Let's See "Storms and Lightning"

[jamesl]

I think someone did this a while back, but I thought I would bring it up again. Use this thread to display any of your storm or lightning pictures. Here's a few of mine from this year:











Lots more at http://home.comcast.net/~langfords

Ok, let's see yours!

James

[menno]

great shots!

[dasharp]

Love the pictures, we rarely get such stroms in the UK so here are some sea storms I took earlier this year.







Hope you like them.

Please visit my gallery at http://www.pbase.com/dasharp

[jamesl]

Wow! Those waves look very powerful. Thanks for sharing.

[kodack]

Wow! Great shots. Your in Dallas right? I'm in Plano. Where did you get the shots of downtown? I've been looking down by 20 or 60 for a high spot to catch the skyscrapers without all of the clutter in the foreground but most of the good spots are overpasses.



[quote="jamesl"]I think someone did this a while back, but I thought I would bring it up again. Use this thread to display any of your storm or lightning pictures. Here's a few of mine from this year:

[shaun]

Well done with those lightning shots James, really great shots. Something that I hope to have the opportunity to shoot this summer.

My contribution, from Hurricane Juan, last September.

[kartiq]

[matiasasun]

I would like to vote for this forum. Those are great pictures.

[lensink]

Here are mine:


http://www.pbase.com/image/20677951


http://www.pbase.com/image/20677958


http://www.pbase.com/image/20677947

[trango]

[raunch111]

Ok. How in the heck do you get photos of lightning? I tried for about two hours during a thunderstorm a few months ago and got absolutely nothing. Is it as hard as i think it is? Any pointers for shooting lightning. I am just beginning my journey into photography and any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[lensink]

Hey raunch! I typically set up a tripod and shoot long exposures (6-10 seconds), hoping that something cool will happen while the shutter is open. I also use the timer so I am not shaking the tripod by pressing the shutter release. I will take 100+ pics per storm and am lucky to get 2-3 decent shots. I live in Tucson and only have another month or so before monsoons return! Looking forward to having a chance to try some more.

[raunch111]

If you had a 6-10 second shutter speed, how can you get a crisp shot? Wouldn't that make just a big blur across the picture? I am very green at photography so forgive my ignorance. Also, do you just pick a spot and hope that something strikes where you are aiming at the time? Thanks

[lensink]

You can see a few shots that I have done earlier in this thread. The lightning does not turn out blurry - a tripod is used to prevent blurring on anything else that is in the shot. You can see from the exif data on my shots that the exposures are several seconds long. And yes, I just point it at an area of sky that is showing a lot of lightning and cross my fingers. I prefer to try to find something interesting in the forground also. This summer I am going to try for some cliche saguaro cactus forground/lightning background shots.

[raunch111]

Ok, i will try that sometime. The first time i tried to take pictures of lightning i spent most of my time running in circles trying to get a shot. hehe. Now, i will try your technique. thanks again.