lots more here
http://public.fotki.com/adhaney/photos_2004/nature_and_animal_life/lightning/

I had a look at the shot on your site, it says sony Cybershot at 15mm 30 sec.

WOW that is awesome, you must have been with in a couple of hundred yards of the strike?

I take it you were in a Faraday Box.

Cheers
Stan

[Dani]

I had a look at the shot on your site, it says sony Cybershot at 15mm 30 sec.

WOW that is awesome, you must have been with in a couple of hundred yards of the strike?

I take it you were in a Faraday Box.

Cheers
Stan
thanks stan!

nope my dumb ass was standing down at teh street in my pj's across from where it hit with the camera on a tripod...

lol

[Stan]

I would have loved to see the shot of you jump when it hit :rofl

Cheers
Stan

[ChrisJ]

heres one of mine

Wow, that's incredible! :humungus
I miss lightning... not much here in LA. Even less than in Seattle, I think.

[gus]

Gus, I think your balcony qualifies as "the spot" to shoot from :thumbThanks mate but i have rented the unit out & moved to another...see that tiny sign right down the front ? That is a for sale sign...10 storys straight up & wish as i may to get one...its $4 million US for the top floor unit :cry

Gus

[wally5656]

Thanks mate but i have rented the unit out & moved to another...see that tiny sign right down the front ? That is a for sale sign...10 storys straight up & wish as i may to get one...its $4 million US for the top floor unit :cry

Gus


Here is another one from the same storm.

http://photos17.flickr.com/23488442_ead29c1503_o.jpg

[gus]

Here is another one from the same storm.


Dont tell me i have a fellow brisvegasite in here ? Where is that shot from wally ...carrara maybe ?

Gus

[wally5656]

Dont tell me i have a fellow brisvegasite in here ? Where is that shot from wally ...carrara maybe ?

Gus
Sorry Humungus.......my reply went in the wrong place. I am from the same state as Dani in the US. Oklahoma. That was from the airport which happens to practically be in my back yard.

[gus]

Here is a fellow 0zzies lightning shots...Nick Djordjevic

Have a butchers at his work (http://www.genesisfineart.com.au/html/gallery.html). Some good gear in there.

Gus

[Phil U.]

thanks stan!

nope my dumb ass was standing down at teh street in my pj's across from where it hit with the camera on a tripod...

lol

So while "Roadkill" still remains appropriate, perhaps "Sparky" might also apply.

[Phil U.]

Here is a fellow 0zzies lightning shots...Nick Djordjevic

Have a butchers at his work (http://www.genesisfineart.com.au/html/gallery.html). Some good gear in there.

Gus

He does have some great stuff!

[aero-nut]

heres one of mine



lots more here
http://public.fotki.com/adhaney/photos_2004/nature_and_animal_life/lightning/
Whoah! How in the world did you know where to point the camera? That's a close one. Thanks for posting.

[jamesl]

Howdy All,

Hey Phil, thanks for the link to my site. :) Unfortunately here in Dallas this year, we haven't had many storms that produced good lightning. It seems like every time I go out of town, there is an excellent one, though. :dunno

Here's a few of mine from the last few years. Some were taken with my old F707, some with my 10D:

http://www.langfordphotography.com/photos/11565516-M.jpg

http://www.langfordphotography.com/photos/11565529-M.jpg

http://www.langfordphotography.com/photos/11565532-M.jpg

http://www.langfordphotography.com/photos/11601985-M.jpg

http://www.langfordphotography.com/photos/11726625-M.jpg

http://www.langfordphotography.com/photos/11726630-M.jpg

http://www.langfordphotography.com/photos/11726631-M.jpg

http://jamesl.smugmug.com/photos/31675951-M.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~langfords/images/full/towersoflight.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~langfords/images/full/windowlightning.jpg

James

[Phil U.]

Howdy All,

Hey Phil, thanks for the link to my site. :)


Yea man, love those shots...

[tmlphoto]

Great stuff James and welcome to dgrin. Any technical tidbits for us lighting noobs.

[aero-nut]

Howdy All,

Hey Phil, thanks for the link to my site. :) Unfortunately here in Dallas this year, we haven't had many storms that produced good lightning. It seems like every time I go out of town, there is an excellent one, though. :dunno

Here's a few of mine from the last few years. Some were taken with my old F707, some with my 10D:



James
James,

Those are truely amazing. Thank you so much for posting them! You have some great stuff there. Welcome to dgrin!

[ajgauthier]

spectacular lightning photos - WOW!

I wish I had the guts to go do lightning photos...I tried once here in Tucson as a storm was approaching and I wimped out!

awesome lightning photos all, awesome lightning photos...

Adrienne

[jamesl]

Great stuff James and welcome to dgrin. Any technical tidbits for us lighting noobs.Thanks for all the comments folks. :): Here's a few suggestions for shooting lightning:

1) Include an interesting forground/background for your shot. I actually scout out and note locations ahead of time in a notebook of what I think would be a good spot. Buildings, skylines, silhouettes of tress and mountains all make great forgrounds.

2) Use Doppler radar to plan ahead. Certain types of storms are better than others. Small, isolated cells are easy to photograph, while large rainy areas are very difficult due to the reduced visibility from the rain.

3) Shoot lightning as the storms are moving away from you. Typically, the better lightning will be on the backside of the storm as it moves away. This is why planning ahead using the radar is important. This is also safer. :thumb Be sure to pay attention to what other storms are doing around you. Safety is always my main concern. Storms can build up behind you quickly while you are focussing on what is happening in front. :uhoh

4) Try to find a safe location to shoot. I like to shoot from the mid levels of parking garages (not the top), as you stay out of the rain and lightning.

5) Use a sturdy tripod. I also use Mirror Lockup on my 10d. The vibration from the mirror can blur some of the brighter lights in a scene when shooting buildings. Make sure you lock your tripod down good and tight.

6) Determine the proper exposure to expose the scene without the lightning in it. This will give you dramatic pictures, as the lightning will blend into the scene well. Take a few practice shot and examine using the LCD and Histogram. Remember that in the histogram, any nightime scene is going to be wayyyy over on the left. This is normal, as most of the scene is going to be at around -2 to -1. Don't try to expose the scene for the middle of the histogram, as you'll blow out the sky and highlights.

7) Determine your aperature by how far away the lightning is. If it is close and very bright, shoot at F8 to F10. If further away, maybe F4 to F5.6. Sometimes, if the lightning is faint, I will raise my ISO. Just depends on the situation.

8) With my 10D, I have a remote intervalometer that repeatedly takes the picture for me. I like to setup my 10d on one scene where there is lightning, and then repeatedly shoot that scene. Later, in software, I can combine several lightning shots into one since I haven't moved the camera.

Well, that's about all I can think of now. :)

James

[wxwax]

4) Try to find a safe location to shoot. I like to shoot from the mid levels of parking garages (not the top), as you stay out of the rain and lightning.


Excellent tips, James! And of all of them, this is the very best. If you can see lighting, you can be hit by lightning.

[DavidTO]

Excellent tips, James! And of all of them, this is the very best. If you can see lighting, you can be hit by lightning.


That's why you're the Hall of Wisdom guy.

[gus]

BAH !! Thats what makes it fun...the sharp tang of ozone in the air...the hair on your neck standing verticle.

[aero-nut]

BAH !! Thats what makes it fun...the sharp tang of ozone in the air...the hair on your neck standing verticle.
...Them smell of cooked vegemite.... :D

[aero-nut]

We had another storm here Sunday night. This one was one of the most impressive electrical storms I think I've ever seen.

Here are some attempts at capturing it:

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/32407704-M.jpg

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/32407724-M.jpg

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/32407747-M.jpg

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/32407755-M.jpg

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/32407771-M.jpg


The rest of the series is here (http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/gallery/736676/1/32407695).

[gus]

Very nice AN :thumb

[aero-nut]

Very nice AN :thumb
Thanks, H. I've seen the shot you posted, and was quite impressed. It's hard to resist when nature gives such a show, eh?

[gus]

Thanks, H. I've seen the shot you posted, and was quite impressed. It's hard to resist when nature gives such a show, eh?
Yep...i can feel it getting hotter now. Cant wait for the storms to start.Im just going to throw caution to the wind this year & take my chances...no hiding this time round.

[drdesigns]

Here's one I took at the Outer Banks. Technically not very good, but I shot it in pitch dark and just lucked out on the timing. Some of the other shots are amazing! Dani - I loved your story about standing outside in your pj's. Great picture!

http://www.smugmug.com/photos/32576538-L.jpg

[aero-nut]

Here's one I took at the Outer Banks. Technically not very good, but I shot it in pitch dark and just lucked out on the timing. Some of the other shots are amazing! Dani - I loved your story about standing outside in your pj's. Great picture!



Wow...that's cool seeing it hit the water. Nice shot! Thanks for posting it.

[Stan]

Last night we caucht the edge of the thunder storms, that affected most of the UK yesterday. The red lights in the center are the TV mast, I was hoping for a strike on it but got one either side instead

http://stan.smugmug.com/photos/34307373-L.jpg

F/8 30 sec

Cheers
Stan

[gus]

Last night we caucht the edge of the thunder storms, that affected most of the UK yesterday. The red lights in the center are the TV mast, I was hoping for a strike on it but got one either side instead



F/8 30 sec

Cheers
StanNice catch stan...you would think that a massive earth rod going straight up into the sky screaming 'come get me' would be the icing on the cake for a bolt like that.:scratch :dunno

Proves my point to myself...its a game of chance & impossible to predict.

People say dont stand under a tree...well if im in a lightning storms path with 100 000 trees in front of it...why would my lump of flesh make the tree im under a better potential.

Here you photographed an almost purpose built lightning conductor & the +ive charge builds up under it & lets rip from beside it on flat ground not up through it ..totally random.

[Stan]

I sent the pic to the weather station, I thought they might like the idea of them still broadcasting and being immune to lightning.


I reckon if you are on a plain (Paddock) and it is slinging it down with rain in a thunder storm and there is one 400 year old oak tree for shelter, go and stand under it, if it hasn't been hit in 400 years, what are the chances... :dunno
But I prefer my Land Rover, it works well as a Faraday Cage.

Cheers
Stan

[Forehead]

Those first two photos: Look at the area above the cloud tops, zoom in, do all kinds of editing. You never know.

Taking distant shots of thunderstorms like that sometimes captures those elusive JETS and SPRITES--lightening phenomena that shoots off into space
(one is red and the other is blue. I forget which color is which).



We had a really impressive thunderstorm in the desert here recently... At one point it averaged 2-3 strikes per second. Luckily the storm was about 50 miles away when I took these pics. Most of these were 1-2 min exposures at an ISO of 400 or 800 to capture multiple quick flashes. Because of that you can see some artifacts of the noise reduction I had to put them through...

Thought I would post some anyway...

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/30620844-M.jpg

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/30620847-M.jpg

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/30620849-M.jpg

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/30620850-M.jpg

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/30620851-M.jpg

http://aero-nut.smugmug.com/photos/30620853-M.jpg

Anyone have some lightning pics they'd like to share?