Lightning

Trying to capture one of the most unpredictable things of Mother Nature on film is a hard thing to do! The most powerful pictures can come from Mother Nature and often times it’s lightning. As I said before, lightning is very unpredictable so you have to be on your game the whole time. Sometimes your life could be in danger too, so here are some tips to get the shots you want while saying out of danger.

1.     Use a tripod- I usually set up my tripod in the back seat of our van and shoot out of the trunk so I am sheltered from rain or hail. Another tip is to be as still as possible because your shutter time will be set so long; any movement will be picked up in the shot.

2.     Set a long shutter time- A long shutter speed is key in shooting lighting. The longer the speed, the better outcome you will have.  The typical speed is around 15-30 seconds. You might not always be successful in getting shots, but there will always be more too shoot.

3.    Include something else- A picture of the sky and lightning is boring. Try to include a farm site or something that will show up whit the brightness from the lightning.

4.    Use manual focus- Shooting at night creates a hard situation for the camera to automatically focus on one thing since everything’s dark. By using manual focus, you won’t have the trouble of trying to find something to focus on.

5.    Be Patient- There will always be other storms, other shots you can get, and other possibilities for shots. Keep calm and keep taking shots. Always remember to check the weather radar to see if the storm increases in strength.

Lightning is one of the most fascinating things about Mother Nature. When your shooting, remember to be patient and don’t put yourself in danger and you’ll be fine! Here are some of my pictures from past storms!

-Katie :)