{"id":1525,"date":"2016-06-29T18:16:13","date_gmt":"2016-06-29T18:16:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.apogeephoto.com\/?p=1525"},"modified":"2016-11-17T15:44:30","modified_gmt":"2016-11-17T15:44:30","slug":"daytime-lightning-photography-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.apogeephoto.com\/daytime-lightning-photography-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Daytime Lightning Photography – Master This Subject"},"content":{"rendered":"

A guide on how to capture daytime lightning photography<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"daytime-lightning-photography\"<\/a>
Jerry Angelica Photography<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The sound of thunder is rolling in the distance. It\u2019s 2 o\u2019clock on a mid-summer afternoon and the monsoon storms are building. I look outside and the storm is alone in an otherwise clear sky about 10 miles distant with deep purplish clouds and a broad anvil flaring northward.<\/p>\n

Ground strokes are pounding frequently with impressive forks arcing earthward.<\/p>\n

\"Image49.jpg<\/p>\n

Ordinarily, I would just watch the storm pass by, wait till dark, and hope another storm would develop. Then, I could gather my camera, watch, and go photograph the lightning flashes against the black night sky.<\/p>\n

But, this time, I\u2019m going to photograph lightning in the middle of the day. No, I don\u2019t have a shutter finger faster than a western outlaw. And, no I\u2019m not taking a backpack full of film to shoot.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m using a Lightning Trigger<\/em> and the techniques for capturing lightning have changed. They are simple. First compose your shot, then set your exposure and let the Lightning Trigger<\/em> trip the shutter! No more bulb settings and timing the exposure.<\/p>\n

<\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

Why I Enjoy Daytime Lightning Photography<\/h3>\n

I\u2019m a landscape photographer by passion. Consequently, I have never been strongly drawn to photographing lightning in the dark.<\/p>\n

I require the inspiration and challenge of pursuing color filled scenics, and being able to combine them with nature\u2019s fastest phenomena is an exciting plus. I\u2019m almost jaded these days though, because it seems that the most spectacular landscapes have already been exquisitely captured.<\/p>\n

How many versions of Delicate Arch or Havasu Falls or Half Dome do you see published each year? I\u2019m not saying they\u2019re not beautiful, just that I, like most people need to feel the spark of creativity from my photography.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m in search of the right composition as I drive along a gravel road paralleling the storm. There\u2019s not a lot of time. Thunderstorms are dynamic. Their life cycle of cloud building, generating rain and lightning then dissipating can happen before you can find the right setting to take the photograph.<\/p>\n

Not only to mention that, but also lightning never strikes where you might predict; this brings to mind the safety aspect.<\/p>\n

Always photograph lightning from inside a vehicle or a house. You can shoot hand held or with a tripod from within a safe location. Never risk your safety for a photograph! There are several great sources for lightning safety tips that I always adhere to.<\/p>\n

The image I\u2019m searching for will provide a sense of place, non-intimidating, that will help complement the awesome spectacle of nature. Most often though, I\u2019ll find myself the balancing the quality of storm with the setting. Great shots, with or without lightning are difficult to come by.<\/p>\n

Lone, distant storms provide the best photo ops; embedded thunderstorms are very difficult to photograph. It may sound contrary, but if it\u2019s raining around you, you\u2019ll loose image quality. But, then again that\u2019s part of the creative aspect one pursues. I\u2019ve obtained some great shots of storms 20 miles distant. The Lightning Trigger<\/em> is very sensitive!<\/p>\n

Also, I\u2019ve found that chasing storms is just a figure of speech. Travelling at 30 miles per hour or more, they often dissipate before they are caught up with. My best results have come from serendipitous situations, just being in the right place. One of my favorite images was obtained after having spent four hours following a storm only to come back and find another one pounding a mountain near my home.<\/p>\n

\"Image50.jpg<\/p>\n

As all the elements congeal, it\u2019s time to set up and photograph. I\u2019ve found some green pasture against the purplish sky that will provide good contrast for the lightning. I usually set my aperture at f\/16 or higher to maximize the shutter time.<\/p>\n

A 1\/8 to \u00bc second exposure time is desirable to capture the full duration of the lightning flash. Flashes can last from 20 milliseconds to longer than a \u00bc second and be comprised of more than a dozen strokes. A polarizer or neutral density filter is often needed to achieve such a long exposure time.<\/p>\n

Depending on the camera I\u2019m using, I\u2019ll usually set the exposure to manual mode to minimize the shutter lag time and ensure that I capture as much of the flash as possible.<\/p>\n

After shooting several impressive flashes it\u2019s time to move on and find more compositions.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not unusual to shoot two rolls of film during a single storm.<\/p>\n

If the storm has a good ratio of ground strokes to sheet lightning then you\u2019ll obtain a lot of images with flashes. The Lightning Trigger<\/em> doesn\u2019t differentiate between the two types of flashes. Knowing whether there was an increasing or decreasing electric field will tell which form of lightning occurred.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, knowing that would be too late for taking a picture! My favorite films for shooting lightning are ISO 100 or slower. Transparency or print films work equally as well. I usually venture down to a discount store and buy the cheapest brand.<\/p>\n

\"Image51.jpg<\/p>\n

Light quality is always important to photography. One difference in daytime lightning photography is that you can find saturated colors at anytime.<\/p>\n

Generally the cooler tones are found during the mid-day storms. Early morning and PM storms have mixed warm and cool tones. So, you\u2019ve\u2019 got to be ready to go at anytime!<\/p>\n

If you like new challenges and want to expand your portfolio, then daytime lightning photography might be just the ticket you\u2019ve been waiting for!<\/p>\n

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention, the Lightning Trigger<\/em> does nighttime lightning too. It automatically adjusts to the ambient light level. The camera settings are the similar, f\/4 and \u00bc second.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By R. Franklin Davis<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A guide on how to capture daytime lightning photography. The sound of thunder is rolling in the distance. It\u2019s 2 o\u2019clock on a mid-summer afternoon and the monsoon storms are [read more]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1526,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[296],"yoast_head":"\nDaytime Lightning Photography - Master This Subject - Apogee Photo Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.apogeephoto.com\/daytime-lightning-photography-tips\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Daytime Lightning Photography - Master This Subject - Apogee Photo Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A guide on how to capture daytime lightning photography. The sound of thunder is rolling in the distance. 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