Getting closer can be dangerous, and makes it difficult to shoot the lightning effectively. After that it's a case of being patient and taking enough photos to give yourself a good chance that one or two will hit the mark. Press the release as soon as you see a bolt of lightning, and with a bit of luck you'll capture some of the secondary lightning strikes in your photo. In this mode, the shutter will stay open for as long as you've got your finger on the button/release. We won't share it with anyone10 Must-Use Bird Photography Camera Settings for Beginners12 Tips to Help You Capture Stunning Landscape PhotosOlympus Announces the OM-D E-M10 Mark IV, With 20 MP and an AF BoostTourBox Review: A Controller to Revolutionize Your Creative Workflow?Sony Announces the a7S III, With 4K/120p and a 9.44M-dot EVFNikon Announces the Full-Frame Z5 With a Sub-$1500 PriceBecome a Better Photo Editor with the New Lightroom Mobile 'Discover' FeatureIntroduction and Creative Uses for the Snapseed Double Exposure Feature

Lightning photography relies a lot on luck, but with persistence and patience you can capture some incredible photos. Put your camera into Bulb mode (often marked with a "B"). Image by Ben Bishop. Select a shutter speed of 1/15 to 1/4 of a second and set the ISO as low as it'll go (100-200). Around 60 to 100 lightning bolts strike on our planet every second.

However, each initial strike is closely followed by a series of secondary bolts, and it's these you capture. Once you dial your settings in, you can also try using a remote and setting the camera to shoot continuously. Before heading out in search of a storm, you'll need the following equipment:

This post was written by a guest contributor to dPS. This makes capturing a good lightning bolt more of a hit-and-miss affair, but keep persisting and you'll get one eventually. Skyscrapers like Empire State building get hit by lightning … Once you're happy with the focusing, switch the lens to manual mode. Lightning photography can require you to take many photos – shot after shot – pointing your lens in the exact same location, just hoping that lightning strikes in the right place. This is a sensor which fits into your camera's hot shoe and plugs into the cable release socket. Never risk your safety for a photograph! Distributors. Bear in mind that the faster the shutter speed, the harder it'll be to capture the lightning, so you don't want to increase it too much. It's great fun but you need a fair bit of luck to capture a well exposed, well composed scene filled with interesting lightning bolts. Begin by setting up your camera on its tripod and connecting the cable/remote release. The easiest way to judge how far away you are is to count the time between a lightning bolt and the crack of thunder. Customer … Personally, I've had several close calls. If shooting from a distance less than 6 miles, it's best to do so from within a building or car. Also look out for blurring caused by the clouds moving across the sky, which is particularly common on windy nights. (210) 571-1022 Strike Finder® Precision Camera Triggers 19141 Stone Oak Ste 104 San Antonio, TX 78258 USA Phone: (210) 571-1022 LIGHTNING STRIKES MAPS. When shooting at night there's much less chance of overexposing, so you can leave the shutter open for anything up to about 2 minutes. Looking through the viewfinder, choose a focal length that includes the lightning in the frame and which gives a pleasing composition. Lightning photography is very tricky, requiring lots of patience and luck, but it can also be one of the most fun and rewarding subjects to shoot. Do the opposite if your shots are too light. Always photograph lightning from inside a vehicle or a house. I usually like to shoot for at least ten seconds when trying to capture lightning strikes.

The industry leader is the If your lens is marked with an "infinity" focus distance, you can use that. If ths happens, reduce your exposure time.

You can lower your risk by remaining in a hard-topped vehicle and … Made in America. Once you've got a few shots, check them in detail on your camera's LCD screen. Try to position yourself at right angles to the storm so that it moves across your field of view rather than towards or away from you. If you enjoyed this article, you might also like...Your email is safe with us. Around 30 seconds usually works well. Capturing lightning strikes can be a challenge, but can be incredibly rewarding. Once you've found the right settings to expose your scene properly, follow the same technique as above, waiting for a bolt of lightning and then opening the shutter. Image by Nighttime lightning photography is the easiest type, and the best one to try if you've never tried it before. Image by When you see a lightning strike, press and hold the release button to open the shutter.
If they're too dark try a wider aperture, longer exposure time, or higher ISO setting. Sometimes it happens between clouds and sometimes lighting goes from cloud to ground.

There are several great sources for lightning safety tips that I always adhere to. One simple rule you should always keep in mind: if you can hear thunder, you're vulnerable to being struck by lightning. This will stop the camera trying to adjust the focus distance, and also speed up the camera's reaction time when you press the shutter button. Sit with your finger on the cable release and watch the sky carefully. Here’s a video from our latest adventure in Katy, Texas.
This is safer and keeps the storm in view for longer, giving you a better chance of getting some good pictures.. Similarly, don't use an umbrella. Taking pictures of lightning in the day is more difficult than at night, because you also need to make sure that the surrounding environment is well exposed. Lightning is easier to photograph at night, and can produce some really atmospheric photos. Automatic triggers do an excellent job but they're expensive, so they're really only for people who are very serious about their lightning photography. You’ll need to check a sample image to make sure the backgrounds aren’t blown out or underexposed based on your settings.Capturing lightning strikes can be a challenge, but can be incredibly rewarding. They are also used in portrait photography.Professional photographers swear by the "golden hour" as the time of day with the best lighting.