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A 12 image composite of 25 minutes of lightning storm over Phoenix, AZ.

A 12 image composite of 25 minutes of lightning storm over Phoenix, AZ.
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cameraCanon EOS 5D Mark II

settings Aperture f/6.3 ISO 100 Shutter 25/1 

upload_dateJul, 2014

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4550

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JamesHarmon SURREALIMAGE gman176 PhotosByJEM Vorster keithns12 davidjprosser +151
Superb Composition
suzieqr76 benashaari ggswanney ClaritaBethCanlasMiller leifcarbol pauljohntan giovanioliveira7 +78
Absolute Masterpiece
Superjimmyg123 cindycompton susanince rebeccaheaton Ryan_moore darlacharboneaupreiss Rafy +75
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MaryMayrhofer RMalonePhotography andrealomanto aliyacat Blamco780 brookemule SugarFluffle +60
Outstanding Creativity
Elky135 ongcomarbie mariabylund TFphotography ryannnn billstruthers jacobboddy +38
Magnificent Capture
Wm_Meier JanHalls bsube MadMaxStudios karinmcfarlane joestanley brianroscorla +20
Superior Skill
Helen_Mountaniol tricky_b7 saintek CJPark4991 Rwozney DerrickSteeves Cecirene +16
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edwardlrose MLundstrom marnie333 Grumby giri2708 hyperdrv101 baron_barbaron +4
Jaw Dropping
qbob300 sarahdarvill emma83 Lewisia_rediviva Karine
Great Find
priyankatelang jwspray Mberpony
Genius
DonnadaYetta mcampi Richardson-Photography
Virtuoso
DomenicRc cynthiasaphire
Love it
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McCasland narcisa_5892 herbafittheoherbots@gmail.com mleskiw.wildlife_EC5E

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6 Comments |
RuwanFonseka PRO
 
RuwanFonseka July 27, 2014
Great blend of technique and artistry.
gregflynn
 
gregflynn October 18, 2014
Truly electrifying shot ( pardon the pun)
joespena
 
joespena November 22, 2014
Ok, That looks terrifying.....nice shot.
itsnickelwell
 
itsnickelwell May 08, 2015
beautiful shot! very cool
kanizkhan
 
kanizkhan May 08, 2015
Wow, how did you take this? Mesmerizing!
trenttait_7516
 
trenttait_7516 April 04, 2016
I would really like to see the 12 shots seperately

Submitted to Photo Contests

Tags

#Arizona Phoenix lightning storm Tempe Town Lake
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Behind The Lens

Location

I captured this storm from downtown Tempe, AZ, looking northward as these strikes appeared to pummel Scottsdale, likely for their bad drivers. I was fortunate enough to have access to the 8th floor balcony of an office building there, and happened to be eating in the excellent restaurant downstairs, when my best friend texted me from about 20 miles east, 'Get your camera.' He's one of those friends that could roll up with a truck, a tarp, and a couple of shovels, and you just get in without question, I trust his judgement. I lived right up the street, so I did as I was instructed, and this shot was the result.

Time

This was late evening, on a summer night in Phoenix, and this is somewhat typical of the monsoon season storms. It's one thing I miss about living in Phoenix, and watching my social media fill up with amazing lightning captures each summer fills me with a mix of nostalgia and white-hot jealousy, that will hopefully go away in time, with therapy.

Lighting

Shooting lightning isn't really hard, but it takes some patience and judgement in how you handle ambient light. I don't use a lightning trigger, which result in thin, spidery bolts, and my preference runs towards the thick bolts that make you think Zeus is legitimately angry, but also kinda drunk, so his aim sucks. Running long exposures to capture the bolts that way, you have to balance ambient and foreground light sources against your exposure time, so you don't blow out your image.

Equipment

I shot this with a Canon 5dMkII, on a tripod, with a 24-70mm 2.4L lens. Affixed to the lens, I used a SIOTI 100mm filter holder, holding up to three resin neutral gradient filters, dark side down. I do this to give me a lot of leeway and fine control over foreground light sources that I knew would threaten to blow out my exposure, the longer it got.

Inspiration

A text message from my most trusted compatriot interrupted me with a plate of my favorite enchiladas and a nice cold Mexican beer. I was less inspired and more commanded, honestly. It was rainy and wet, I didn't want to be out in that in the first place, but when you get the call, you answer it. But, I also really like shooting lightning, which is why I got the text in the first place, as this same storm had just pounded his end of town like it was Ivan Drago and he lived on Sylvester Stallone's ribcage. (Fun fact, Dolph cracked Sly's ribs in one of those Rocky scenes.)

Editing

This is a 12 shot layered composite, all from the same composition, of only 20 minutes of storm. I only used 20 minutes because that's all the time I had to shoot before the storm started throwing housecat sized buckets of water at the balcony I was working from and that was just too much physics for me. I used Photoshop to layer and blend each frame. There's always an argument that breaks out at that point, is it photography or photoshop? Using additive layers, in the same way I could do it in the darkroom, I'd argue that it's still mostly photography, but just not as sloppy as doing it with film. Nothing was added to the scene that didn't occur there naturally, and I always disclose that it's a composite in the captions, because I do believe in being honest about it. And also, there's always that one troll who claims it's Photoshopped, you can tell from the pixels.

In my camera bag

My regular carry, most days: Canon 5Dsr Canon 70-200mm F2.8L Canon 24-70mm F2.8L Canon 14mm 1.4L SIOTI 100m Modular Filter Holder ICE 100mm ND1000 10-stop ND filter SIOTI 100mm Resin Neutral Gradient Filters Extra batteries because the Promaster battery grip is a pig. I use the 70-200mm more than I should, but it's such a versatile lens, that if I'm forced to strip down, I'd probably just take that one. Yes, it's big and heavy, but if I get attacked by a cougar, at least it'll still be of use. That's less of a risk since I stopped shooting country bands, though. I wish that was a joke.

Feedback

Be patient, and know what kind of weather your kit can handle. I lost my first camera to a splash of seawater, which prompted me to really consider the quality of gear on my next upgrade. Ok, it was more than a splash, I fell after tripping over a rock while walking backwards and snapping photos of an incoming wave. But my point stands, know what your kit can handle, and pack appropriately. Tripod for sure, external shutter release if you can, so you don't shake your tripod pushing the shutter release, or use an intervalometer. For DSLRs, lock-up your mirror as well, sharpness is everything.

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