Show me your Lightning plz!

Stormchase

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So its getting arond lightning season here in florida. Im just south of lightning alley south of daytona. Im REALLY hopeing to get the chance to capture this amazing natural event. One of the main reasons I bought a DSLR! So i would like to ask everyone if you could help me out. Post shots of lightning, let me know what settings you use and lens ect.. I have an idea but I want to learn more! The only one i have gotten was on my iPhone so im not going to bother posting it.
Lets see them!!
 
Storm
I was at a seminar in Florida in June. When we left to fly back to NY, there was a huge storm. As we flew north up the east coast of Florida I was treated to the most spectacular lightning show I think a person can ask for.

Maybe you should think of getting a plane for a better angle...;):mrgreen:
 
Sorry for the Crappy picture. But hey, you asked for it.:confused:



DSC_2987.jpg
 
Storm
I was at a seminar in Florida in June. When we left to fly back to NY, there was a huge storm. As we flew north up the east coast of Florida I was treated to the most spectacular lightning show I think a person can ask for.

Maybe you should think of getting a plane for a better angle...;):mrgreen:
lol awsome! Its pretty good out here. Tampa to Daytona (across Orlando ) is what they concider "Lightning alley" I was just in a plane but no such luck .. :lol:

I used to live in Pheonix and they have some awsome lightning there. Lots of static cloud to cloud light shows. Arizona is what got me into lightning.


Hay .. There is no bad lightning shot in my eyes. Thanks for posting it!


:thumbup:


Thanks for the links. incredible .. Love it!

Keep'em commin!
 
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Thanks. But, there were things that I wish I have done better. Like, using a tripod, slower shutter speed, know what I'm doing, etc...

The picture was shot with a D90, 35mm f1.8, ISO 400, SP@40, f/5.6.:meh:
 
I hear ya, I used to think that you use bulb for these but i guess not. I want to learn the best settings! and see resaults :)
 
I might try Bulb next time. I kinda figured, if I shot at a slower shutter speed at the initial sign of lightning, then the second then the third wave of lightning would throw the picture off. But, I don't know. I have A LOT of reading still to do.
 
Yeah me too :) Hopeing this post will help out as well.
 
I've tried using bulb but usually use something like a 10 second exposure (depending on the ambient lighting).

The best lighting shots usually have a decent amount of scenery/context, and if you can expose for that with ambient light, then you are kind of tied to that exposure value....so bulb may not be the best option.

If it's completely dark, then sure, bulb works great and you can capture multiple strikes etc.

Either way, there is still a bit of anticipation & guessing involved.
 
Yeah Im scopeing out for 4 good spots in the daytime now. one facing north, one south, one east, and one west. something with context when it lights up. I would like to try one over water. I have lots of water here. +1 for the exposure info!
 
Yeah Im scopeing out for 4 good spots in the daytime now. one facing north, one south, one east, and one west. something with context when it lights up. I would like to try one over water. I have lots of water here. +1 for the exposure info!

I have a bunch of pre-scouted locations marked in my GPS for when storms roll through. That way I am not trying to figure out my spots while the action is happening.

Here are some from years past:

lightning5.jpg



lightning4.jpg



lightning3.jpg



lightning2.jpg



lightning1.jpg



lightning6.jpg
 
I will play, sadly the lightning was too far away to be the focal point, but I did what I could to include it.

My first lightning shots I got from a couple weeks back.

ominouswarnings2.jpg


ominouswarnings.jpg


smallimg8845.jpg


All exposures were 16 minutes, used my intervalometer.

Canon 500D, 18-55mm kits lens, f/5.6 according to exif on the last one.
 
Nice shot. It seems like a lot of people use a wide angle?
I might have to dust off that kit lens lol.

robNZ, Good example of forground and having context.
 

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