Lightning

[Sinistard]

I was in Virginia over the weekend of the 4th and a huge lightning storm rolled though. Unfortunately I did not catch the beginning of it and by the time I got out my camera, got it set up and figured out what settings worked best(or better) most of the lightning had passed. I got a few that turned out decent. If I happen to catch another storm like this I am fairly confident I will get some better shots(I will be able to set proper ISO, use a remote shutter release and bulb setting and a more proper aperture)

Some of these I really played with the exposure in post editing some are straight from the camera

 

[Recty]

Those are very cool. One thing we almost never get in Alaska is lightning, you've got an opportunity I'll most likely never have.

 

[cody6766]

I tried my hand at lightning pics for the first time a week or 2 ago. I got 2 pretty decent ones, but no better than the worst you posted, haha! Well done. Those are some solid pics.

 

[AkaSlyGuy]

mind posting some of the settings that worked best for you. Awesome pic

Joe

 

[Sinistard]

Thanks for the comments.

I hope to get an opportunity like this again now that I have some experience. Unfortunately I live in the city in Ohio so I don't see storms like this coming from a distance.

The darker ones are taken with and ISO of 400(I forgot to check it) and f/18 or f/22 with a 2 second shutter. I basically just kept hitting the shutter and maybe 1 out of 5 had lightning in it.

The 2 brighter ones are a couple of the first ones I took, they were at f/3.5 and were overexposed and all you could see was a bright flash. I adjusted the exposure down and they looked decent.

If I get another opportunity I plan to use and ISO of 100 and a remote shutter with the camera set to bulb. I will open the shutter to wait for a bolt then close it. I'll play with the f stop to get exposure right.

 

[SKremk]

Very cool! I used to live in New York, and I miss the thunderstorms out in here in California.