How to photograph lightning

This is a sure fire way to catch lightning in a photographic image.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 35 mm camera with bulb setting
• cable release
• tripod
• lightning
• dry place to stand or umbrella

1. Find a location, where you can have a relatively dry place to stand. If you are going to use an umbrella, just wait for an evening storm.

2. Once the lightning storm is heading your way. Get your camera set up. For this you may need to consult your cameras owners manual to make the appropriate changes. Set up your camera as follows: Lens should be set to manual focus, shutter speed to "bulb", f-stop to maximum for your camera, plug in cable release, set camera on tripod and choose your composition.

3. Your composition will be based on your surroundings. For the image I have posted here, I was in a cemetery with trees in the background to give the trees a sillohetted effect. You also need to take into consideration where the storm is traveling.

4. Once you have the camera set and the storm timed out... press and lock your cable release open till the lightning strikes, then imediately release the cable release, closing the shutter and ending the recording of data. Repeat till the entire storm passes.

Tips & Warnings

• Remember being out in thunder/lightning storms there is a HIGH RISK of being struck by lightning. This is not the safest of things to photograph, so please use common sense when doing this.