Taking pictures of lightning is hard

silversx80silversx80 Registered Users Posts: 604 Major grins
edited July 11, 2008 in Other Cool Shots
I only got two good ones out of about 50 tries.

Here they are, C&C welcome.

2654542022_84ac9b1414_o.jpg

2653716683_5908b34149_b.jpg
- Joe
http://silversx80.smugmug.com/
Olympus E-M5, 12-50mm, 45mm f/1.8
Some legacy OM lenses and an OM-10

Comments

  • InsuredDisasterInsuredDisaster Registered Users Posts: 1,132 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2008
    silversx80 wrote:
    I only got two good ones out of about 50 tries.

    Here they are, C&C welcome.



    Nice bolts, but I'm curious if including more of the ground could make things better? I find little perspective to know just how big the bolt is.
    My blog
  • silversx80silversx80 Registered Users Posts: 604 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2008
    InsuredDisaster wrote:
    Nice bolts, but I'm curious if including more of the ground could make things better? I find little perspective to know just how big the bolt is.

    Sure! I'll post up the originals, unedited when I get the chance.
    - Joe
    http://silversx80.smugmug.com/
    Olympus E-M5, 12-50mm, 45mm f/1.8
    Some legacy OM lenses and an OM-10
  • DI-JoeDI-Joe Registered Users Posts: 368 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2008
    It is just a matter of chance. I usually connect my laptop to my 5D and let it keep taking 2 second exposures consecutively. That's how I gleaned my last lightning pic:

    309256535_jhrgo-S-1.jpg

    Takes a lot more than 50 shots to get "the one" :) Keep up the good work, zoom out a little too, and like the others said, some reference point to make the lightning more "real" helps as well whether it be the ground or a structure such as in my pic.
    Modus Imagery
    Moving away from photography and into cinema. PM me if you have questions about DSLR workflow or production questions.
    Film Reel: http://vimeo.com/19955876
  • thebigskythebigsky Registered Users Posts: 1,052 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2008
    I haven't tried this for a long time, in fact it was with a Minolta Film SLR, but I remember timing the bolts roughly and then a few seconds before I thought the next one might be due holding the shutter open on bulb and releasing it as soon as the lightning struck.

    It worked a treat but I may have been more luck than judgement.

    Charlie
    Landscape & Flower Photography
  • silversx80silversx80 Registered Users Posts: 604 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2008
    DI-Joe wrote:
    It is just a matter of chance. I usually connect my laptop to my 5D and let it keep taking 2 second exposures consecutively. That's how I gleaned my last lightning pic:

    Takes a lot more than 50 shots to get "the one" :) Keep up the good work, zoom out a little too, and like the others said, some reference point to make the lightning more "real" helps as well whether it be the ground or a structure such as in my pic.

    Thanks for the tip, I'll have to hook my Oly 410 to the laptop next time.

    The shots are cropped pretty good; I took them from my apartment complex and didn't like some of the foreground. I'll play around a bit when I get home to find a better crop.
    - Joe
    http://silversx80.smugmug.com/
    Olympus E-M5, 12-50mm, 45mm f/1.8
    Some legacy OM lenses and an OM-10
  • jbswearjbswear Registered Users Posts: 167 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2008
    wave.gif

    Hi, Silver!
    Semper fi,
    Brad
    www.facebook.com/SwearingenTurnings -- Hand made pens by yours truly
  • silversx80silversx80 Registered Users Posts: 604 Major grins
    edited July 11, 2008
    Hi jb wave.gif

    Are you stalking me?

    :hide
    - Joe
    http://silversx80.smugmug.com/
    Olympus E-M5, 12-50mm, 45mm f/1.8
    Some legacy OM lenses and an OM-10
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