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View Full Version : A first attempt at... er... lightning....

gmen
11th of August 2005 (Thu), 15:09
OK. Here we go. This is my first post over here in T&L. I'm more often found lurking in the sports forum. So, please don't be too hard on me folks!

Here are a couple of shots of tonight's storm over Essex taken from my office window. I hastily clamped the camera to the window frame using a superclamp and a vario-friction arm and snapped away.

A little one for starters...

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/dz001.jpg

...and then this big one nearly caught me unawares...

http://www.tgsphoto.co.uk/forum_images/dz002.jpg

---- Gavin
dancad
11th of August 2005 (Thu), 15:24
Great job! Too bad the houses are chopped in the second one...
gmen
11th of August 2005 (Thu), 15:38
Great job! Too bad the houses are chopped in the second one...
Thanks dancad! The storm faded away then picked up some energy again about 45 degrees round the horizon, so I had to make a rapid adjustment to the camera position and I went a little wider - you'll see the house on the right in the first image is subsequently on the left. However, there was a little bit more foreground to be seen... I've just updated the pic from my original rough and ready crop...

---- Gavin
dancad
11th of August 2005 (Thu), 15:47
Ahh this is much better! You can now see the magnitute of the lightning strike compared to the houses. Well done Gavin.
jopfin
11th of August 2005 (Thu), 20:29
Gavin, sports or lightning either one you do exceptional work, these are great, nice job...........Joe

ps. that wasn't too hard was it? lol
niewold
11th of August 2005 (Thu), 21:18
Wish it wasn't pooring outside when I had lightening!! I have been trying for a few weeks, but it is pouring rain everytime!! Great shots though...I am jealous!
gmen
12th of August 2005 (Fri), 15:39
Gavin, sports or lightning either one you do exceptional work, these are great, nice job...........Joe

ps. that wasn't too hard was it? lolThanks jopfin! I feel at home already.... :lol:
Harold_L
12th of August 2005 (Fri), 17:10
Exciting shots, both! I like the minute convolutions of the strokes in the second image. What was your exposure time?

Harold
gmen
14th of August 2005 (Sun), 09:47
Exciting shots, both! I like the minute convolutions of the strokes in the second image. What was your exposure time?

Harold
Thanks Harold.

As a very, very inexperienced lightning photographer, I plumped for a long exposure time - 30" at f/5 I recall - simply to increase my chances of capturing a burst!

--- Gavin
kingsown
14th of August 2005 (Sun), 11:43
very well captured well worth the effort
malla1962
14th of August 2005 (Sun), 13:57
Iwould be more than happy with these shots.:D:D
gramps
14th of August 2005 (Sun), 14:28
WOW......... EXCELLENT!!!!!