Photo's Of Lightning

I am a fairly decent photographer and just do it for a hobby, but one
thing I have not figured out is capturing lightning. I have a Kodak
EasyShare Z730 if that will help.

"Sioux" wrote in message
ps.com...
I am a fairly decent photographer and just do it for a hobby, but one
thing I have not figured out is capturing lightning. I have a Kodak
EasyShare Z730 if that will help.


First, be advised that being outside during a lightning storm can be fairly
dangerous. Try to avoid being the tallest object around, or being near the
tallest object.

That said, the easiest way to photograph lightning is probably to go
somewhere where there is little if any light from streetlights, cars, etc.
Put the camera on a tripod, open the shutter, and wait for a lightning hit.

Getting one of those spectacular lightning photos like you see in National
Geographic or the photo books requires a lot of patience and a bit of luck!

Ken Hart

Sioux wrote:

I am a fairly decent photographer and just do it for a hobby, but one
thing I have not figured out is capturing lightning. I have a Kodak
EasyShare Z730 if that will help.

There seem to be two major techniques used--long exposures at night or a
lightning trigger in daylight.

You might find http://www.uscoles.com/howtolightn.htm to be of interest.

There is a commercial lightning trigger available from
http://www.lightningtrigger.com/ and information on making one at
http://www.solorb.com/elect/lightning/.

Not sure if there is any way to use a lightning trigger with your camera
other than by cobbling up a solenoid-actuated release that pushes the
button. According to the specs I could find it has a 64-second time
exposure capability so night shots would I think be your best bet.

--
--John
to email, dial "usenet" and validate
(was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)

Sioux wrote:

I am a fairly decent photographer and just do it for a hobby, but one
thing I have not figured out is capturing lightning. I have a Kodak
EasyShare Z730 if that will help.

The camera has a 64 sec max exposure - good enough!

Here's a recent discussion, with links and whatnot...
http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/inde...showtopic=6689

Sometimes you get lucky and "something wonderful" happens.
http://www.shutterpoint.com/Photos-V....cfm?id=299989

Here are some very nice pics that were entered in a contest:
http://www.stormchasers.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=507
http://www.stormchasers.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=508
http://www.stormchasers.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=509
http://www.stormchasers.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=510
http://www.stormchasers.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=511

Or, to blow my own horn (Sry!)
http://members.cox.net/geonerd/image...storm_x966.jpg

Feel free to sign on with Stormchasers.org or Stormtrack.org
Another good source of info at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Lightning/

-Greg

Sioux wrote:
I am a fairly decent photographer and just do it for a hobby, but one
thing I have not figured out is capturing lightning. I have a Kodak
EasyShare Z730 if that will help.

Cars offer good protection with their rubber tires - as do porches - do
you have a buddy with a pickup and a cap? Otherwise, set up a tripod in
the car and obviously use a cable release - 2 methods:

1. put your camera on "bulb" - the last setting on your manual setting
- have something to cover the lens - I've used black construction paper
glues to a popcycle stick - so keep the lens covered, open the shutter
- and wait for a blast - need to react quick and remove the lens
blocker as soon as you see a blast

2. do most of the above but don't block the lens - open the shutter and
wait - note that the longer you leave the film exposed, the greater the
chance of blled/overexposure from distant lights

that's it - it's a waiting game

Since this topic is one of potentially life-threatening consequences, I'd
like to correct a popular misconception. The protection afforded by being in
a car has little or nothing to do with rubber tires. The mass of the metal
frame of the auto conducts the electrical charge to and from ground,
by-passing the occupant. This often (maybe always?) blows the rubber tires.
Sitting in the bed of a pickup might very well be inviting a" hair-raising"
and fatal experience.

What are my qualifications for giving this advice? A few years ago I
interviewed three noted experts on lightning photography and lightning, one
of whom was a professor at the University of Arizona and Warren Faidley
famed "Storm Chaser". The article was published in Shutterbug's Outdoor and
Nature Photography.

I'd suggest anyone interested in lightnig photography run a quick Google
on-- "Lightning photography" safety--quotes included. One such site is
"http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_pls/letter_to_editor.html

A further caution about what may be found on the www--always consider the
qualifications of the source if information found there.

Good luck and be safe.

Norm Smith

Norm wrote:
I'd suggest anyone interested in lightnig photography run a quick Google
on-- "Lightning photography" safety--quotes included.

you mean like this:

"Rubber-soled shoes and rubber tires provide NO protection from
lightning. However, the steel frame of a hard-topped vehicle
provides increased protection if you are not touching metal. Although
you may be injured if lightning strikes your car, you are much safer
inside a vehicle than outside."

"A car, with its windows up, can protect you from lightning because the
lightning will follow the metal of the car to the ground. If the
windows are down, the lightning could jump into the car. A car's tires
do not insulate it from the ground as you sometimes hear. A lightning
bolt that's jumped through a couple of thousand feet of air - which is
a good insulator - isn't going to be slowed by a quarter inch of rubber
in a tire."

http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_...le_strike.html
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/outdoors.htm

see the NOAA above?

On 20-Jul-2006, "Jimbo" wrote:

you mean like this:

"Rubber-soled shoes and rubber tires provide NO protection from
lightning. However, the steel frame of a hard-topped vehicle
provides increased protection if you are not touching metal. Although
you may be injured if lightning strikes your car, you are much safer
inside a vehicle than outside."

"A car, with its windows up, can protect you from lightning because the
lightning will follow the metal of the car to the ground. If the
windows are down, the lightning could jump into the car. A car's tires
do not insulate it from the ground as you sometimes hear. A lightning
bolt that's jumped through a couple of thousand feet of air - which is
a good insulator - isn't going to be slowed by a quarter inch of rubber
in a tire."

http://www.lightningsafety.com/nlsi_...le_strike.html
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/outdoors.htm

see the NOAA above?

Yes, cars are safer but it is not because of rubber tires as you seemed to
imply when you said something about cars with their rubber tires. Sorry if I
misunderstood your message.

Norm wrote:
Yes, cars are safer but it is not because of rubber tires as you seemed to
imply when you said something about cars with their rubber tires. Sorry if I
misunderstood your message.

so I got the tires thing wrong - whatever

Norm wrote:

Since this topic is one of potentially life-threatening consequences, I'd
like to correct a popular misconception.
...

Good luck and be safe.

Norm Smith


Another point: The best vantage point is often some distance from the
storm. When you're in the main rain shaft, where most of the
cloud-to-ground lightning hits, your photographic options are limited.
(Although you may well get an awesome pic of the tree next door being
fried, the next bolt may fry YOU.) For better pictures, and a longer
projected lifetime, try to stay several miles away and photograph the
storm as it hovers over the scenery.

(Even then you're still not safe. Lightning can and will travel dozens
of miles across country to strike from a blue sky. Still, getting out
of the immediate area will vastly reduce the probability of being hit.)

-Greg