Taking lightning photographs are actually surprisingly very very easy!For such kind of photographs (I accidentally,on the way took this one) you almost don’t need any pro equipment at all.
Get in and read my easy and simple tips on how make that simple diy photography of stormy lightning.
First of all I have a disclaimer : this photo was take hand held in my back yard,while I’m in my house, so it looks OK, but if you want to make much better pictures, follow those tips.
General tips for shooting great lightning photographs:
- Camera – really any digital camera with manual exposure could take great printable lightning photographs, ANY CAMERA.
- Wider is better – As many aspects pf landscape photography most of lightnings photographs you see online where made with a wide angle lens, go as wide as you can!
- Tripod – As you’ll read next you are about to take long exposures, in that case you’ll have to put your camera on a good tripod. Although I took the picture above hand held, it will be much better if you use a tripod!
- Exposure (part I) – You should aim for long exposures as possible. A long exposure will be anything over 5 second, above 5 seconds you’ll be able to take those photographs.In fact you’ll better aim for more than that.Taking a 20 seconds exposure will let you put in one frame more that one lightning stroke and if you go for a minute of more you’ll be able to record an entire storm.You’ll have to remember that the longer your exposure will be , the better your chances to get more lightnings into your frame! You could do it with shorter times, but 5 seconds will be a minimum time.
- Exposure (part I) – if you are shooting in the dark you could go for something about f/11. If there is some daylight for will have to go even more to f/18-22. As you want less ambient light in your frame (In case you want your photo to be dark ).
- Guess – If you know there is going to be a happy stormy evening, take a look at the sky before you start to take those pictures. Have a good idea where the storm is going to come from, before you lock your camera and tripod.
- Location – If you know the weather and have some time, plan your location somewhere open and out of the city if you want to get a clean frame. If you want your frame to be with some urban touches, you could find a location where your frame will contain some urban touch.
- Safety – You know , there is that thing about lightning 100000000000000000000000volts punch. Read some instructions about safety before you run out to catch them.
- Staying dry – If you decide to shoot outside, think about somewhere dry and safe of rain. You wouldn’t want your new Canon 5DMKII to get wet so early…
Have fun, When you’ll get your first lightning recorded in a frame its such a joy!!!after the first one start you work on improvements .
If you are interested in weather photography you might want to check that site for more tips and stuss
