How to Photograph Lightning
It is almost impossible to catch the moment when the lightning strikes. That is why let us set a trap for it and it is sure to walk straight into it.
What equipment do we need for photographing lightning? We will need:
- a camera which allows us to set manually shutter speed and aperture
- a tripod (read Tripod: 20 arguments for)
- and a remote control.
What for do we need a remote control? Even if we use a tripod we still will not avoid camera shake without using a remote control, because your camera will vibrate at the moment you press the shutter button. When you shoot at a fast shutter speed, this vibration do not influence the final image, but when you choose long exposure time, objects on the photo – houses, trees, etc – will look blurred.
If we use a remote control, we do not touch a camera, which prevents from appearing camera shake effect. If you do not have a remote control, you can make use of self-timer – though it is not very convenient, as it takes more time to take each shot.
When you see the first lightning flashes in the sky, set the maximum auto shutter speed (it is usually 15 or 30 sec), set aperture at f14-18 (actually, aperture settings may differ depending on the situation, so you will have to experiment before you find the best setting), put your camera on a tripod and focus on that part of the sky, where you saw lightning flashes. Make sure that your camera is safe from rain drops.
When all the arrangements are made, you can start continuous shooting of that part of the sky, where lightning appears from time to time. Keep on photographing and you are sure to get a few great images of lightning.
That is the way how the photos you see in this post were taken. This technique is good for great night and dusk images, when you can use a long shutter speed. If you want to take photos of lightning in the daytime, you will have to use filters to get the same effect.
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