Reading mode: Light Dark

Lightning in Northern Michigan taken about 20 minutes ago.

Go to last post
J

jmuma

Active member
Messages
95
Reaction score
0
Location
Charlevoix US, MI, US
There is a huge front moving through Northern Michigan right now. I was able to snap a few pictures. Straight outta the camera, no processing, only a little crop.

Canon 400D / 4 sec / F11 / ISO100 / 11:15pm



--
Josh Muma
 
Wow, nice shot. Im so jealous of people with good lightning shots in their folio. Im yet to get the chance to shoot some good lightning.
 
Great capture!! I would darken the sky a bit to get the strikes to stand out more... but I wouldnt darken the ground, the houses add a lot of interest. Those look like pretty close strikes actually, good shot.
--



Technical Info: Roseart U.S.A. Gold #2 pencil, Pentel High Polymer eraser, Academie sketch pad drawing paper. Drawn clumsily under relatively poor light.

http://www.geocities.com/wild_tiger_1

http://flickr.com/photos/selrahcharles/
 
Put a "Multiply" blending layer over this pic and vary the opacity to fit.
You will thank me at the simple difference it will make. ;-)

Nice-super-duper shot (when it's fixed) Jmuma.

Drebeler.



=======================
jmuma said:
There is a huge front moving through Northern Michigan right now.
I was able to snap a few pictures. Straight outta the camera, no
processing, only a little crop.

Canon 400D / 4 sec / F11 / ISO100 / 11:15pm



--
Josh Muma
Click to expand...
 
Thanks, I plan to post process soon. Didn't have a chance last night as the power went out about a hour after I took this shot and a 1/2 hour after I posted it.

I will try the suggestions you have made.

--
Josh Muma
 
How do you catch the lightening? Do you just keep shooting until you actually get the lightening? Or do you use a time system? Curious, I have tried with no success.
 
Well first off from my experience you have to have a good lightning storm, one with a lot of activity. You then need to pick a shutter speed based off from a guess as to how far the bolts are apart. I picked 4 sec because about every 3-6 secs there was a strike. You also must make sure you set your ISO low, because otherwise the bolt will over exposure the image. I set min at ISO100. Aperature I don't think is really an issue. I would pick something around f8-F11, which is typically the best quality for most lenses. Make sure you also manually focus your lens to infinity. Now here is the tricky part you must use a trigger or remote for the shutter. I used a remote control set to instant shutter release. I just kept clicking every 5 seconds. Out of about 80 shots 12 came out good, about two came out really good.

I am sure other people have better tips, but this is the one that has worked for me.

--
Josh Muma
 
Just for an idea of how close these strikes where, I was sitting inside my house with the front door open (rain had not reached me yet.) My Tamron 17-35 was set at 24mm.
--
Josh Muma
 
That IS close! I dont have a good view from my back porch, so I do a lot of shots out in the open... I've usually packed up and gone home by the time the strikes are getting that close, although I have gotten a few close ones from my back porch too.
--



Technical Info: Roseart U.S.A. Gold #2 pencil, Pentel High Polymer eraser, Academie sketch pad drawing paper. Drawn clumsily under relatively poor light.

http://www.geocities.com/wild_tiger_1

http://flickr.com/photos/selrahcharles/
 
Aperture IS an issue. Shutter speed will have no effect on the exposure of the strikes, but aperture and ISO will. The farther away the lightning is the more you want to open then lens up(or boost the ISO), and the closer it gets the more you want to stop it down. Generally though, somewhere around f/8 seems to work the best. Your tips are good though, but aperture does effect the exposure of the lightning.
jmuma said:
Aperature
I don't think is really an issue. I would pick something around
f8-F11, which is typically the best quality for most lenses.
Click to expand...
--



Technical Info: Roseart U.S.A. Gold #2 pencil, Pentel High Polymer eraser, Academie sketch pad drawing paper. Drawn clumsily under relatively poor light.

http://www.geocities.com/wild_tiger_1

http://flickr.com/photos/selrahcharles/
 
Yes you are right, that makes perfect sense. Aperature would depending on the distance the strikes are from you. Mine were so close that I probably could have gotten away with F18 and still had a good picture, but if they were a mile away it might have taken F4 or something to capture them.

--
Josh Muma
 
Resist said:
Glad I don't live anymore and moved to California!
Click to expand...
If you get the chance you can return the favor for those of us that live in Michigan, and you can post some pictures of wild fires, mud slides, smog and earth quakes, we really don't get those here.
 
Manual plus Bulb mode.
Select an appropriate aperture for the storm brightness.
Select an appropriate ISO. Iso 100 to 200 is plenty.
Select the angle of view.
Select/FIND true infinity on your lens (manual focus)... critical.

Keep the shutter open as long as you want until the bolt strikes
via the camera shutter button itself or a remote shutter device.
Release the shutter ASAP on bright strikes. Keep it open for
interesting dimmer multiple bolts within an image.

...and shoot raw to fix later.

Drebeler.
==================
jmuma said:
Yes you are right, that makes perfect sense. Aperature would
depending on the distance the strikes are from you. Mine were so
close that I probably could have gotten away with F18 and still had
a good picture, but if they were a mile away it might have taken F4
or something to capture them.

--
Josh Muma
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top