Lightning Over Reno

HiggmeisterHiggmeister Registered Users Posts: 909 Major grins
edited August 10, 2006 in Landscapes
Hi All,

Well, it was over Reno, but from where I was, I didn't get any Reno shots. This was probably the worst/best electrical storm I've seen here since 1989 and thought I'd share a few pics. My first chance for shooting lighting and figure it'll be a long time before I get to again:cry.

These are mostly full frame shots at 18mm with a 20D. I was being as safe as I could reasonably be and still see the awsome show.

63893623.jpg
1/8s f/11.0 at 18.0mm iso100

63893624.jpg
1/8s f/4.5 at 18.0mm iso100

63893625.jpg
4s f/6.7 at 18.0mm iso100

I feel very lucky to have gotten about a half dozen decent shots from this storm and able to post them the next day (still alive:):).

The only real problem that I've run into is the chromatic aberation on the darker pictures. I shoot in RAW and still wasn't able to completely remove the CA. I'm still happy with the shots though.

Thanks for looking,
Chris

A picture is but words to the eyes.
Comments are always welcome.

www.pbase.com/Higgmeister

Comments

  • gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2006
    Hey now wer'e cookin' !!! Bloody brillient thumb.gifthumb.gifthumb.gif
  • THE TOUCHTHE TOUCH Registered Users Posts: 535 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2006
    Very awesome! I love how you got the lightning clearly touching the ground and the clouds in the same shot (#1 & #2).

    Must have been pretty scary!
    Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. - Albert Einstein :bash

    - Kevin
  • CharlaCharla Registered Users Posts: 238 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2006
    Congratulations on a very successful first attempt!!! The third shot is amazing, I would have been running for cover on that one. I imagine the thunder was deafening.

    Great shots thumb.gif
    Charla
  • gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2006
    Higgmeister wrote:


    The only real problem that I've run into is the chromatic aberation on the darker pictures. I shoot in RAW and still wasn't able to completely remove the CA. I'm still happy with the shots though.

    Thanks for looking,
    Chris

    Download shays programme. I dont know what i did without it...its a great PS plug-in. Just $10 paint version avail as well.
  • photodougphotodoug Registered Users Posts: 870 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2006
    proof: Reno is so close to Hell you can see Sparks
  • AfterImageAfterImage Registered Users Posts: 113 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2006
    Awesome shots! I am jealous from tip to tail! clap.gif
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    I remember

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  • HiggmeisterHiggmeister Registered Users Posts: 909 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2006
    Thanks for the comments and info. I'll contact Shay about this plugin. I don't get too much PF from the 20D, but some of these had strong red/blue fringing that was somewhat correctable in ARC3/PS.

    Thanks Again Gus,
    Chris

    A picture is but words to the eyes.
    Comments are always welcome.

    www.pbase.com/Higgmeister

  • HiggmeisterHiggmeister Registered Users Posts: 909 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2006
    THE TOUCH wrote:
    Very awesome! I love how you got the lightning clearly touching the ground and the clouds in the same shot (#1 & #2).

    Must have been pretty scary!

    Thanks for the comment Kevin. Actually, I was too excited to be scared. Mother Nature has always thrilled me, and this was quite wonderful (especially since I knew I nailed a few). I especially like #1 because there is more to the shot than just the lightning. Unfortuately, I missed the rainbow that was there just a few minutes earlier.

    Cheers,
    Chris

    A picture is but words to the eyes.
    Comments are always welcome.

    www.pbase.com/Higgmeister

  • HiggmeisterHiggmeister Registered Users Posts: 909 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2006
    AfterImage wrote:
    Awesome shots! I am jealous from tip to tail! clap.gif

    See, you were smarter than I on your lighning shots since you were in a shelter. The first ones were taken from my garage, but the last ones were shot from my back deck leaving me somewhat exposed (no window facing that direction). Nobody has ever accused me of being the brightest bulb in the pack and I do rely on dumb luck for many things, including these shots.

    Stay Safe,
    Chris

    A picture is but words to the eyes.
    Comments are always welcome.

    www.pbase.com/Higgmeister

  • HiggmeisterHiggmeister Registered Users Posts: 909 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2006
    Charla wrote:
    Congratulations on a very successful first attempt!!! The third shot is amazing, I would have been running for cover on that one. I imagine the thunder was deafening.

    Great shots thumb.gif
    Charla
    Hi Carla,
    I was under the only shelter I had (roof overhang) without being totally inside. I would have been there even if I wasn't shooting; I just can't help myself with lighning. It's probably a good thing that we don't get these very often as I probably wouldn't be around today. The shot below actually made me jump. The camera jpg was totally blown out and I salvaged what I could in RAW.

    Thanks for the comment,
    Chris

    63893628.jpg
    4s f/5.6 at 18.0mm iso400

    A picture is but words to the eyes.
    Comments are always welcome.

    www.pbase.com/Higgmeister

  • HiggmeisterHiggmeister Registered Users Posts: 909 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2006
    photodoug wrote:
    proof: Reno is so close to Hell you can see Sparks

    rolleyes1.gifroflrolleyes1.gif

    I've been saying this for years, now I have proof. #1 us actually striking in Sparks (no pun intended).

    I'm glad someone else knows this:D.

    Cheers,
    Chris

    A picture is but words to the eyes.
    Comments are always welcome.

    www.pbase.com/Higgmeister

  • SystemSystem Registered Users Posts: 8,186 moderator
    edited July 23, 2006
    You could easily layer in the properly exposed earth's with the darkened skies on those pics since the horizon is so cleanly seperated with the mountians. Might be worth a try.

    Spectacular captures of the lightning. Very cool stuff.
  • SkippySkippy Registered Users Posts: 12,075 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2006
    Higgmeister wrote:
    Hi All,

    Well, it was over Reno, but from where I was, I didn't get any Reno shots. This was probably the worst/best electrical storm I've seen here since 1989 and thought I'd share a few pics. My first chance for shooting lighting and figure it'll be a long time before I get to again:cry.

    These are mostly full frame shots at 18mm with a 20D. I was being as safe as I could reasonably be and still see the awsome show.
    1/8s f/11.0 at 18.0mm iso100
    1/8s f/4.5 at 18.0mm iso100
    4s f/6.7 at 18.0mm iso100
    I feel very lucky to have gotten about a half dozen decent shots from this storm and able to post them the next day (still alive:):).

    The only real problem that I've run into is the chromatic aberation on the darker pictures. I shoot in RAW and still wasn't able to completely remove the CA. I'm still happy with the shots though.

    Thanks for looking,
    Chris

    Awwwwwwww gawwwwd check out that last one eek7.gif flippin heck!
    Brilliant......just brilliant clap.gif Skippy (Australia)
    .
    Skippy (Australia) - Moderator of "HOLY MACRO" and "OTHER COOL SHOTS"

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    :skippy Everyone has the right to be stupid, but some people just abuse the privilege :dgrin
  • Antonio CorreiaAntonio Correia Registered Users Posts: 6,241 Major grins
    edited July 23, 2006
    Higgmeister wrote:

    63893625.jpg
    4s f/6.7 at 18.0mm iso100
    Chris,
    This picture is very very nice.
    I like the contrast of colors...
    thumb.gif
    All the best ! ... António Correia - Facebook
  • tbcasstbcass Registered Users Posts: 9 Beginner grinner
    edited July 23, 2006
    Higgmeister wrote:
    Hi All,



    I feel very lucky to have gotten about a half dozen decent shots from this storm and able to post them the next day (still alive:):).

    The only real problem that I've run into is the chromatic aberation on the darker pictures. I shoot in RAW and still wasn't able to completely remove the CA. I'm still happy with the shots though.

    Thanks for looking,
    Chris

    Very good work. CA in photos of lightning is of no consequence.
  • pete wpete w Registered Users Posts: 386 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2006
    Great Shots chris
    I recently moved from Tennessee to Reno and was getting a little perturbed when there were no lightening storms to capture, this was a good dry lightening storm and you managed to capture it well. Congrats we should try to hook up sometime.
    Pete W
    Photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again.
    Henri Cartier Bresson
    www.pete-wraight.smugmug.com
  • kkartkkart Registered Users Posts: 137 Major grins
    edited July 29, 2006
    Wow, that first one you need to do a giant print of, that is just stunning! Those clouds and the drama and atmosphere.....I would die for a shot like that!
    "Capturing Colorado, one click at a time"
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  • LookBothWaysLookBothWays Registered Users Posts: 44 Big grins
    edited August 7, 2006
    Number 1 is especially beautiful. The clouds look like something in a classical oil painting, and the bolt! All the way from top to bottom! Congrats! thumb.gif
  • mushymushy Registered Users Posts: 643 Major grins
    edited August 8, 2006
    eek7.gifeek7.gifeek7.gif those shots are awesome, I have been hanging out for a good electrical storm here for months, am very jealous of the opportunity you had. Glad to see you didn't waste it thumb.gifthumb.gif
    May I take your picture?
  • SteveFSteveF Registered Users Posts: 466 Major grins
    edited August 8, 2006
    Boy I like the look of these. Been waiting for such a storm this summer in Mn but it jsut hasn't happened.
    Steve
    www.finesart.com
  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
    edited August 8, 2006
    I'm a little late to this party, but I just have to say :jawdrop

    Wow.

    Regards,
    My Pics
  • wxwaxwxwax Registered Users Posts: 15,471 Major grins
    edited August 8, 2006
    The first one really does it for me.

    Being able to see a bright point of origin in the clouds, to see the bolt against a backdrop of clouds, the landscape, the fact that there's still light in the sky, being able to guage the scale of the thing... they all combine to make it a knockout photo.

    I realize that multiple bolts/forks are awesome. But the purity of the single bolt, perfectly captured, really wows me.

    thumb.gif
    Sid.
    Catapultam habeo. Nisi pecuniam omnem mihi dabis, ad caput tuum saxum immane mittam
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  • BaldyBaldy Registered Users, Super Moderators Posts: 2,853 moderator
    edited August 8, 2006
    Spectacular!!
    My Smug Mug
  • ehughesehughes Registered Users Posts: 1,675 Major grins
    edited August 8, 2006
    Awesome Shotsthumb.gif
    Ed

    www.edhughesphoto.com
  • grimacegrimace Registered Users Posts: 1,537 Major grins
    edited August 8, 2006
    SteveF wrote:
    Boy I like the look of these. Been waiting for such a storm this summer in Mn but it jsut hasn't happened.

    You and me both!!

    BTW, great shots!! clap.gifclap.gifclap.gif
    -Adam
    www.adamstravelphotography.com

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  • ForeheadForehead Registered Users Posts: 679 Major grins
    edited August 9, 2006
    Another re-entry, then, for comparison's sake:
    Steve-o
  • ForeheadForehead Registered Users Posts: 679 Major grins
    edited August 9, 2006
    :D
    Forehead wrote:
    WHOA!!! And I thought MY lightning shots were (as) good (as I could get using a higher-end point-and-shoot).thumb.gifthumb.gifthumb.gif

    As I'm very heavily researching various DSLRs for my next camera choice, I'm very interested in how the quality of shots such as this compares to what I have right now.

    A re-entry, then, for comparison's sake:
    Steve-o
  • DalantechDalantech Registered Users Posts: 1,519 Major grins
    edited August 9, 2006
    The two shots in the first post just own me -well done!!

    I've wanted to take lightning shots as well. Did you use something to trigger the camera, or did you just take a lot of frames and managed to get the timing right?
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  • Bill KBill K Registered Users Posts: 33 Big grins
    edited August 10, 2006
    photodoug wrote:
    proof: Reno is so close to Hell you can see Sparks
    That one is as old as the Grand Canyon, But then again it is still a good crack.
    Nikon D70, 24-120 VR, 70-200VR, 80-400VR, 50mm1.8, TC1.4 and TC1.7. Wide, I don't need no stinking wide, I have feet.
  • Bill KBill K Registered Users Posts: 33 Big grins
    edited August 10, 2006
    Higgmeister wrote:
    Hi All,

    Well, it was over Reno, but from where I was, I didn't get any Reno shots. This was probably the worst/best electrical storm I've seen here since 1989 and thought I'd share a few pics. My first chance for shooting lighting and figure it'll be a long time before I get to again:cry.

    These are mostly full frame shots at 18mm with a 20D. I was being as safe as I could reasonably be and still see the awsome show.

    63893623.jpg
    1/8s f/11.0 at 18.0mm iso100

    63893624.jpg
    1/8s f/4.5 at 18.0mm iso100

    63893625.jpg
    4s f/6.7 at 18.0mm iso100

    I feel very lucky to have gotten about a half dozen decent shots from this storm and able to post them the next day (still alive:):).

    The only real problem that I've run into is the chromatic aberation on the darker pictures. I shoot in RAW and still wasn't able to completely remove the CA. I'm still happy with the shots though.

    Thanks for looking,
    Chris

    Great shots Chris..
    I have been in Reno sense 1965 and have never seen what we saw a few weeks ago, It was something...
    Great job on your shots.
    Bill from Reno...lol
    Nikon D70, 24-120 VR, 70-200VR, 80-400VR, 50mm1.8, TC1.4 and TC1.7. Wide, I don't need no stinking wide, I have feet.
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