Desert Lightning

kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
edited July 12, 2011 in Other Cool Shots
Monsoon season started early this year and we had a pretty good show from the backyard last night.

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Comments

  • PantherPanther Registered Users Posts: 3,658 Major grins
    edited July 10, 2011
    Howdy Joel,

    WOW< looks like a wild night, Funny I never think about the Desert Southwest having Monsoon's!!!!

    We'd sure love to have a little of that Rain, almost all of Texas is in a 100yr Drought.

    Great Captures.
    Take care,

    Craig

    Burleson, Texas
  • black mambablack mamba Registered Users Posts: 8,323 Major grins
    edited July 10, 2011
    Darned impressive stuff here, Joel. Great captures.clap.gif

    Tom
    I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited July 11, 2011
    Thanks, Craig and Tom! Glad you liked the shots. thumb.gif

    -joel
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
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  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,955 moderator
    edited July 11, 2011
    Nice work, Joel. The first seems to be the best overall exposure, but I love the underside of the clouds in #2. Well done. thumb.gif
    My Pics
  • DonRicklinDonRicklin Registered Users Posts: 5,551 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2011
    Richard wrote: »
    Nice work, Joel. The first seems to be the best overall exposure, but I love the underside of the clouds in #2. Well done. thumb.gif
    15524779-Ti.gif That #2 is my fave here, too!

    :D

    Don
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  • zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2011
    Very nice captures, perfect timing and exposures.
    Would you mind sharing your technique for capturing the lightning, I have tried a few times, miserable failures each time ha.
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  • SnowgirlSnowgirl Registered Users Posts: 2,155 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2011
    Stirring images. I only wish I could capture images like that!bowdown.gif
    Creating visual and verbal images that resonate with you.
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  • CuongCuong Registered Users Posts: 1,508 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2011
    Literally the most powerful desert illuminations.:D

    Cuong
    "She Was a Little Taste of Heaven – And a One-Way Ticket to Hell!" - Max Phillips
  • DaddyODaddyO Registered Users Posts: 4,466 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2011
    Nice show. I guess so thumb.gifthumbthumb.gif Super nice shots
    Michael
  • JuanoJuano Registered Users Posts: 4,890 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2011
    Outstanding shots!
    Cristóbal


    www.mind-driftphoto.com
  • EiaEia Registered Users Posts: 3,627 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2011
    Wow those are amazing captures! Was you really outside for this?
    ~AnnaMaria~ My little life in God's big universe
  • PeelerPeeler Registered Users Posts: 25 Big grins
    edited July 11, 2011
    Beautiful shots! Nice work.
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  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2011
    Damn.......color me jealous. :D

    Sam
    www.samlinvillephotography.com
  • dreamattempo772dreamattempo772 Registered Users Posts: 35 Big grins
    edited July 11, 2011
    Gorgeous!!!
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  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited July 12, 2011
    DonRicklin wrote: »
    15524779-Ti.gif That #2 is my fave here, too!

    :D

    Don

    Thanks, Don. thumb.gif
    zoomer wrote: »
    Very nice captures, perfect timing and exposures.
    Would you mind sharing your technique for capturing the lightning, I have tried a few times, miserable failures each time ha.
    Gosh, I'm surprised you've had problems, Zoomer. I think the biggest battle is having a steady supply of lightning so you can adjust your exposure.

    The easiest way to shoot lightning is when it's dark outside. Pick some exposure, open your shutter using "bulb" mode and wait for some lightning. Release your shutter after the lightning hits. When you capture a bolt, look at it and adjust your exposure accordingly. If some lightning hasn't occurred for some period of time, say 15 or 30 seconds, release the shutter and start a new exposure so that the scene doesn't get over exposed which will wash out your lightning.

    These shots were a bit trickier because it wasn't completely dark out. So I picked a shutter speed to underexpose the main scene but ok for the lightning. I iterated on this to find a workable setting. The EXIF is in my shots. But there's no magic to those settings, I've found there to be a pretty wide margin of exposures that will give acceptable results.
    Snowgirl wrote: »
    Stirring images. I only wish I could capture images like that!bowdown.gif
    Thanks, Snowgirl. See my previous comments to Zoomer. Having a steady supply of lightning helps immensely. Come to the southwest during monsoon season. It's easy that way! nod.gif
    Cuong wrote: »
    Literally the most powerful desert illuminations.:D

    Cuong
    Hahaha, so true. Lightning is my favorite Desertillumination for sure. :D Thanks, Cuong. thumb.gif
    DaddyO wrote: »
    Nice show. I guess so thumb.gifthumbthumb.gif Super nice shots
    Thanks, DaddyO!
    Juano wrote: »
    Outstanding shots!
    Thanks very much for your kind comment, Juano.
    Eia wrote: »
    Wow those are amazing captures! Was you really outside for this?
    Thanks, Eia! Yeah, I was on my back patio. It was pretty calm there.
    Peeler wrote: »
    Beautiful shots! Nice work.
    Thanks, Peeler!
    Sam wrote: »
    Damn.......color me jealous. :D

    Sam
    Ha, thanks Sam. We'll have to find some lightning to shoot when I get out to San Jose. deal.gif
    dreamattempo772 wrote: »
    Gorgeous!!!
    Thanks!! thumb.gifthumb

    Thanks for all the positive comments everyone. They're greatly appreciated. bowdown.gif

    -joel
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited July 12, 2011
    Richard wrote: »
    Nice work, Joel. The first seems to be the best overall exposure, but I love the underside of the clouds in #2. Well done. thumb.gif

    Wow, I almost missed your comment, Richard. During the first exposure it was still pretty light out. So, I shot that in AV mode with -2EV and picked a combination of aperture and ISO to give me a few second exposure. Then I sat there and hammered on the shutter. As it got darker, I switched to manual exposure, which included the second two shots in this thread. Maybe I'll try more in AV mode next time. It would solve the problem of getting overexposed skies from leaving the shutter open to long. Now you've got me thinking. headscratch.gifD
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  • macolganmacolgan Registered Users Posts: 12 Big grins
    edited July 12, 2011
    Amazing stuff. No2 has it for me... so much more ominous, reminds me of that scene in "Independence Day" just as the aliens are about to unleash their dastardly weapon !
    The colouration and "depth" of the clouds and sky, with the apparant tranquility of the city's night scene, is very powerful. Great stuff !

    Regards.... mac.
  • SamSam Registered Users Posts: 7,419 Major grins
    edited July 12, 2011
    Good luck finding lightning in San Jose. ne_nau.gifdunno

    Sam
    www.samlinvillephotography.com
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited July 12, 2011
    Sam wrote: »
    Good luck finding lightning in San Jose. ne_nau.gifdunno

    Sam
    Who said anything about staying in San Jose? mwink.gif
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  • zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited July 12, 2011
    Bulb and release the shutter after a strike. Well yeah that makes sense. I will try that next time.
    I was opening the shutter for a set time...yeah doesn't work...

    Thanks much for sharing the technique!
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/21695902@N06/
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  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited July 12, 2011
    You're welcome Mike. I'm just glad to have finally gotten a chance to return the favor!!

    BTW, the local newspaper chose (drum roll please) number 3!

    IMG8232-L.jpg

    BTW, I guess nobody noticed the heart in that one. :D

    Cheers,
    -joel
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited July 12, 2011
    Front page FTW! Nice!
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  • DogdotsDogdots Registered Users Posts: 8,795 Major grins
    edited July 12, 2011
    Congrats on making the front page .. above the fold too thumb.gifthumbthumb.gif
    Mary
    www.Dogdotsphotography.com
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