Stormy Weather

Wow tonight, I noticed that that the sky was turning a really really deep orangish red color, and ran to get my camera. While I was looking at it, i saw some lightening. We turned on the weather and saw a storm was approaching. I stood out on the front porch and waited for some lightening.

I got a great streak. Now anyone who knows, its very very difficult to photograph lightening.

In fact, the best way to do it is like I did in college.

To get a tripod. Set your camera onto a tripod. Set the ISO very low, like 100, and then stop down your aperture to like 22 or smaller, Then set the shutter speed very slow like 2, 4, 8 seconds.

Or even bracket to as long as 1 minute, and wait. and wait and wait.

But I didn't want to do that tonight. So i just waited to see lightening and then very quickly depressed the shutter! (I do have a fast finger if I do say so myself!) Its almost impossible to do it, but I maneged to get about 3 good shots this way! I finally went inside, because it is very dangerous to do this and shot some through the glass window of my studio window that faces west.

Then I decided that I was bored and to get back the movie were watching "TRUE LIES" with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis! So i went back and sat down and no sooner had I set down, did a huge lightening hit right near our home and all our power went out! It was only out for about 5 minutes. I was kicking myself that I wasn't still shooting out the window to get that one, because it was close by and it was a doozie! (I should of had more patience I guess.)

So here's a few. If you follow the steps I outlined above you too can get some lightening shots. They are a lot of fun! I got a great shot in Lubbock TX once at about 3 am, of lightening behind a Bank. I actually sold them a copy of it and it was hanging in their lobby for many years.

Now we've got the windows open and enjoying the smell of the fresh fallen rain. I just love the smell of rain, don't you?