lightning anyone?

[babybluetx23]

Ok after an UNSUCCESFULL attempt at lightning last night, I have GOT to ask.....HOW do you photograph Lightning? I tried several different Exposure times, I tried different Fstops, I Even went so far as to leave it on 32 Fstop, still no luck. How do you do it? how do you get that PERFECT moment? I tried to anticipate, no luck. what is the best way? I stodd at an abandoned gas station under a cover with tripod and camera pointed twords the lightning, With the remote attached so I didnt shake the camera. I used my rebel 300d and my Sigma 28-70 f2.8 lens.

[CaptainTom]

I don't recall the exact terminology (getting forgetful in my old age) but, there is such a thing as a "ligtning trigger" that connects to your camera and trips the shutter when there is lightning.... That is the big secret.. Google it and you can probably make one yourself if you are electronically adept.

[babybluetx23]

yeah that thing costs BOO COO Bucks! $330.00 bucks! I think I would MUCH rather learn how to do it! hehehehe I wonder if there IS a way to make one!? hmmmm Thanks tom!

[NoLight]

Bulb exposure f22 focus on infinity push remote button wait till the lightning ends and release the remote switch (dont try to catch the lighting mid strike just activate shutter before anything starts), continue till cf card is full. Or set 45 second or what ever time you like exposure time. Iso low. But bulb works the best because you conrtol the time. Remember it takes awhile for the camera to process your shot so be patient you will have to wait to take another shot. Have beer handy now is the perfect time to sit back relax and enjoy the lighting!!!!

[babybluetx23]

WHOA! Ok I did try that last night. I did it at f34 or 35 and a 62 second exposure. Still no bueno. I think I may have been too close to external Bldg lights that may have ruined the shot. I have my gear with me today in case it storms again, although I dont think it will.

[NoLight]

You'll get some!!!

[JPalmer]

First of all...it helps if you can find exactly where in the storm the lightning is coming from. Note..the shark-finned shape cloud formation above the lightning bolts. Now, these three shots aren't keepers from this storm, but they clearly show where it was happening at within the storm itself.

You do have to be a bit lucky. Either the 4-5 second exposure and hope for a strike....or, you have to have really...really quick reflexes to hit the shutter. I rememebr reading somewhere that a good lightning strike can flash for up to 1/2 a second. And cloud to cloud lightning can take up to 4-5 seconds to flash through the sky.

[PhotoByMark]

Ahhh lightning. I love to try and shoot it. I stayed up until 3:30 am waiting for the storm last night. The darn thing split as it approached my house. Did not get much lightning action last night. Bummer! If fact that past year has been pretty sparse as far as chances to get lightning shots. I am sure many of us are painfully aware of our lack of rain.

Right now my prefered method is to use bulb with a external shutter release. Lens depends on distance and location of probable lightning strikes. I use my 12-24, 28-70, and 24-120 most of the time. I have found f-stop anywhere from f8 or higher will work and f10-f16 seems to be where I shoot most of the time. Of course f-stop depends on frequency and overall light levels and other ambient light. I use manual focus and just set to infinity. I have noticed though many lenses seem to need to backed off infinity ever so slightly. Once camera is setup on tripod and pointed in general direction I just sit and use my external release and leave shutter open for various amounts of time. I then just fire away using the external release. Some shots are short duration and others are longer duration. With bulb and external release this is very easy to control. In one hand the release and in the other a beer. Fun and easy. To me it is like fishing, lots of misses but then you get a keeper.

Just keep trying and developing your techniques and you will get some keepers. I have yet to get daylight lightning shots. That is my next challenge to overcome.

Anyway here are few recent shots.




And here is one of my favorites. This is an old shot taken with my Olympus 2100UZ camera.

[darktiger]

So where is the best place? I know a lot of you all prob do not wait outside in the rain. Also I am also sure that a lot of you all also do not have clear views of the sky from the window. Do you?

[JamesB]

I find a parking garage with a good view of the approaching lightning storm, its covered so you dont get wet and its a lot safer than standing out side.

also you can follow the storm and shoot it as it is going away from you. sometimes heavy rain will block out the finer strands or branches off the main bolt. depends on how far away, and how intense it is.

James

Originally Posted by darktiger

So where is the best place? I know a lot of you all prob do not wait outside in the rain. Also I am also sure that a lot of you all also do not have clear views of the sky from the window. Do you?

[JamesB]

As mark stated below I do just about the same thing and it works very well. It did take me many many many tries before I got a decent lightning shot.

James

Originally Posted by PhotoByMark

Ahhh lightning. I love to try and shoot it. I stayed up until 3:30 am waiting for the storm last night. The darn thing split as it approached my house. Did not get much lightning action last night. Bummer! If fact that past year has been pretty sparse as far as chances to get lightning shots. I am sure many of us are painfully aware of our lack of rain.

Right now my prefered method is to use bulb with a external shutter release. Lens depends on distance and location of probable lightning strikes. I use my 12-24, 28-70, and 24-120 most of the time. I have found f-stop anywhere from f8 or higher will work and f10-f16 seems to be where I shoot most of the time. Of course f-stop depends on frequency and overall light levels and other ambient light. I use manual focus and just set to infinity. I have noticed though many lenses seem to need to backed off infinity ever so slightly. Once camera is setup on tripod and pointed in general direction I just sit and use my external release and leave shutter open for various amounts of time. I then just fire away using the external release. Some shots are short duration and others are longer duration. With bulb and external release this is very easy to control. In one hand the release and in the other a beer. Fun and easy. To me it is like fishing, lots of misses but then you get a keeper.

Just keep trying and developing your techniques and you will get some keepers. I have yet to get daylight lightning shots. That is my next challenge to overcome.

[AlexMorse]

I just got my first semi-successfully lightning capture Saturday night. This was handheld, slightly after sunset. You can just see a bit of bolt obscured by cloud. I believe I shot this at 1/40 f4.5 iso 100.

[Casper]

Nice picture Alex, really cool colors.

I never got into fishing, but beer drinking lightning pics sounds great!

[NoLight]

Oh yeah Alex nice shot!!!

[TXhummer2]

...that doesn't have B, nor an external shutter release, just use the
"Capture last 4" or 3 or 5 or how ever many your camera will do.
Here I set the camera to F8 (its max) and 3 seconds and "Capture last 4",
and just started shooting. The camera will "time out" at some point,
and save the last 4. Then just start shooting again.
Now, a more astute person would have opened the garage door,
instead of standing in front of it, and place the camera on a
non moving object, like a tripod, instead of a jumpy person
that bounced the camera around at every other lightning
flash not in camera sight! This from May 5th at our
home in Leander.