we got lightning! down south!

mrk · 26 Jul 2006 at 23:01

not a regular occurance so it's nice and fresh for us ¬_¬

This is another one just resized though

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 26 Jul 2006 at 23:14

cropped to perfection mate. Great colours used. I would have choosen something like had I been lucky enough to get lightning. I hope it leaves you fresh and relaxed from the heatwave

mrk · 26 Jul 2006 at 23:15

The heat is still here! I need to have 2-3 showers a day just to feel comfortable!

Oh and the flying ants :mad:

Boycie · 26 Jul 2006 at 23:21

How do you manage to catch lightning like that? I'm barely quick enough to catch a glimspe of it let alone take a photo. Great shot!

mrk · 26 Jul 2006 at 23:44

Just use mirror lockup and (if you have one) a cable release, leave shutter open for 20~ seconds at a time at about f8 to f11 in bulb mode using infitinity focus and capture away

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 27 Jul 2006 at 00:19

I know! I had a really cold bath the other day. I was in it for 30 mins it was that hot!

Agrees with you on the settings for lightning.

Flibster · 27 Jul 2006 at 00:28

Fantastic shot mate.

I've tried to take many hundred photo's of lightning. Only managed to get it once and it's not that good.
http://www.flibster.com/Images/lightning.jpg

Simon/~Flibster

mrk · 27 Jul 2006 at 06:40

That's not too bad! I was tempted to go down to the waterfront since it looked more active in that area but my dad shouted at me because apparently people got struck on the news by lightning ;_;

thelonecrouton · 27 Jul 2006 at 10:18

There was awesome lightning over Oxfordshire for nearly an hour last night. Sadly I'd left my camera in the car 50 yards away and it was ******* with rain... so no pics...

Prophet · 27 Jul 2006 at 10:19

mrk said:
Just use mirror lockup and (if you have one) a cable release, leave shutter open for 20~ seconds at a time at about f8 to f11 in bulb mode using infitinity focus and capture away

Can you explain 'mirror lockup' please? What does it do

Never thought about long exposure for lightning lol. I've always tried to catch it as it happens... What a n00b lol.

iGiDK · 27 Jul 2006 at 10:39

wow, inspiring shots

very nice indeed :cool:

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 27 Jul 2006 at 10:39

Mirror lock up is a feature in SLRs to move the mirror to the postion to allow the shutter to gain light. This requires shots to be taken with 2 clicks of the take button. The first will lock the mirror up (the viewfinder will no longer be useable when this has happened) and the 2nd will open the shutter exposing the sensor/film. Once the exposure is finished both shutter and mirror will return down.

Mister_Pister · 27 Jul 2006 at 11:41

Fstop11 said:
Mirror lock up is a feature in SLRs to move the mirror to the postion to allow the shutter to gain light. This requires shots to be taken with 2 clicks of the take button. The first will lock the mirror up (the viewfinder will no longer be useable when this has happened) and the 2nd will open the shutter exposing the sensor/film. Once the exposure is finished both shutter and mirror will return down.

Is this different to simply using a long shutter speed?

^^Gord^^ · 27 Jul 2006 at 11:42

I was up between 2am and 3am trying to shoot the lightening here. It was so intense I couldn't sleep anyhow. Wish I had thought of mirror lookup!

Gungnir · 27 Jul 2006 at 16:16

Gorseland behind my house caught fire this morning thanks to a lightning strike. Bit of a dilemna whether to photograph the blaze or save the house

Prophet · 27 Jul 2006 at 16:56

Fstop11 said:
Mirror lock up is a feature in SLRs to move the mirror to the postion to allow the shutter to gain light. This requires shots to be taken with 2 clicks of the take button. The first will lock the mirror up (the viewfinder will no longer be useable when this has happened) and the 2nd will open the shutter exposing the sensor/film. Once the exposure is finished both shutter and mirror will return down.

Please excuse my ignorane. Does this mean a more accurate/sharp picture due to the mirror not moving?

Johnny|lucidcomposure · 27 Jul 2006 at 17:31

Orange Peel said:
Please excuse my ignorane. Does this mean a more accurate/sharp picture due to the mirror not moving?

Well its one more step in reducing camera shake. I am starting to use it more often when I am shooting something that is in no rush to be photographed.

mrk · 27 Jul 2006 at 17:51

It's also a good alternative to using a cable release for those without one as you can set up MLU to on and use timer mode which locks the mirror for 2secs then takes the shot although not so good if you are using bulbe mode (so basically anything below 30sec is ok where bulb is not needed)

themask70 · 27 Jul 2006 at 18:16

Amazing shots, i never really manage to get any lightening shots though, ill have ago tonight (its quite stormy atm) with those settings mrk said about.

Nitefly · 27 Jul 2006 at 21:23

thelonecrouton said:
There was awesome lightning over Oxfordshire for nearly an hour last night. Sadly I'd left my camera in the car 50 yards away and it was ******* with rain... so no pics...

Yeah it was awesome! Haven't seen lightning like that since I went to Florida.