stevepauken

IMG_4405-2

Canon EOS 70D

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Aperture f/10 ISO 100 Shutter 1/100 Focal Length 14/1

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Aug, 2015

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I have always wanted to see a storm like this! Wonderful photographs

Thanks!

Thanks everyone for the compliments!

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Same photographer See all Behind The Lens

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Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was taken just outside of Winslow, AZ where the Monsoon storms come through from the southwest. I drove out to a spot on higher ground along a dirt road where there was no urban influence in the image.

Time

I began shooting just before Noon. The storm passed through the city about 30 minutes later.

Lighting

What was interesting about this shot was the mix of colors and how it affected the storm cloud's changing colors from light to dark, the blue sky behind the storm and the red soil of the desert. The colors where enhanced by the mid-day Sun being filtered by the storm cloud, more subdued in the foreground and bright in the background.

Equipment

This was captured with a Canon 70D and a Canon 10-18mm lens set at 14mm. This shot is hand held, because I didn't have a tripod with me. Camera settings are 1/100 sec, f10, ISO 100. I shot 54 exposures to get one with lightning.

Inspiration

I was totally unprepared to take this shot. I had been across town taking pictures of an event at the state park, and I was at a higher elevation where I could see the storm approaching. It is unusual to capture such an isolated storm system with a narrow shaft of rain, so when I saw it, I jumped in the car and drove to this isolated area with an unobstructed view. This was a scene that just draws photographers to it.

Editing

I do most of my post-processing in Lightroom, but this image did not need a lot of help. Mostly, I adjusted for sharpness and contrast, with just a touch of saturation. The lightning bolt came out of the camera looking pink, and I left it that way because most of my daytime lightning has had a pinkish hue.

In my camera bag

I use a backpack-style camera bag because I carry a lot of stuff with a total weight of over 20 pounds. I carry a Canon 70D body, and three Canon lenses, an EF-S 10-18mm f4.5 IS STM, an EF 24-70mm f2.8L II USM, and an EF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS II USM. I also have a 2x extender, various filters, a wireless remote, and an intervalometer.

Feedback

If you have a tripod handy, use it! I would have done so if it had been in the car. The image was good without the lightning bolt, but I wanted lightning in the shot which is tough to capture in the daytime without special equipment (which I don't have). Depending on how you want to compose your shot, find a suitable location that fits your theme that is unobstructed by buildings, wires, and other man-made objects. Most of all, remain at a safe distance from the storm. You can capture a dramatic shot without compromising your personal safety.

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stevepauken

stevepauken

IMG_4405-2

Behind The Lens

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