Well, I thought I would share with you all some recent lightning strikes I got on camera and some interesting things about lightning.
First up. My all time favorite strikes to capture. Lightning on water.
Next up, my next most favorite type of strike to get. The really close ones. The ones so close that the thunder is so immediate and loud it causes a 'thump' in your chest. The water drops you see in this one are not on my lens. It is actually rain that is falling from the overhead cover Im under, the flash of light froze them in the frame, like a flash on a camera.
Now for some interesting things about lightning. If you look closely at the top of the strike in the above picture it will look like there is two different strikes. They not different, they are the same strike and are exhibiting what is known as the ribbon effect. Want to twist you mind a little? High winds can actually blow a strike around a little. Here, look closer.
I know that is a little bright and may not be all that apparent. So here is another example from the same storm where it may be a little more evident.
I dont get to see this very often and most would not think that the wind could affect lightning in anyway but it can. In fact the last time I seen this was in 2001. Here is a link to that shot on my web site.
The storm was in front of me, the direction I was aiming the camera. However, the strike came from behind me and over my head just a couple hundred feet over my head hitting a tower about a 1000' away. The strik looks 'wide' because it was affected by the wind and created a ribbon like strike. I could literally hear the strike sizzle in the air as it went over head. The little rod you see in the lower right hand corner of that picture, well thats a lightning rod. I didnt know it was there until I got that picture back . Incidently, the spots you see in that shot IS water on my lens.
Enjoy.
____________________ My car is a synner! It uses Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants.
2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
It whines a lot, but I like it
Thank you all for you kind comments. I havent gotten much this year cause the storms have been so weird. I normally have about 50 - 60 strikes on camera by this time of year, I think I have 20 or so. Just been a rough year for chasing storms, but that is okay.
Chelly, I think I have mentioned it before, but I would love to have a Focus owner storm chase G2G here, but you are more than welcome to stop by if you are in the area and maybe there will be some storms pending and we can go see the light display. Even in a good year, and that being last year where I got nearly 200 strikes on camera, what I do capture is but an extremely small fraction of what I see. Ive seen lightning do some pretty weird stuff.
As for the strikes traveling from the ground up. Well I got a couple in 2001. But they were initiated from the ground. They were initiated from broadcast towers. I have the links below to the pictures on my site.
The link above I caught and was standing not 500' from another broadcast tower and the strike you see in th upper left hand corner came from the tower I was near. And I had no idea a strike had come from it until I got that picture back. Believe it or not, some of the strikes I get on camera I never actually see cause they happen so fast. So sometimes Im even a little surprised.
The link above is another strike I caught the same night, same location, same storm. In fact, I was using film at the times and the first link above was frame #13. The second link was frame #16. These were among the very first strikes I ever captured and have become to some extent my signature shots. Not of my own choosing, but everyone like those two shots to such a degree they often compare what I have gotten since to those two pictures. Ive seen other 'ground to cloud' strikes or reverse strikes but havent been fortunate enough to get them on camera.
Johnny. No, Ive never been fishing in a lightning storm. I figure Im pushing the edge enough as it is being so close to those things, I dont want to add an extra element into the equation. Im alread shooting near a 2500lb car, metal; Im holding a 6' tripod, metal; With a camera that has a metal body. I really dont want to become more of a lightning rod.
Enjoy!
____________________ My car is a synner! It uses Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants.
2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
It whines a lot, but I like it
Ive made two trips to Florida during the time the storms are really active down there with the intention of going chasing. I havent gotten jack squat down there yet. But I am bound and determined to get some lightning strikes on the beach, and on the ocean. If I have to go stick freaking rebar in the ground on the beach to get them, then so be it, but one day I will have those shots.
____________________ My car is a synner! It uses Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants.
2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
It whines a lot, but I like it
Mr. Versatile wrote: Good pics. Have you ever considered a carbon fiber or fiberglass tripod?
Absolutely. But with the cost of them, having to buy the tripod then the head assembly kinda makes it a litte cost prohibitive. Ive seen some in the $250 range up to twice that much. In addition, I do a lot of macro photography too so I need a tripod that is going to be at least a little versatile. Not to mention I need a tripod with a little weight for when the storms are kicking up the winds.
I will eventually get one it just hasnt been a high priority as of yet. I check ebay from time to time to just see what I can find, but recently more of my disposable cash has been going into getting the business up and going. Its doing good, but Im trying to push it further.
____________________ My car is a synner! It uses Amsoil Synthetic Lubricants.
2001 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP
It whines a lot, but I like it
. Incidently, the spots you see in that shot IS water on my lens.
