Thank you.
I have just checked and you wouldn't have had the upload/attach button yesterday. All users will have that now.

Here is the way I do lightning photo`s using a DSLR camera at night.

Firstly a sturdy Tripod & a Cable Release or Remote Trigger will be needed.

Set the camera to Bulb.
Set the F stop at between f9 to f22, this will give a good depth of field for strikes that are close or in the distance.
Set the ISO to 100. Lower ISO`s will reduce the amount of "noise" in the image
Find a light in the distance to focus on or set the focus to Infinity.

Once the camera is set, press the release or trigger. Count to 30 & release. Keep repeating to get the shot.

Sometimes there can be several strikes in 30 seconds. One thing to keep in mind is that this can cause over exposure, making the final image to bright. With a bit of practice you will soon get a feel as to when to end the exposure. If you would like multible strikes in one shot, increase the exposure time & use a higher f stop.

I have never had much luck shooting during the day but a friend uses a "Lightning Trigger" & has had some good results.

https://shop.iceinspace..../dslr-lightning-trigger/

Some Smartphones can take long exposures, so combined with a tripod & a Bluetooth remote it might be worth trying.

There are no set rules & it might take a bit of trial & error to get the results.





Remember that lightning can kill so take care when out shooting.

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I am pretty much on the same page as Ambient with the way I take them as well.

The real important thing is to make sure you have a trigger whether it is cable or auto. If you have to manually press the camera to get a shot you will get noise or vibration through the camera and onto the shot. It is almost the most vital part of a good shot.

Some shots I have taken, I have had the lense open for 90+ seconds which is not good as it can burn the sensor out and that costs a fair bit to replace. Sometimes you can end up taking 50 to 100shots just to get the right one depending on the storm. If you have a rapid fire storm you chances are better.

Another important point is moisture from the storm. Sometimes the wind will blow rain onto your equipment and once again, prolonged exposure will ruin the camera.



Not sure in the quality as I am ising my phone to upload and it is not the direct link.

Edited by user Sunday, 1 September 2019 7:02:29 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

Even for night time lightning shots I tend to try and keep the exposure time down to a maximum of say 10 seconds, much less if at all possible. This minimizes cloud motion softening the features of the clouds and also light trails etc from passing cars and what not, it also helps keep the sensor cooler and thus minimizes noise in the image.

Below image for instance is at F-11 for 10 seconds.


Vibrant by Orebound Images, on Flickr

F-8 4 second exposure at ISO 100


Magic Hour by Orebound Images, on Flickr

F-13 for 2 seconds ISO 50


Kaboom by Orebound Images, on Flickr

For daytime bolts I'm a bit of a shutter abuser as I'm not really a fan of using lightning triggers as they tend to often miss a lot of the detail in bolts. I generally use a 10 stop ND filter to allow for longer exposures and just lock the shutter open.

Below shot for instance was shot at around 2 pm in bright daylight. Settings were F-16 exposure time 0.5 seconds.


A touch too close! by Orebound Images, on Flickr

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Amazing images Orebound.

They are some spectacular bolts there guys.

Don't be afraid to up the ISO if the storm is some distance away.

This storm was some 200ks out to sea from memory.
Exposure 15 seconds, F4 and ISO 500. Focal length 105mm and the pic has been cropped significantly.
Untitled1 by Eddy Groot, on Flickr

What amazing images Orebond. I love the ones where there is a main focal area in the foreground that looks all serene and then in the back ground there is a bl**dy big bolt of lighting!

Thanks Eddy.

Thankfully living in northern Australia makes it pretty easy to find some bolts throughout the wet season. We track around between Darwin and the west Kimberley fairly regularly throughout the season so storms aren't that hard to find. I do find myself getting pretty lazy these days as far as waiting up for the later overnight stuff though

Awesome shot Eddy, lovely and sharp!

Here's a few more random bolts from around the Top End...

F 5.6 8 seconds ISO 200


Who Let the Dogs Out by Orebound Images, on Flickr

F 8.0 6 seconds ISO 500


Bam!!! by Orebound Images, on Flickr

F 13 10 seconds ISO 200


Stormy Nights by Orebound Images, on Flickr

F 5.6 10 seconds ISO 200


Pine Creek Staccato by Orebound Images, on Flickr

F 11 3 seconds ISO 50


Sunset Staccato by Orebound Images, on Flickr

Enjoy

Edited by user Sunday, 15 September 2019 11:25:09 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified