Lightning

[Tascosa Slim]

This post may be a duplicate of sorts as I am having some trouble with pasting the photograph into the post. So, a little lea-way will be appreciated.

It has been a challenge getting a picture of a lightning strike as I have no special equipment to trigger the shutter quickly enough. This last spring a thunderstorm was moving through our area of the Texas Panhandle and it had a high count of lightning events. I went out onto the back deck of the house and started clicking away as rapidly as I could manipulate the shutter button. After many. many shots I concluded that capturing lightning isn't a easy as one might think. It wasn't till after I downloaded the SIM card data file did I come across this photograph.

Certainly not a "Mona Lisa" in any stretch of imagination but still it's a bolt of lightning. After this experience, I wonder how one does capture lightning on "film" with any assurance that they will be successful!

Enjoy!

[Shadowman]

Nice effort, you can also try using a slower shutter speed, 30 seconds might be enough.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Joe,

I see from the EXIF data, this was shot on a Canon T3i at 18mm, 1/4 second, f/3.5 at ISO 400, in P mode - so it seems you were just shooting repeated shots exposing for the scene (using the meter).

I think you might stand more chance of getting a strike while the shutter is open if you have it open for much longer, so here's what I'd try ...

Camera on tripod
Set to manual focus after acquiring a lock at a suitable distance
Set to Manual exposure control
Lowest ISO; 100
Quite a narrow aperture, say f/11 or f/16
Now set a shutter speed of say 30 seconds, as John suggests
Each time the shutter closes, trip it again (as you were)

What this achieves is a shot which will be dark, but the lightning flash itself will do most of the exposing, which may result in silhouette of anything between you and the place where it is.

Good luck, Dave

PS Welcome to the CiC forums from me.

[IzzieK]

Welcome to CiC, Joe...good effort! I've always wanted to shoot lightning but the location on my window is not ideal. You must have a good view from your deck. I used to have a tripper when I was using films but having changed residency from Oz to here, it was somehow lost in transit. Dave and John's advice are very useful. I'd try it myself too when the occasion comes.

[Dave A]

Thank you Dave for the explanation on shooting lightning. I will also give that a try.

Dave

[Tascosa Slim]

Gentlemen:

Thanks for the critique of "lightning" photo. This sort of response is exactly the reason I joined up with Cambridge in Color. Now the next step is to translate these words into action!

Joe

[Lady Lark]

Nice shot.... I have attempted lightning shots before but they never came out that well.

[Wavelength]

Very nice

[bnnrcn]

Welcome Joe, nice trial