Lightning Attempt

Love the shots. Inclement weather has me often out shooting also. Haven't got a good pic of lightning as of yet though. Nice job on the "attempt."

For an "Attempt" sure seems as though you succeeded pretty darn good.

Lightening is one of my favorite subjects to shoot. Shooting it at night is pretty easy, shooting it in daylight is a completely different story. I've only been able to get a couple pictures of daylight strikes so far, and, they aren't nearly as impressive as they night time shots.

A question though. Did you use a tripod? what settings did you use? If you used bulb, how long was the exposure? Thanks.

BirchtreeLover wrote in post #10132822
A question though. Did you use a tripod? what settings did you use? If you used bulb, how long was the exposure? Thanks.

I don't know what he did, but what I typically do for night time lightening shots is set the ISO at 400, the lens at about f/8, and using bulb mode along with a remote shutter switch I'll hold the shutter open for 10 seconds, maybe longer, or until I have seen a lightening strike in the direction the camera is aimed. I just keep repeating that, and with a little luck, maybe my timing will be right every now and then to capture a good strike.

tkerr wrote in post #10133690
I don't know what he did, but what I typically do for night time lightening shots is set the ISO at 400, the lens at about f/8, and using bulb mode along with a remote shutter switch I'll hold the shutter open for 10 seconds, maybe longer, or until I have seen a lightening strike in the direction the camera is aimed. I just keep repeating that, and with a little luck, maybe my timing will be right every now and then to capture a good strike.

I would love to get some lightning pictures. Is this about the best way to do it? I'm a big newbie when it comes to things like this, so please be understanding. Just looking to learn a good method.


Awesome pictures by the way.

dhiltbru wrote in post #10134419
I would love to get some lightning pictures. Is this about the best way to do it? I'm a big newbie when it comes to things like this, so please be understanding. Just looking to learn a good method.

Awesome pictures by the way.

I wouldn't go as far to say it is the best way of doing it, but it is one way, and a way that has worked for me.

You will find that you will end up taking a lot of useless pictures just to get one with a lightening strike that you like. What I didn't mention is that you must use a tripod. Use a short focal length lens, try the settings I recommended and just start shooting a bunch of shots 10 to 15 seconds long, or until you see lighting in the area you camera is aimed. You'll end up deleting most of them, but hopefully you'll get some lightening.

Last summer we had a lightening storm that I captured lightening with almost every shot taken, and, within the first couple seconds of the exposure. That's when it gets fun, and scary!
Most of my lightening shots are of storms coming or going in the distance. When they are too close I take cover. Don't take any unnecessary chances.

Jason, very nice shots.

I have done some lightning shooting. The settings I use during complete blackness at night with lightning is F6.7. For some reason, this aperture is the best for complete darkness with bright lightning. It doesn't blow too many highlights, but keeps the lightning strike very crisp and clean.

I open the shutter for as long as it takes to register a few shots and then I close it up. Too many shots can blow out highlights as well. You have to keep a mental register of how many strikes have happened and where.

tkerr wrote in post #10133690
I don't know what he did, but what I typically do for night time lightening shots is set the ISO at 400, the lens at about f/8, and using bulb mode along with a remote shutter switch I'll hold the shutter open for 10 seconds, maybe longer, or until I have seen a lightening strike in the direction the camera is aimed. I just keep repeating that, and with a little luck, maybe my timing will be right every now and then to capture a good strike.

Thanks for the tip! I will try that and see what happens. I need to try a bit more with this technique. I'm used to taking a bunch of shots just to get that one picture that does it.

BirchtreeLover wrote in post #10143869
I'm used to taking a bunch of shots just to get that one picture that does it.

Yep, that's basically what I do. I usually end up deleting many more than I keep.

Has anyone ever tried using a ND filter when doing long exposure lightening photography?

tkerr wrote in post #10179669
Has anyone ever tried using a ND filter when doing long exposure lightening photography?

I have not!

Nice shots! I recently got a tip on a AEO Lightning trigger that fires the shutter when it "senses" an impending lightning strike in the area. Most storms approach from the southwest here so its easy to have the camera pointed in the "right" direction. I am buying one from Ebay as soon as paypal confesses they have my funds transfer LOL