first attempt at lightning tonight.....

[The Tea Boy]

evening all, saw the storm heading towards us so thought why not give it a blast. results arent too bad but really only one good shot due to camera shake from hanfging out of the window as im too lazy to go outside haha

these are straight out of the camera......


DSC_2678 by mattmay83, on Flickr


DSC_2689 by mattmay83, on Flickr

right then, advice for next time other than goign outside and using the tripod propperly rather than hanging it out of the window

matt

[14-7]

With all the news about upcoming thunder storms I've wondered about the possibility of being out in a field with the 5d3 on a metal tripod acting as a conductor for the lightening?

[Simpo Two]

14-7 said:

With all the news about upcoming thunder storms I've wondered about the possibility of being out in a field with the 5d3 on a metal tripod acting as a conductor for the lightening?

Set up two tripods 100 yards apart with the cameras pointing towards each other. Whichever one doesn't get hit takes the photo

It's a fairly down to earth job.

[RobDickinson]

Storms generally have cells that produce the lightning. Track these and try stay to one side of them.

Tripod and cable release + long exposure.

[nessiemac]

Simpo Two said:

It's a fairly down to earth job.

[The Tea Boy]

Heres my basic edit of the first picture



Aviary Photo_130190530093597169 by mattmay83, on Flickr

[Simpo Two]

Your house is glowing...



Not lightning but HDRning

[markmullen]

I had a bag packed ready last night, sat there, ready to go, and we got 3 flashes in total! Poor show.

Just to be nostalgic, when I was in Dubrovnik in May we had thunderstorms nearly every night


Lightning Strike - Grebeni Reef by mark_mullen, on Flickr


Lightning On The Adriatic 2 by mark_mullen, on Flickr


Lightning On The Adriatic - Explored 22/05/13 by mark_mullen, on Flickr

[LeighW]

Love the last one Mark.

[The Tea Boy]

Simpo Two said:

Your house is glowing...



Not lightning but HDRning

hah no hdr just a 6sec shutter speed and a very very steady hand!! (no tripod used!!)


matt

[The Tea Boy]

Just had an email from the bbc wanting to use the edited image i posted on their website and upcoming tv gallary for the east midlands

[Otispunkmeyer]

I had a go last night but got nothing. Seemingly bright flashes appeared very faint on the image. I was using f8, and a shutter of around 5-10 seconds.

I am guessing though that there was a bit too much light pollution from all the street lamps to really make it stand out.

[tenohfive]

The Tea Boy said:

Heres my basic edit of the first picture



Aviary Photo_130190530093597169 by mattmay83, on Flickr

I don't think I would have been able to resist the urge to clone out the cable in the middle.

[Simpo Two]

The Tea Boy said:

hah no hdr just a 6sec shutter speed and a very very steady hand!! (no tripod used!!)

No dispute on the steady hand but how did the vertical band of lightness running parallel to the house wall get there?

[tenohfive]

Made it onto the Beeb:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23419615

[The Tea Boy]

Well spotted tenofive!
I meant to update to let you all know it had been published.

As to the light, my only guess is that it is coming from my neighbours house as he lives on that side (we live in a row of terraces) or it is because his terrace is painted yellow.


Matt

Edited by The Tea Boy on Tuesday 23 July 22:09

[D_G]

LeighW said:

Love the last one Mark.

That's fantastic, any chance of a copy for my desktop?

Dave

[The Tea Boy]

tenohfive said:

I don't think I would have been able to resist the urge to clone out the cable in the middle.

unfortunately my photoshop skills are st at best!
if you wish to do it for me that would be great


Matt

[tenohfive]

The Tea Boy said:

unfortunately my photoshop skills are st at best!
if you wish to do it for me that would be great


Matt

A 2 minute edit in Elements (from the thumbnail) produces this:



That's a lazy effort on my part but you get the idea. A bit longer in either Lightroom or Elements would produce something better. What software are you using for PP? Cloning out backlit objects with a clear background (such as the sky) behind is fairly easy once you've read the odd guide and just had a play.

[The Tea Boy]

currently dont have anything other than a simple windows editor as ive just got a new laptop with the dreaded windows 8
will have a look about and try an learn. Thanks for doing the quick edit, my skills are limited to brightness, contrast and cropping haha


Matt