Lightning Photography
Jul 11, 2011 08:31:03 #
I am an avid amateur photographer. My sister-in-law tells me that I should sell my work because it is so professional looking. I had never looked at it that way before. Just an interesting hobby for me. I am retired; we travel some. It's a beautiful country. I own a Nikon D5000 DSLR. I also have a Canon SX30. I enjoy features in both cameras. My next topic to conquer is photographing lightning. The Nikon is so smart that I can't get the shutter to release in the dark on any of the auto focus modes. How do I focus manually when there is nothing to focus on? I could use some tips. Thanks.
Blue Angel performance
Big Horn Mountains
Air Force Chapel in Colorado
Aug 8, 2011 21:19:56 #
I believe if your are taking pictures of lightening you would need to put your camera on manual focus and adjust to to the maxinum or infinity. If what you are are taking pictures of is earth bound I have seen the suggestion that again it be on manual focus and adjust on something at approx, the same distance, reframe you photo and shoot. I have also seen the suggestion that if you can place a flashlight at the location, focus, remove light, & shoot. Just so you know there is a lightening detector avaiable for SLRs. I have no idea how well they work but my understanding is they actually detect the very early stages and trip your shutter. Seems like around $300. Bet B&H Photo could tell you more.
Aug 11, 2011 02:12:29 #
It is best to set your camera in Manual position- about f/8, and set the time for about 10-15 seconds or a bit more. Place your camera on a tripod(a must) use a remote to click the shutter. Now you have to be in a fairly dark area!!! You just keep shooting- you will shoot a few hundred shots-
Just keep shooting and hopefully you will grab a few shots- aim to an area where you see most of the lightning! Now if you are trying daylight lightning... forget every thing I just wrote... I have never done that!!
Just keep shooting and hopefully you will grab a few shots- aim to an area where you see most of the lightning! Now if you are trying daylight lightning... forget every thing I just wrote... I have never done that!!
Aug 13, 2011 01:22:08 #
Yup... That's the way I do it.
That's the best thing about digital photography. You shoot 100 frames, or more, and hope you get it.
Watch for very long exposures as they can get a bit of background noise.
That's the best thing about digital photography. You shoot 100 frames, or more, and hope you get it.
Watch for very long exposures as they can get a bit of background noise.
16 sec@f8, ISO-50
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