How do I capture Lightning?

[dreamless]

Ok, well...I hope I'm in the right section for this question.

How do you shoot lighting? I tried my hand at it last night both on manual and automatic settings but, no luck. I could not get the camera to actually take the picture. I think from what I saw it the environment was changing to much (lots of lighting last night) and the camera couldn't keep up. I tried maual thinking I'd have more control and could maybe get a few speed rounds off but I got nothing instead. My signature lists the camera I am using.

Thanks,

Sean

[Awais Yaqub]

Hello
What settings you were using ?
You have to set camera on Long Exposure settings, and ofcourse tripod.
I get mine around 30 sec in bulb mode with remote release.
Then point camera where are the lights and perfect composition.
Hit the button do not forget to activate Mirror Lock up
and leave it to luck
Experiment a lot

[Slinky0390]

I only wish I knew what I was doing when I took this. I went the route of clicking away on high speed drive mode (not easy). I later read in a book that you can put the camera on a tripod and set it to bulb mode. With a remote release, hold the shutter down until you see the lightning strike and then release it. Since it's so dark out, you can leave the shutter open and almost nothing will expose until the lightning hits. I have yet to try it out, so I'm just repeating another mans theory, but it seems like it should work. As for settings other than bulb, you're on your own.
The EXIF is embedded into the photo so just click it to check it out.
http://slinky0390.smugmug.com/photos/312628408_ZpJom-XL.jpg (http://slinky0390.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=312628408&ImageKey=ZpJom)

[PhilCollum]

How do you shoot lighting? I tried my hand at it last night both on manual and automatic settings but, no luck. I could not get the camera to actually take the picture. I think from what I saw it the environment was changing to much (lots of lighting last night) and the camera couldn't keep up. I tried maual thinking I'd have more control and could maybe get a few speed rounds off but I got nothing instead. My signature lists the camera I am using.

Ummm, I'm confused about what you're trying to do. Did you mean lighting, or lightning?

[Slinky0390]

Ummm, I'm confused about what you're trying to do. Did you mean lighting, or lightning?
I'm almost positive that it's lightning, only by context clues.. But you know what happens when we ASSUME!! So if you meant lighting, disregard my previous post.. lol

[gchappel]

If you want an easy way to do something- ask a lazy man.
http://www.lightningtrigger.com/
Also has some ideas of how to shoot on the site.
enjoy
Gary