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DonArsenault
A Light in the Darkness
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A Light in the Darkness



behind the lens badge
cameraCanon EOS 5D Mark II

settings Aperture 4/1 ISO 200 Shutter 25/10 Focal Length 55/1 

upload_dateJan, 2017

Views

713

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Awards

Legendary Award
Peer Choice Award
Contest Finalist in Powerful Lightning Photo Contest
Peer Award
HPryor josephleduc Plymchris VictorSmith henniew jeanmichelpassionphoto ChasingShadows +19
Absolute Masterpiece
Silentiumgrapho nikgia82 PhotoMark Down2Earthtravelinspirer cjbrooks cindyodom Kenkidner
Top Choice
mltonfanfa Aryanjojo dannerroyce SiddharthaShukla annettejones_1862
Magnificent Capture
my3girls Dtraveler63 Wendy11 Beno62
Superb Composition
andreasulini 50poof Roulart AfterMidnightStudio
Outstanding Creativity
raphaelmichaelides mazzthomas
Superior Skill
snowdon
All Star
Yellowperch

Emotions

Impressed
my3girls

Top Ranks

Change Of Seasons Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Change Of Seasons Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
The Wonders of the World Photo ContestTop 10 rank
The Wonders of the World Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Severe Weather Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
View more
Unique Sceneries Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
A Storm Is Coming Photo ContestTop 10 rank
A Storm Is Coming Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Our World At Night Photo ContestTop 10 rank
What A Night Photo ContestTop 10 rank
What A Night Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Everything Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Everything Nature Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
ViewBug Photography AwardsTop 10 rank
ViewBug Photography AwardsTop 10 rank week 1
Powerful Lightning Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Powerful Lightning Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 2
Powerful Lightning Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Wicked Weather Photo ContestTop 10 rank

Categories

Submitted to Photo Contests

Tags

#storm #lightning #night #landscape #lightning bolt #stormy #canada #alberta
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Behind The Lens

Location

This photograph was taken just a few blocks from my home in the small city of Camrose, Alberta, Canada. I am fascinated with lightning photography and try to spend any time I can trying to capture dramatic images of this type

Time

This image has been one of my popular shots on Viewbug and although lightning images are possible at any time of the day, the night provides more drama and makes it easier to obtain a good shot. This particular image was made at 10:50 PM on June 6, 2016. That summer produced many storms in the area and this was just one of the many nights where I was able to get out and capture the action.

Lighting

Mother nature takes care of the lighting for this type of shot. Really you are at her mercy. I have found that shooting in locations away from ambient lighting makes things easier, however, having another subject, such as a house, water or street lights really adds to the shot.

Equipment

To obtain this photograph, I used a Canon EOS 5D Mark II, a Canon ef24-105 f4L IS lens @ 55mm, a tripod of course and a new piece of equipment I purchased just for lightning photography... a Lightning Trigger. This device is designed to trip the shutter when lightning is present. Although I find this device very helpful with daytime shots, that year the storms were so intense that one could have easily captured the moment using a long exposure setting.

Inspiration

I enjoy capturing shots of the weather, landscapes and the aurora borealis. Lightning photography seemed like something new and challenging. Prior to getting a Lightning Trigger, daytime photography of the storms was done basically though trial and error. More error than success.

Editing

There was a minor amount of post processing conducted on this shot. I increased the clarity to make the lightning stand out more, bumped up the exposure slightly and adjusted the white balance a bit.

In my camera bag

My camera bag is full of Canon gear. My primary camera is now a Canon EOS 5D Mark III, with an EOS 7D as back up. I have a wide array of L series lenses, including aCanon ef24-70L F2.8 II, a Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II, a Canon 85mm f1.2L II. I also have an older 70-300 mm f4. In addition to the camera gear I have the Lightning Trigger, batteries, a remote trigger, lens clothes, a flash and the owner's manuals for my equipment.

Feedback

The biggest tip I can give to someone who wants to capture images such as this is to STAY SAFE. I always ensure that I am a safe distance from the storm and the first time I feel that I am not, I shut down the shoot. There have been numerous times where things were just too intense to continue. I also find it beneficial to set your lens to focus manually and set it to infinity. If you are releasing the shutter manually, a shutter release is a must. You will need a tripod and be sure to have a lens hood on. The lens hood will help prevent the rain from blurring your photo. I have found that each shoot is different in regards to settings, but generally I will stay in the f4 range. This will allow your shutter to remain open a bit longer. If the storm is really intense, I found that setting my camera to "bulb" and opening up the shutter has produced multiple lightning strikes in one image. Be careful when doing this as you may introduce more ambient light than is desirable. Finally, have patience. I have spent far more time not being able to capture lightning shots than being successful at it, but, when you get "that shot", it is extremely rewarding.

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