Photographing lightning?

Hi guys, new here.

There has been a pretty flipping huge storm that rolled in within the past hour or so, and it is producing fantastic and MASSIVE bolts of lightning (the closes was less than 500 feet away, and shook my house).

I am wondering how I can photograph said bolts of lightning? I have been at it for a while now, and haven't gotten ONE single bolt of lightning

Is there a setting on the camera I can use to let me take photos of it better, like a sensor? Or am I basically just stuck with using patience and quick fingers?

Thanks. Camera is a T1i rebel BTW.

Put it on a tripod. Lowest ISO you can, small aperture f16 or so. Take long exposures aimed at the part of the sky where the action is hitting.

if you are not looking for resolution what i do is i take a video of the storm and then just extract the frames later after the storm here are some pics of it

use bulb mode..
clamp down your aperture f/8~/f16
set the camera on a tripod
manual focus to the place you want to capture.

open the shutter for a strike or 2

release.

repeat

try different apertures
and isos

enjoy the show

and put the lens on infinity focus..

Okay, you're speaking greek to me...

Everything I've tried, even long exposures, leads to unsatisfactory results- the long exposures all come out whiter than paper.

sorry forgot to push the upload button taken with a canon sx110 is in VGA video mode.

Keep in mind it's daytime here...

joebot94 wrote in post #11009387
sorry forgot to push the upload button taken with a canon sx110 is in VGA video mode.

I do that all the time, but what i'm looking for is a nice high res photo of a bolt of lightning.

XpressCS wrote in post #11009360
Okay, you're speaking greek to me...

Everything I've tried, even long exposures, leads to unsatisfactory results- the long exposures all come out whiter than paper.

What mode are you in? If you do ISO 100, av at f16 you should be able to get something reasonably exposed. Then its just luck of the draw as to whether you capture anything.

i have one of those to it took me forever but i finally got one once again canon sx110is i dont know what mode but if you check the exif data i think that it is on there

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gonzogolf wrote in post #11009439
What mode are you in? If you do ISO 100, av at f16 you should be able to get something reasonably exposed. Then its just luck of the draw as to whether you capture anything.

I tried that, even re-adjusting white balance, exposure comp and everything, but it's still too bright.

I installed the CD that the thing came with so I'm sitting here comfortably on my computer with the thing aimed out the window. I love this live view remote control

Anyways, from the looks of this, the storm is sticking around until WELL after dark, which I am HOPING for. That way I can get some sweet night shots

XpressCS wrote in post #11009618
I tried that, even re-adjusting white balance, exposure comp and everything, but it's still too bright.

I installed the CD that the thing came with so I'm sitting here comfortably on my computer with the thing aimed out the window. I love this live view remote control

What is too bright, the scene or the bolt? Post some of your results so far.

Similar to fireworks I imagine, if it is too bright, use a neutral density filter.

gonzogolf wrote in post #11009634
What is too bright, the scene or the bolt? Post some of your results so far.

The entire photo. I delete all of the bad photos, so unless you guys want to see a couple pics of cloudy skies, then I got nothing..

I love lightning photos, its one of my fav. things to shoot, even though it is a waiting/ guessing game. I usually do f8 or higher at 10-30 seconds at 100iso.

Here are a few.