How to take photos of lightning?

[Jamesino]

Do you just set the shutter to a long exposure and hope that a lightning strikes during your exposure?

[Inspeqtor]

You can do a couple of things. Try googling (http://************/msamkm) how to photograph lightning.

Or I have heard on another forum about THIS PRODUCT (http://www.lightningtrigger.com/) that users say really works quite well. I don't have one yet. I hope to be able to get one someday when the recession gets better.

I have never been able to photograph lightning myself. Where I live there are just too many trees in the area. Maybe the above would be a waste of money for me. I do not know.

Good luck!

[SOK]

There are a few methods that people use...but that is probably the most common.

You have to experiment a bit to avoid blowing out features on the ground (if you're including them in your frame).

[Jaymz]

I have been working on my own lightning trigger. You can read about it in the Tupperware thread in the lounge. Last thursday we had our first lightning storm of the year. So it was a mad rush to get my first live test. Here is the result of my $50 lightning trigger (approx).

There wasnt many strikes that were out of the clouds, so getting the right settings was hard. 30+ strikes and only 2-3 ok shots.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/laxlacks/IMG_3824crop.jpg

[EveryMilesAMemory]

I have been working on my own lightning trigger. You can read about it in the Tupperware thread in the lounge. Last thursday we had our first lightning storm of the year. So it was a mad rush to get my first live test. Here is the result of my $50 lightning trigger (approx).

There wasnt many strikes that were out of the clouds, so getting the right settings was hard. 30+ strikes and only 2-3 ok shots.

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/laxlacks/IMG_3824crop.jpg

Is that real or is this a few different strikes combined? That is an amazing shot!! Got a link to the thread you're talking about? Looks like I'm going to have to do some reading!

[PhotosGuy]

Lightning photography. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=133278)

Lightning from Darwin (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=624906)

[mdman3219]

I use a 10-22mm, set to about f/11 or so, and do 30 second exposures, works pretty good. Most important thing I would advise is to remember to be patient. I have a perfect spot on my deck to watch storms cross west to east in front of me, but after two years I still only have about 5 or 6 shots I like. There will be a lot of storms that just are not good subjects.

[400dabuser]

http://www.dphotojournal.com/lightning-photography-tips/

This is what I found googling around awhile ago, I guess you can put me into the category of storm chaser, albeit we in the UK, don't seem to have much if any these days

[Jaymz]

Is that real or is this a few different strikes combined? That is an amazing shot!! Got a link to the thread you're talking about? Looks like I'm going to have to do some reading!

Thats a single shot. No processing other than ACR convert to jpeg.

I dont remember what page its on and I am just ending my lunch break so I dont have time to look, but here...

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=634035

[superstes]

albeit we in the UK, don't seem to have much if any these days

That reminds me, I saw a tornado photo today on the News in Hadleigh, Suffolk, trying to find it on line.

[Todd Lambert]

I use a 10-22mm, set to about f/11 or so, and do 30 second exposures, works pretty good. Most important thing I would advise is to remember to be patient. I have a perfect spot on my deck to watch storms cross west to east in front of me, but after two years I still only have about 5 or 6 shots I like. There will be a lot of storms that just are not good subjects.

That's generally what I do too, and I've been okay at catching it. It's tough though and it requires patience. It always seems to strike right when the 30 ssecond exposure is up and the shutter has just closed. LOL Murphy's Law, I guess.

http://lambertphotography.com/forums/IMG_2469.jpg
70-200 @ 140mm - ƒ8 for 30 seconds - ISO 100