Lightning and thunder over the Fire Island Inlet Bridge, Long Island, NY.
Lightning and thunder over the Fire Island Inlet Bridge, Long Island, NY.
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sgmtmi
February 28, 2022
Thanks! Right place right time. Actually had a friend 2 miles north of me capture the same lightning bolt. 2nd year in a row we did that. You can see it on my Instagram feed.
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was shot from Robert Moses State Park boat basin looking north over the Fire Island Inlet Bridge, Long Island, NY. I took this photo on July 22, 2020. Any excuse to get out of the house during the first summer of the pandemic. A typical summer thunderstorm when a cold front is approaching. Shot from the cover of the pavilion next to the docks.Time
This is one of my favorite photos, shot a little after 8 PM on July 22, 2020. I had captured a similar lightning bolt at this location the year before.Lighting
The lighting is created by the lightning. Long exposure until the lightning hits then close the shutter. The lightning acts like a flash freezing the water while the long exposure smooths the water elsewhere.Equipment
Shot with a Canon 6D Mark II and Canon 24-105 F/4 L lens. Tripod mounted (Pro-master) and bulb mode with cable shutter release. Exposures varied, open the shutter and wait for the lightning strike and hoping it doesn't happen in-between shots, which it usually does.Inspiration
Chasing storms is something relatively new I have added to my photography. But this shot is something special. About a year before I had captured a similar strike (you can see it in my gallery) from the same location. My friend Marty was 2 miles north of me at Captree State Park and photographed the same lightning bolt back in 2019. Turns out when I captured this shot, Marty was again at Captree and photographing the same lightning bolt. Neither one of us knew the other was out storm chasing at the time, and only realized when we posted our photos to the the Long Island Sun Chasers Group on Facebook. 2 years in a row almost to the exact date. What are the odds?!Editing
Shot in raw format. Basic edits in Lightroom including exposure, contrast, color temperature, highlights, shadows and clarity. Minor cropping for composition.In my camera bag
I currently travel light when storm chasing including a Canon R6, 24-105mm L f/4 lens, Sigma 35mm f/1.4 (for astro), my tripod, and a wired shutter remote for those lightning shots.Feedback
First be safe and shoot from cover. Don't want to be standing out in a field and making yourself a target. Need a tripod and shooting in bulb mode. Shooting at night you can leave the shutter open longer. Use ND filters during the day. Bring your camera bag to weigh down your tripod. Winds pick up during these thunderstorms. And have a friend 2 miles away shooting the same lightning bolt. Happy shooting.