How to set my camera up for a lightning storm?

Rayn

Rayn

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Hey there. I'm sure this has been asked on here numerous times before, but I did a search and couldn't find a thread on it, so sorry if I'm blind.

It's the middle of summer, and this means that there'll be a lot of lightning storms around my area soon. From the end of july through august, it's not uncommon to have at least two electric storms per week.

With my new camera at the ready, I'm now wondering what settings I should apply to my camera to have any hope of catching lightning pictures.

I haven't done any long exposure pics in the past, so I was wondering how long I should set the exposure for? I'm totally green on the subject matter, and would be greatful for a few pointers. I live by the sea, so I'll have a great view of the action when the storms start, I just want the camera to be with me as well.
 
Basically, you want to open the shutter and wait for the strike. Then close the shutter. The right aperture will depend on the ISO, amount/duration of the strike and the distance.

Given that you need the camera supported, care and attention to your own saftey is a good idea. ;)
 
The first thing i would do is make sure that any VR/IS is turned off then i would make sure noise reduction is turned off ( your camera will be messing around with the image you have just taken when you want the shutter open for your next shot) put the camera on a tripod, shoot raw, manual focus on infinity. If you are shooting into pitch black then f11ish ( others may have a better idea for apeture ) bulb+ cable release low iso. Guess where it's going to strike then open the shutter & pray.

If it's really kicking off & you think you may have one in the bag perhaps keep the shutter open as you may get another on top.

I think i may have a couple in my gallery if you're interested.

P.S two a week?...... i'm jealous :'( Good luck :thumbs:
 
dazzajl said:
Basically, you want to open the shutter and wait for the strike. Then close the shutter. The right aperture will depend on the ISO, amount/duration of the strike and the distance.

Given that you need the camera supported, care and attention to your own saftey is a good idea. ;)
Click to expand...

Should be ok most of the time as the best shots will probably be of lightning in the distance, when it's close you normally get rain as well and I'm not leaving my camera out in that. :p
 
I would put the camera on a tripod, any image stabilisation off, lowest ISO, set the camera to manual and set the exposure for 30 seconds with whatever aperture gives a good exposure, depending if there is anything in the foreground.

A remote control would be nice, though you could use the timer if not using Bulb mode.

Focus about a third to half way into the scene with a small aperture if there is something in the foreground. There are hyperfocal calculators online if you want to get the perfect depth of field. ;) If you know where you're going to take pictures before hand, you can practise.

Some people advise using the Bulb setting, but with very long exposures there is the possibility of noise and the sensor warming up (particularly with older cameras) and degrading the images.

Practise getting views in different directions so you are ready for whichever direction the lightning will be. ;)
 
Safety cannot be over emphasised, its paramount.

Make damn sure you are not one of the tallest things in your area so tops of treeless hills and the tops of tall buildings are not sensible places to go.

Don't assume as a storm seems miles away that you are safe, I have had the living poo scared out of me by close strikes from what I thought where distant storms including one that not only knocked me clean off my feet but also stopped my heart for a second or two.

Get a strike alert lightning detector, it can help judge distances better than you can.

Make sure you are close to your car, its the safest place should things get hairy.

If things do get hairy forget the camera and tripod, they can be replaced, personal safety first every time.

If you feel your hair stand on end, crouch down with your hands on your head and your legs slightly apart IMMEDIATELY, this stance will give you a slight chance should you be hit.
hair or body hair standing on end is a sign that a positive charge is flowing upwards through you, in other words your putting up a leader and a strike is imminent.

Now we have that out of the way.

A good solid tripod, wooden ones are a good bet for this kind of work.
A cable or electronic release.

Suitable lens, prime lenses are better than zooms as the many elements in a zoom can introduce artefacts due to internal reflections of what is a very bright and intense light.
Focal length is for you to decide but 28mm and 50mm would be in my bag.
A lens hood is pretty much essential for this work as well.

A piece of flat black card, you can even cover it in black felt if you wish, if you want something longer lasting use plasticard found at model shops.

Pre focus your lens, set your chosen aperture and ISO (B stop mode/manual focusing)
Hold the card over the lens hood to block the light and open the shutter, remove the card, when you see the lightning release the shutter button so it closes.

Thats the basics.

I would also suggest learning something about thunderstorms, and maybe use a laptop to check the radar to see where storms are forming/likely to form, which way they are travelling and how fast, its very easy to get caught out by one.
 
iancandler said:
Safety cannot be over emphasised, its paramount.

Make damn sure you are not one of the tallest things in your area so tops of treeless hills and the tops of tall buildings are not sensible places to go.

Don't assume as a storm seems miles away that you are safe, I have had the living poo scared out of me by close strikes from what I thought where distant storms including one that not only knocked me clean off my feet but also stopped my heart for a second or two.

Get a strike alert lightning detector, it can help judge distances better than you can.

Make sure you are close to your car, its the safest place should things get hairy.

If things do get hairy forget the camera and tripod, they can be replaced, personal safety first every time.

If you feel your hair stand on end, crouch down with your hands on your head and your legs slightly apart IMMEDIATELY, this stance will give you a slight chance should you be hit.
hair or body hair standing on end is a sign that a positive charge is flowing upwards through you, in other words your putting up a leader and a strike is imminent.

Now we have that out of the way.

A good solid tripod, wooden ones are a good bet for this kind of work.
A cable or electronic release.

Suitable lens, prime lenses are better than zooms as the many elements in a zoom can introduce artefacts due to internal reflections of what is a very bright and intense light.
Focal length is for you to decide but 28mm and 50mm would be in my bag.
A lens hood is pretty much essential for this work as well.

A piece of flat black card, you can even cover it in black felt if you wish, if you want something longer lasting use plasticard found at model shops.

Pre focus your lens, set your chosen aperture and ISO (B stop mode/manual focusing)
Hold the card over the lens hood to block the light and open the shutter, remove the card, when you see the lightning release the shutter button so it closes.

Thats the basics.

I would also suggest learning something about thunderstorms, and maybe use a laptop to check the radar to see where storms are forming/likely to form, which way they are travelling and how fast, its very easy to get caught out by one.
Click to expand...

Wow, amazing post :clap:
 
iancandler said:
Safety cannot be over emphasised, its paramount.

Make damn sure you are not one of the tallest things in your area so tops of treeless hills and the tops of tall buildings are not sensible places to go.

Don't assume as a storm seems miles away that you are safe, I have had the living poo scared out of me by close strikes from what I thought where distant storms including one that not only knocked me clean off my feet but also stopped my heart for a second or two.

Get a strike alert lightning detector, it can help judge distances better than you can.

Make sure you are close to your car, its the safest place should things get hairy.

If things do get hairy forget the camera and tripod, they can be replaced, personal safety first every time.

If you feel your hair stand on end, crouch down with your hands on your head and your legs slightly apart IMMEDIATELY, this stance will give you a slight chance should you be hit.
hair or body hair standing on end is a sign that a positive charge is flowing upwards through you, in other words your putting up a leader and a strike is imminent.

Now we have that out of the way.

A good solid tripod, wooden ones are a good bet for this kind of work.
A cable or electronic release.

Suitable lens, prime lenses are better than zooms as the many elements in a zoom can introduce artefacts due to internal reflections of what is a very bright and intense light.
Focal length is for you to decide but 28mm and 50mm would be in my bag.
A lens hood is pretty much essential for this work as well.

A piece of flat black card, you can even cover it in black felt if you wish, if you want something longer lasting use plasticard found at model shops.

Pre focus your lens, set your chosen aperture and ISO (B stop mode/manual focusing)
Hold the card over the lens hood to block the light and open the shutter, remove the card, when you see the lightning release the shutter button so it closes.
Thats the basics.

I would also suggest learning something about thunderstorms, and maybe use a laptop to check the radar to see where storms are forming/likely to form, which way they are travelling and how fast, its very easy to get caught out by one.
Click to expand...

Hi Ian, i think i may be reading this wrong but could you explain what the card is for. I'm reading it as shutter closed, place card, open shutter,remove card,lightning strike,close shutter. Is there any need for the card?

Cheers,
Chris.
 
"If you feel your hair stand on end, crouch down with your hands on your head and your legs slightly apart IMMEDIATELY, this stance will give you a slight chance should you be hit.
hair or body hair standing on end is a sign that a positive charge is flowing upwards through you, in other words your putting up a leader and a strike is imminent."


This happened to my 8 year old daughter about three years ago coming down the Band in the Langdales, Lake District, her long hair stood up, frightened the hell out of me as I knew what was happening, there were active thunderstorms at the time, although none had been forecast, only a nice day!!, luckly she didn't get struck, I don't ever want to see that again :gag:
 
You don't need the card but it helps with:
- reducing camera shake due to mirror/shutter release, if you lock up your mirror then this shouldn't really be a problem
- getting multiple lightning strikes on a single frame, just cover up the lens between strikes
- not wasting a shot (not a big deal on digital eheh) as you can cover up the lens if there's no strike.

You have to have the card/shutter open before the strike.. so it's trial and error all the way :) Even though the flash stays on your retina for a while, that's just a residual effect and the actual light source is long gone - afaik the lightning duration is in the microseconds range.
 
Just a couple of tiny things to add, lightening goes up aswell as down, triggering a step leader is possible, this is a very fine part of lightening that is the link to a lager heavier charged bolt..

if you can hear thunder you can be struck by it.. In some cases where storms are especially big and strong like the USA people can be enjoying a beer under blue skies and have been struck and killed by lightening! It is where the saying 'A bolt from the blue' comes from.
Been as close as hair standing on end and that was pretty scary... Would love to go storm chasing in the US though...

Don't take a shower or use a phone during a storm. Leave the TV aerial in the wall too as lightening can come though the wall socket and bounce round the room..!
 
Amp34 said:
http://wildaboutlife.net/wp/archives/137

:)
Click to expand...

corbystock said:
The first thing i would do is make sure that any VR/IS is turned off then i would make sure noise reduction is turned off ( your camera will be messing around with the image you have just taken when you want the shutter open for your next shot) put the camera on a tripod, shoot raw, manual focus on infinity. If you are shooting into pitch black then f11ish ( others may have a better idea for apeture ) bulb+ cable release low iso. Guess where it's going to strike then open the shutter & pray.

If it's really kicking off & you think you may have one in the bag perhaps keep the shutter open as you may get another on top.

I think i may have a couple in my gallery if you're interested.

P.S two a week?...... i'm jealous :'( Good luck :thumbs:
Click to expand...

redhed17 said:
I would put the camera on a tripod, any image stabilisation off, lowest ISO, set the camera to manual and set the exposure for 30 seconds with whatever aperture gives a good exposure, depending if there is anything in the foreground.

A remote control would be nice, though you could use the timer if not using Bulb mode.

Focus about a third to half way into the scene with a small aperture if there is something in the foreground. There are hyperfocal calculators online if you want to get the perfect depth of field. ;) If you know where you're going to take pictures before hand, you can practise.

Some people advise using the Bulb setting, but with very long exposures there is the possibility of noise and the sensor warming up (particularly with older cameras) and degrading the images.

Practise getting views in different directions so you are ready for whichever direction the lightning will be. ;)
Click to expand...

iancandler said:
Safety cannot be over emphasised, its paramount.

Make damn sure you are not one of the tallest things in your area so tops of treeless hills and the tops of tall buildings are not sensible places to go.

Don't assume as a storm seems miles away that you are safe, I have had the living poo scared out of me by close strikes from what I thought where distant storms including one that not only knocked me clean off my feet but also stopped my heart for a second or two.

Get a strike alert lightning detector, it can help judge distances better than you can.

Make sure you are close to your car, its the safest place should things get hairy.

If things do get hairy forget the camera and tripod, they can be replaced, personal safety first every time.

If you feel your hair stand on end, crouch down with your hands on your head and your legs slightly apart IMMEDIATELY, this stance will give you a slight chance should you be hit.
hair or body hair standing on end is a sign that a positive charge is flowing upwards through you, in other words your putting up a leader and a strike is imminent.

Now we have that out of the way.

A good solid tripod, wooden ones are a good bet for this kind of work.
A cable or electronic release.

Suitable lens, prime lenses are better than zooms as the many elements in a zoom can introduce artefacts due to internal reflections of what is a very bright and intense light.
Focal length is for you to decide but 28mm and 50mm would be in my bag.
A lens hood is pretty much essential for this work as well.

A piece of flat black card, you can even cover it in black felt if you wish, if you want something longer lasting use plasticard found at model shops.

Pre focus your lens, set your chosen aperture and ISO (B stop mode/manual focusing)
Hold the card over the lens hood to block the light and open the shutter, remove the card, when you see the lightning release the shutter button so it closes.

Thats the basics.

I would also suggest learning something about thunderstorms, and maybe use a laptop to check the radar to see where storms are forming/likely to form, which way they are travelling and how fast, its very easy to get caught out by one.
Click to expand...


Thanks for all the brilliant feedback, guys, much appreciated. I've got the camera and glass ready.

On tripods, I must admit I can't remember to have seen wooden ones for sale in the camera stores I've been to, are these common? Where to buy? What about electronic release buttons? What are these, and where can I get one for my 550D?
 
Berlebach - Good but expensive and of course a bit heavier than a carbon jobbie :)
 
ND 10 stop for daytime, and then you can do 30s + exposures, and reduce the brightness of the bolt / collect more bolts. I haven't got any examples, cos we don't get much lighting at all here. ISO 100, f/16, sharp lens and tripod will help.
 
Kevin H said:
"If you feel your hair stand on end, crouch down with your hands on your head and your legs slightly apart IMMEDIATELY, this stance will give you a slight chance should you be hit.
hair or body hair standing on end is a sign that a positive charge is flowing upwards through you, in other words your putting up a leader and a strike is imminent."
Click to expand...

This happened me on a golf course years ago. Seconds later the club I was leaning on (with a metal shaft) was thrown about 30 yards away as lightning struck the ground about 100 yards away. I was left with a dark mark on the palm of my hand although I wasn't hurt.

This was taken with a 5/4 left on the window sill at f22 with shutter left open until the lightning appeared.

lightningb.jpg
 
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