LIGHTNING PHOTOS

[NorbR]

Here are three photos I shot on two consecutive days in July 2015 at the Grand Canyon while a great monsoon was in action. I used a 24-70mm lens and Stepping Stone's Lightning Trigger IV.

Wow! Now that's a first post
Stunning pictures, thanks for sharing.

 

[CTJohn]

lightning in effect has a built in shutter speed much like a speedlight has. though it pulses, it is still a pretty short duration so considerations for exposure should be more about aperture and ISO.

thats why i use 30 secs for lightning shots and i dial in the aperture and ISO to suit the surrounding scene. if your ISO is too high or your aperture too wide open a lightning strike can overexpose the scene. longer shutter speeds only mean more of an opportunity to catch a strike (or multiple strikes) in each frame.

I've never tried these, but this discussion has me interested. How about using a neutral density filter with a long exposure? Would that work with lightning and allow the longer exposure? I guess the important thing is nothing (like a palm tree) that moves in the scene.

 

[Mr Bean]

Near Cooma, New South Wales (Australia) a few nights ago. The storm was moving away from us, as the stars came out.

5D3 with 15mm - 30 sec @ f2.8 ISO3,200

 

[Click]

Awesome. 8) Great shot, Mr Bean.

 

[Mr Bean]

Thanks Click. One of those "right spot, right time" situations

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Mr Bean.
One should never attribute to luck things that took planning, humping tons of gear to the right place and the patience to sit and wait! ;D ;D
Nice shots from all, Claire, lovely shots, but you have set your bar very high on your first post.

Cheers, Graham.

Thanks Click. One of those "right spot, right time" situations

 

[Mr Bean]

Hi Mr Bean.
One should never attribute to luck things that took planning, humping tons of gear to the right place and the patience to sit and wait! ;D ;D
Nice shots from all, Claire, lovely shots, but you have set your bar very high on your first post.

Cheers, Graham.

LOL, to complicate things, I had checked out a couple of locations during the day for star pic's only, but when the storm suddenly popped up at the last moment, I had to re-scout a location in the dark, which wasn't easy

 

[Mr Bean]

Nice shots from all, Claire, lovely shots, but you have set your bar very high on your first post.

Yes, brilliant pic's Claire. I love the third one.

 

[slclick]

Near Cooma, New South Wales (Australia) a few nights ago. The storm was moving away from us, as the stars came out.

5D3 with 15mm - 30 sec @ f2.8 ISO3,200

L O V E this, you must have the patience of an elephant

 

[dhr90]

Fantastic shots Claire! Some great shots on every page of this thread so far. Hope to contribute myself one day, but lightning storms are very infrequent around my area.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi dhr90.
Lightning storms here are infrequent too, I can remember as a child laying in bed, I'd have been in bed by 9ish watching a lightning storm on many evenings each summer, now when we do get a storm most often it is the wee small hours of the morning and if it wakes me just an inconvenience, I miss those evening storms and by that I mean I'd take anything before about midnight! ;D

Cheers, Graham.

Hope to contribute myself one day, but lightning storms are very infrequent around my area.

 

[Mr Bean]

Near Cooma, New South Wales (Australia) a few nights ago. The storm was moving away from us, as the stars came out.

5D3 with 15mm - 30 sec @ f2.8 ISO3,200

L O V E this, you must have the patience of an elephant

Thanks slclick. It was a long night

 

[dhr90]

Hi dhr90.
Lightning storms here are infrequent too, I can remember as a child laying in bed, I'd have been in bed by 9ish watching a lightning storm on many evenings each summer, now when we do get a storm most often it is the wee small hours of the morning and if it wakes me just an inconvenience, I miss those evening storms and by that I mean I'd take anything before about midnight! ;D

Cheers, Graham.

Hope to contribute myself one day, but lightning storms are very infrequent around my area.

I know what you mean about all storms seemingly being in the early hours of the morning, usually when you have to be up early for work the next day too. I would love to go for a month long storm chasing trip to the USA one year!