Triple threat
Aug, 2013Views
1700
Likes
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Superior Skill
Jaw Dropping
Peer Award
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Exceptional Contrast
Genius
Top Ranks
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 2Top 10 rank week 1
Platinum
susandianejenkins
September 03, 2013
I would like to learn to take photos like this one. I would have to get over my fear of the strom.
Platinum
RoadKing1985
September 03, 2013
HOLY GUACAMOLY!!! WOW! Incredible capture! Lightning is just an amazing phenomenon:) Congrats!
Ultimate
Platinum
PRO+
PRO+
PRO
PRO
Kazza60
December 18, 2013
Wonderful capture .. congratulations on the award .. good luck in the Thunders comp !!
PRO+
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
The location is on the western side of Darwin harbour in Australia's Northern Territory. It's known as Mandorah to the locals and is essentially a ferry terminal that services the nearby community of Wagait Beach, where I call home. The view is looking east across the harbour to the city of Darwin.Time
Evening, around 9pm.Lighting
The lighting is nature at its best. The trick is to expose for the lightning flash and not the darkness between flashes. You want to keep a shutter speed around 15-30 seconds so I generally adjust aperture and ISO for exposure settings.Equipment
Canon 5D Mk III, tripod, remote shutter release.Inspiration
An attempt to capture the amazing electrical storm prevalent at the beginning of the monsoon season. Not many photographs do justice to the spectacular light shows we get in this part of the world, certainly none of mine. But I'll keep trying...Editing
One of my earliest (and very amatuer) attempts at a composite image. It's three separate frames layered in photoshop and simply erasing parts of the upper layers, using a large soft edge eraser to expose the bottom layers as desired. I would blend the images differently today and also crop out the fluro lit jetty on the right edge of frame.In my camera bag
Canon 5D Mk III, 24-105mm f4 lens, 50mm f1.4, 70-200mm f4, tripod, remote triggerFeedback
Persistence is the key. I generally point the lens at the most active area of sky and set the camera to what i think is going to be about right for exposure with a shutter speed between 15-30 seconds and click away. I have used lightning triggers in the past but have found the long exposure method to be the most reliable for capturing strikes. Fast moving and widespread storms are the most challenging to frame and focus on while more distant storms can appear very small in the frame. Experiment with different focal lengths and exposure times for any given storm until you find a happy medium. The variable intensity of the light can also be a challenge, a large strike can appear washed out while small or distant strikes appear very faint, especially when shooting through rain. Ideally, you want to be ahead of the storm front with clear sky looking toward it, once it has gone overhead and the rain sets in, it's time to pack up. In a nutshell, my advice is to get out there and give it a go...the worst you can do is learn something, even if it's only what NOT to do next time.
