Some lightning pics

[KHarmon]

Here's a sample of some of the lightning pics I have taken. What can I do to get better, crisper pics to come out. I'm shooting a Canon EOS Rebel, 10.1 megapixel. I used to shoot a lot of film and I seem to be losing something now that I have gone digital and I'm not sure what I'm missing. I'm setting the F-stop the same as I would with my old Olympus and using the same ISO. I know that composition is not great, but this is West Texas and I have a heck of a time finding interesting back drops for pics in the flat plains of west Texas.

Let me know what I can do differently, and give me some suggestions on shooting on digital. I thought the transition from film to digital would be easy, but it's definitely not as easy as I thought it would be.


IMG_1061 by KHarmon1971, on Flickr


Lightning 2 by KHarmon1971, on Flickr


IMG_0017-1 by KHarmon1971, on Flickr


This isn't a lightning shot, but it's a dust cloud at the leading edge of a gust front from a collapsing thunder storm. Of course it collapsed!!! With the way this summer has gone I honestly believe that rain has been outlawed in this area.

Gust Front 4 by KHarmon1971, on Flickr

[MiniChris]

Unfortunately, as I soon discovered, digital and film rarely make a clean transition as per f/:stops, shutter speeds or even ISO. I would try a little longer lens, set at f/:11 or 16 and go for an extended shutter opening time. If it isn't dark enough, lower the ISO to 100 and possibly even use a ND filter. You could also increase your depth of field in one stop increments until you hit the magic setting. This is not at all unlike doing fireworks.

[dragonflyphoto]

these are really good. i wish we had vast open spaces in middle ga, but i'm never more than 100yds from a pine tree so there is never a clear view except for on hills which we fortunately have a couple of. you can definitely capture the whole event

[KHarmon]

these are really good. i wish we had vast open spaces in middle ga, but i'm never more than 100yds from a pine tree so there is never a clear view except for on hills which we fortunately have a couple of. you can definitely capture the whole event

I know all about the pine trees, my sister lives in Buford GA and there are definitely a few pine trees in that area.

KHarmon

[Sam Smith]

I have to agree with Chris this is not much different than shooting fireworks, f/9-11,iso 100 and a bulb setting. I shoot fireworks though several burst from start until the end. I will have to try to shoot lightning but living in north central Texas it may be next year before we even have a cloudy day much less rain.

[KHarmon]

I have to agree with Chris this is not much different than shooting fireworks, f/9-11,iso 100 and a bulb setting. I shoot fireworks though several burst from start until the end. I will have to try to shoot lightning but living in north central Texas it may be next year before we even have a cloudy day much less rain.

I live in west Texas near Lubbock. Don't give up hope yet on storms this year. There's usually a "mini" storm season from around mid-September to the middle of October when the cools fronts come south and hit the warm air here. We have only had 1.30 inches of rain here this year and it has been horrible. I'm hoping to get some rain going during the fall and winter to get moisture in the ground for the farmers to plant next spring..

KHarmon