Saturday, 10 November 2007

Lighting Striking Dead Tree

Lightning Striking at Night - Dead Tree Silhouette
Lightning Striking at night with a Dead Tree silhouette in front of lightning thunder bolt
The other night we had a big thunderstorm with lightning over here, so naturally I was out with the camera in the cold and wet while others were inside snug and warm. Actually, I wasn't so foolish as to bring the camera outside during the rain, but after the storm passed over I went out looking for lightning shots. I took a few 30-second exposures, but the noise even at ISO 80 was disappointing. Decreasing the shutter speed by increments, eventually I got down to a 2-second exposure at ISO 80. Now for lightning, there's not much chance of getting a good shot with only a 2-second exposure. But I tried anyway. And what turned out was amazing...

It was a one in a million chance. During the second exposure, a huge bolt of lightning split the sky - directly in the middle of the frame. And this is how it turned out. I find it amazing that I was able to get such a good shot on just the second try. The lightning is streaking through the darkened sky, ending in a flash of electricity near the ground. A dead tree stands in stark silhouette against the backdrop of dark purple clouds. The pitch black of the surrounding terrain serves to intensify the scene, as well as provide a natural frame for the action.


It just goes to show: don't rely on the tried and tested methods, do something different and strange - it might just work out!
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31 comments:

  1. Anonymous11 November 2007 at 8:45 pm

    thanks

    you are in my links

    see you soon

    cecyl

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jinghui11 November 2007 at 11:52 pm

    G'day David !

    This is an awesome capture !

    Lightning photos are never easy to capture, and you need to be at the location and ready to capture the lightning across the sky. Great skills !

    Do check out some of my pics in flickr on my Aussie adventures, was there in UQ from 1998 - 2002 !

    Added you to my blog too !

    Cheers

    JH

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unknown12 November 2007 at 12:25 pm

    Hi cecyl,

    Glad you are happy with the setup. Look forward to seeing some more of your photos soon.

    See you later,

    David

    ReplyDelete
  4. Unknown12 November 2007 at 12:33 pm

    G'day junghui,

    Thanks for dropping round, great to see that you were in Australia before. The worldwide photography blog looks interesting, and I'll check out those flickr pics soon! :)

    Cheers,

    David

    ReplyDelete
  5. Unknown12 November 2007 at 2:23 pm

    I appreciate your explanations of how you get your shots. I have so much to learn and it helps to know just exactly how an image was caught, such as this lightening streak!

    Thanks for the nice comments on my blog! I added you to my blogroll and see you did the same for me!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Unknown12 November 2007 at 3:09 pm

    Hi angie,

    I'm glad to help anytime, it's good to see that I could be of some assistance. I thank you too for the nice comments you're leaving on my blog - it's always great when the readers participate!

    See you soon,

    David

    ReplyDelete
  7. Merging Point14 November 2007 at 12:00 pm

    Amazing one indeed!
    have you ever wondered whats that which makes you go for such unique ones?

    ReplyDelete
  8. Unknown14 November 2007 at 2:21 pm

    Hi merging point,

    I think the eye for a unique shot comes mainly from practice. When I started off with a camera, I couldn't even get a shot which was clear enough to use, let alone creative! :)

    Just keep taking photos, looking out for strange things, try to imagine everything as if it's seen through the eye of a camera, and I'm sure you'll come up with a few great unique photos. Remember the old saying: Practice makes perfect!

    Regards,

    David

    p.s. Remember too, that many of the best shots are taken by accident - even this one wasn't exactly planned the way it turned out!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Merging Point15 November 2007 at 12:39 am

    "expect the unexpected" -- mostly memorable moments just happen. No doubt professional expertise coupled with practice takes you to the peak, yet, its the connectivity call it Divine will, Grace that lets it happen.
    One such is this....

    ReplyDelete
  10. myonlyphoto15 November 2007 at 6:49 am

    Wow, this is really cool, something that I never had an opportunity yet to take photo yet, I have attempted, but it sometimes gets really bad so all I want to do is hide, lol. May be one day, Anna :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Unknown15 November 2007 at 8:25 am

    Hi merging point,

    Exactly my thoughts, it is mostly through "Grace" (also called "chance" by some people) that shots like this come about. No matter how much expertise you have, you'll just have to wait for the right moment to get a shot all the same!

    Regards,

    David

    ReplyDelete
  12. Unknown15 November 2007 at 8:32 am

    Hi anna,

    I know what you mean. That's exactly how I felt in the past when I tried to get lightning shots. Somehow this shot just turned out perfectly - after years of trying with long exposures and other tricks, one 2-second exposure turned out better than all the rest!

    See you later,

    David

    ReplyDelete
  13. DigitalShutterMania15 November 2007 at 7:22 pm

    Great captures. I wish I could have a chance to capture the thunder shots : )

    Cheers
    DSM

    ReplyDelete
  14. Unknown15 November 2007 at 8:32 pm

    Hi digitalshuttermania,

    Thanks for visiting, it's nice to meet someone else who is in the same field. My advice if you want to capture lightning - keep trying. Eventually, you'll get a good shot. It might take 1 try, it might take 100, but you'll get it if you keep trying.

    Good luck with your photography,

    David

    ReplyDelete
  15. Nature Nut /JJ Loch16 November 2007 at 11:18 pm

    This piercing lightning/dark sky photo would make the most awesome book cover!!!

    Good morning, David.


    Hugs, JJ

    ReplyDelete
  16. Unknown17 November 2007 at 9:57 am

    Hi JJ,

    I never thought of that, but it certainly would make a great book cover.

    Good morning to you too,

    David

    ReplyDelete
  17. Joeprah24 November 2007 at 2:12 pm

    I love this one! You need to join the buzz. It is invite only and I am sending you one. Lots of great photographer bloggers network there among other bloggers as well. Great stuff!

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous24 November 2007 at 4:13 pm

    Hi joeprah,

    Thanks for your comment and the invite. I'll check out the buzz and see what I can do. See ya soon!

    Cheers,

    David

    ReplyDelete
  19. Jean M Fogle29 November 2007 at 10:29 am

    I love the lightning shot. Did you know there is a lightning devise for cameras that helps you get the lightning shots. Cant remember the name but I think it slips on where the flash attachs,

    ReplyDelete
  20. Unknown29 November 2007 at 11:09 am

    Hi jean,

    I have heard of a device like you mentioned, but I don't know the name either. It certainly would be useful, I might try to look it up. Otherwise, you have to leave the chance of getting a shot at the right time to providence - although that's what came up with this shot!

    Cheers,

    David

    ReplyDelete
  21. Lynda Lehmann12 December 2007 at 7:44 am

    Ooh, what a wonderful capture!!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Unknown13 December 2007 at 8:33 am

    Hi lynda,

    Thanks for dropping by, and your comment. Hope I'll see you again soon. :)

    All the best with your blogging,

    Cheers,

    David

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous4 January 2008 at 7:09 pm

    Great Lightning shot! At two seconds that is definitely a blinder of a shot. I have been out for hours at a time doing 15 - 30 second frames and still struggle to get good ones.

    You need to have someone up above shining down on you to send one just at the right time. Hes definitely done that for you this time!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Unknown4 January 2008 at 8:13 pm

    Hi Tim,

    This is certainly an amazing opportunity for a photo. I can't help but think, like you, that I've had some help from above to get this shot.

    Cheers,

    David

    ReplyDelete
  25. Texas Travelers5 April 2008 at 1:58 pm

    Thanks for sharing. I never have had luck with lightning. Almost hit by lightning once. Once scared, twice shy.

    It his about 100 ft. away and made all my hair stand straight out.

    Like you said "Once in a million".

    However, if you don't try you wont get the shot.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Unknown5 April 2008 at 4:08 pm

    Hi texas travelers,

    Once I think I had lightning hit the house. I was inside during a thunderstorm, and was just about to go outside, when suddenly there was a huge flash that seemed to split the house in half, and a boom which was really more like an earthquake than what you normally hear from a lightning bolt. You could really feel, rather than see or hear it. Needless to say, I didn't go outside! Anyway, we had a satellite dish up above the house, and everything connected to that was fried, which made us think that it hit the dish.

    Just keep trying and one day you'll get a great shot. I'm still trying, but we don't get many storms here, so it's a bit difficult!

    Cheers,

    David

    ReplyDelete
  27. CloudStalker12 April 2008 at 9:16 am

    Fantastic shot!!
    I have yet to capture lightning, one day, when I have a better camera. Have a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous7 June 2008 at 11:06 pm

    The Cloud on the back of the lighting make this picture more powerful.

    Angger Bondan

    ReplyDelete
  29. Unknown30 June 2008 at 12:56 pm

    Hi eyestothesky,

    The only real requirement of a camera for lightning is that it have slow shutter speed capability. Even that isn't a requirement, but it makes life a lot easier. Just sit the camera there on it's longest shutter exposure, and keep taking photos until you actually catch some lightning on camera!

    Cheers,

    David

    ReplyDelete
  30. Unknown30 June 2008 at 5:48 pm

    Hi Angger Bondan,

    I agree, the clouds are a key component of this picture. Thinking of it without them doesn't seem anywhere near as powerful.

    Cheers,

    David

    ReplyDelete
  31. CountryDreaming6 March 2009 at 12:43 am

    I would title this "Dance of Light and Dark in a Storm." Great shot!

    ReplyDelete

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