June lightning (pic warning)

[mhambi]

Haven't posted in a while... been busy getting going on this years wood. Lots of high elevation snow so I'm having to cut in a different area.

Had a HUGE lightning storm roll through and finally got to spend some quality time shooting. Thought I share a couple of the best ones.

This was a HUGE bolt. Easily the largest single one of the night. (and you can see my house in the upper left!)

Had to reset some settings as the storm got closer and closer...

And the best one of the night... also the last. Oh, and it took out my power for 4 hours too!

 

[loon]

WOW those are great pictures

 

[Freeheat]

AWSOME pics!

 

[quads]

Very cool! I too am a fan of taking lightning pics. I never get any as good as these though! Usually I'm hiding in the house by that time. HA!

 

[chrisasst]

Great pics. I tried to take some the other night and either they strike in the opposite direction or I wasn't fast enoough.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

mhambi, those are great pictures. Thanks for posting them.

 

[fishingpol]

Yet another awesome power of nature. Now if we could only harness that energy... Great pics.

 

[Flatbedford]

Great shots How many shots of darkness did you take to get those?

 

[GAMMA RAY]

Mhambi...just curious what type of camera did you use???
Seems to me that we have many talented people here....some of the best photos I have ever seen have been on this forum..

 

[mhambi]

Thanks everybody!! I've had a hard time getting good lightning pics before. This turned out to be the 'perfect storm' if you will. :lol:

Gamma Ray - I took these with a Nikon D40... a budget entry DSLR.

Each picture was a 30 second exposure shot at 400ISO and as small as aperature as I could get away with... between f10 and f18


Flatbedford - I shot over 50 pics that night over about 45 minutes (30 seconds each) There were 5 or so that were completely dark. Not all of them were 'nice' but most had at least some activity in them. VERY busy storm!

 

[firefighterjake]

I don't use the word awesome very often . . . but these truly were awesome photos.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

Just stunning. I can smell the ozone

 

[firefighterjake]

Just stunning. I can smell the ozone

Oh, that's the smell . . . I thought it was my wet socks that I threw in the hamper last night.

 

[pdxdave]

Those are hands down some of the greatest lightning pics I have ever seen. Thanks for sharing !!