Shooting Storms at night

[Dragonfly..shotz]

Hi, I think I posted this in the wrong section earlier so if ok would like to try here thanks.

I am trying to improve in night photography and with the storm season on its way I would really like to get a hold on it with the new camera I bought a few months ago. This is the first shot I tried last night with a storm and it looks soft. Can anyone point me in the right direction as to settings for the 40D, what program, aperture and ISO are best for night photography?

For this shot, the camera was set AV program, ISO-800 F/16, 30sec exposure, metering mode pattern. Something tells me they are not the right settings, or program. I have not used TV before but somehow think this is what I should be using.

Here is the shot from last night. Many thanks and any help would be greatly appreciated.

The other thing I had trouble with was geting the camera to focus!! 9 out of 10 times it would not and only when it picked up a flash did it AF.

 

[marmots]

depending on how bright it is i would try bulb. with a thirty second exposure the clouds might move a little, and the trees will blow in the wind,so it wont turn out well. but i dont know what exactly you are trying to get, a landscape? lightning? rain? clouds?. as far as focus just set it to infinity, with a high aperture.