anvancy-(macro analyst)
04-01-2009, 08:23 PM
no.i am not talking about LIGHTNING FAST Photography.i am talking about capturing lightning.one of THE most powerful features of nature's fury.
yes i do know that these are there spread on the net.but i am making an addition to this particular forum.
some facts about lightning courtesy the NOAA.
Each second there are 50 to 100 Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Strikes to the Earth world-wide.
Most lightning strikes average 2 to 3 miles long and carry a current of 10000 Amps at 100 million Volts.
A "Positive Giant" is a lightning strike that hits the ground up to 20 miles away from the storm.Because it seems to strike from a clear sky it is known as "A Bolt From The Blue". These"Positive Giant" flashes strike between the storm's top "anvil" and the Earth and carry several times the destructive energy of a "regular" lightning strike.
Thunder can only be heard about 12 miles away under good quiet outdoor conditions.
Daytime lightning is difficult or impossible to see under local sun and/or hazy conditions. Night-time "heat lightning" can be seen up to 100 miles away (depending on "seeing" conditions).
"Lightning Crawlers" or "Spider Lightning" can travel over 35 miles as it "crawls" across the bottoms or through squall line "frontal" clouds. This rare type of lightning is very beautiful as itzaps from "horizon-to-horizon". However it can turn deadly if it happens to strike the ground at the end of its super long path! {Lightning Crawlers from The Blue!}
Radar has detected Lightning "Crawlers" traveling at high altitudes (15000 ft to 20000 ft) as they zap from cloud-to-cloud.
Lightning "Crawlers" over seventy five (75) miles long have been observed by Radar!
The temperature of a typical lightning bolt is hotter than the surface of the Sun!
How big around is a typical lightning bolt? Answer: About the size of a Quarter to Half-Dollar! Lightning looks so much wider than it really is just because its light is so bright!
Lightning Strikes create powerful radio waves in the frequency range of 3 KHz (audio, VLF) through 10 MHz (shortwave radio). The VLF (3000 Hz to 30000 Hz) "lightning signatures" can travel around the world, allowing monitoring of world-wide lightning. The shortwave "lightning signatures can travel half-way around the Earth (the night-time side of the Earth). The best region to listen for distant shortwave lightning signatures is from 2 MHz through 7 MHz. After 3 AM local time you can listen to 3 MHz and hear the beautiful dispersion-ringing of the static as it bounces back-and-forth between the earth and ionosphere. It can at times sound like hundreds of tiny bells ringing at once!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
now before you quickly scroll down let me caution you.
LIGHTNING KILLS.
you are facing an awesome power in front of you,which you just cant judge the power it harnesses.this certain section of photography is considered to be one the riskiest jobs one can do.
if you are thinking of selling these in the market,chances are slim since the market is already flooded with many images.
please go through this.i will highly advise this.
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/overview.htm
if you think that by wearing those PARAGON slippers and rubber gloves you will be safe,think that if lightning can travel through that heavy insulated air,how u think you cant be struck by lightning??
----------------------------XXXXXXX-----------------------------------
that was all the cautioning part and safety part.now the technique.
many think that since lightning is well "lightning fast" you do the high speed way.i have seen dumbos take photos with direct flash mode and then say,DAMN my image came black.
the key here is not to do the fast way but to do the slow and the steady way.
ok.slow and steady way.so i put up the camera,set shutter speed to say 1 sec still nothing!
there are many aspects associated to lightning photography.the slow way is one of them.essentially to capture that fast,you will need a proper high speed camera.but for us average joes(well atleast i am)slow shutter speed is the way to go.
the ideal shutter speed is around 30secs.30secs is ideal since there are two things.
you dont overexpose.
you will not get multiple shots.
if you go beyond say like 1min 2min,hell BULB mode,you will get multiple bolts but the thing in that is you will get a crowdy image.so i always go for multiple shot technique giving a break in between.
the other most important aspect is PREDICTION.
lightning always follows a certain pattern with a particular time interval between two fork bolts.at start you will miss but as you come to know how its functioning you will automatically be able to judge the next strike.some happen within seconds,some takes minutes.
DIRECTION.
u must be able to judge where the core of the storm is.that way you can capture multiple shots with varying intensity.
so what do you need??
1.a camera (duh!!!)
2.tripod or a steady resting place for the camera.(a must.please we are not here to show our low light camera capabilities.so how u will hold handheld for 30sec each shot?)
3.spare batteries (its gonna eat a lot.long exposures.so thats necessary.)
4.other safety equipment like torches,burn remedy creams etc.(ie if u not at home)
5.still wear insulatory material.(PARAGONS or LAKHANIS will do.the lightning is not gonna see if u wearing nike reebok or so..)
so now what you do is once u find an area having lot of activity,point the camera set the aperture in the range of 5.6 to 6.3 for ideal width of the bolt and start shooting.
it is simple.if u learn the prediction phase,80% you are done.
that concludes this technique.if you have any doubts queries do post.
sharing some of my images.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3598/3404591428_919b81366e_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3067/2930282653_9439937105_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3068/2931142360_32647625d5_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3008/2931142278_393b22bfb2_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3031/2401522978_45c2f98555_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2204/2401522778_e74a4e585e_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3071/2400693511_2208ca0ff3_o.jpg
eagerly waiting for the next monsoons.
hope you liked the article.
anvancy.
yes i do know that these are there spread on the net.but i am making an addition to this particular forum.
some facts about lightning courtesy the NOAA.
Each second there are 50 to 100 Cloud-to-Ground Lightning Strikes to the Earth world-wide.
Most lightning strikes average 2 to 3 miles long and carry a current of 10000 Amps at 100 million Volts.
A "Positive Giant" is a lightning strike that hits the ground up to 20 miles away from the storm.Because it seems to strike from a clear sky it is known as "A Bolt From The Blue". These"Positive Giant" flashes strike between the storm's top "anvil" and the Earth and carry several times the destructive energy of a "regular" lightning strike.
Thunder can only be heard about 12 miles away under good quiet outdoor conditions.
Daytime lightning is difficult or impossible to see under local sun and/or hazy conditions. Night-time "heat lightning" can be seen up to 100 miles away (depending on "seeing" conditions).
"Lightning Crawlers" or "Spider Lightning" can travel over 35 miles as it "crawls" across the bottoms or through squall line "frontal" clouds. This rare type of lightning is very beautiful as itzaps from "horizon-to-horizon". However it can turn deadly if it happens to strike the ground at the end of its super long path! {Lightning Crawlers from The Blue!}
Radar has detected Lightning "Crawlers" traveling at high altitudes (15000 ft to 20000 ft) as they zap from cloud-to-cloud.
Lightning "Crawlers" over seventy five (75) miles long have been observed by Radar!
The temperature of a typical lightning bolt is hotter than the surface of the Sun!
How big around is a typical lightning bolt? Answer: About the size of a Quarter to Half-Dollar! Lightning looks so much wider than it really is just because its light is so bright!
Lightning Strikes create powerful radio waves in the frequency range of 3 KHz (audio, VLF) through 10 MHz (shortwave radio). The VLF (3000 Hz to 30000 Hz) "lightning signatures" can travel around the world, allowing monitoring of world-wide lightning. The shortwave "lightning signatures can travel half-way around the Earth (the night-time side of the Earth). The best region to listen for distant shortwave lightning signatures is from 2 MHz through 7 MHz. After 3 AM local time you can listen to 3 MHz and hear the beautiful dispersion-ringing of the static as it bounces back-and-forth between the earth and ionosphere. It can at times sound like hundreds of tiny bells ringing at once!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
now before you quickly scroll down let me caution you.
LIGHTNING KILLS.
you are facing an awesome power in front of you,which you just cant judge the power it harnesses.this certain section of photography is considered to be one the riskiest jobs one can do.
if you are thinking of selling these in the market,chances are slim since the market is already flooded with many images.
please go through this.i will highly advise this.
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/overview.htm
if you think that by wearing those PARAGON slippers and rubber gloves you will be safe,think that if lightning can travel through that heavy insulated air,how u think you cant be struck by lightning??
----------------------------XXXXXXX-----------------------------------
that was all the cautioning part and safety part.now the technique.
many think that since lightning is well "lightning fast" you do the high speed way.i have seen dumbos take photos with direct flash mode and then say,DAMN my image came black.
the key here is not to do the fast way but to do the slow and the steady way.
ok.slow and steady way.so i put up the camera,set shutter speed to say 1 sec still nothing!
there are many aspects associated to lightning photography.the slow way is one of them.essentially to capture that fast,you will need a proper high speed camera.but for us average joes(well atleast i am)slow shutter speed is the way to go.
the ideal shutter speed is around 30secs.30secs is ideal since there are two things.
you dont overexpose.
you will not get multiple shots.
if you go beyond say like 1min 2min,hell BULB mode,you will get multiple bolts but the thing in that is you will get a crowdy image.so i always go for multiple shot technique giving a break in between.
the other most important aspect is PREDICTION.
lightning always follows a certain pattern with a particular time interval between two fork bolts.at start you will miss but as you come to know how its functioning you will automatically be able to judge the next strike.some happen within seconds,some takes minutes.
DIRECTION.
u must be able to judge where the core of the storm is.that way you can capture multiple shots with varying intensity.
so what do you need??
1.a camera (duh!!!)
2.tripod or a steady resting place for the camera.(a must.please we are not here to show our low light camera capabilities.so how u will hold handheld for 30sec each shot?)
3.spare batteries (its gonna eat a lot.long exposures.so thats necessary.)
4.other safety equipment like torches,burn remedy creams etc.(ie if u not at home)
5.still wear insulatory material.(PARAGONS or LAKHANIS will do.the lightning is not gonna see if u wearing nike reebok or so..)
so now what you do is once u find an area having lot of activity,point the camera set the aperture in the range of 5.6 to 6.3 for ideal width of the bolt and start shooting.
it is simple.if u learn the prediction phase,80% you are done.
that concludes this technique.if you have any doubts queries do post.
sharing some of my images.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3598/3404591428_919b81366e_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3067/2930282653_9439937105_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3068/2931142360_32647625d5_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3008/2931142278_393b22bfb2_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3031/2401522978_45c2f98555_o.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2204/2401522778_e74a4e585e_o.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3071/2400693511_2208ca0ff3_o.jpg
eagerly waiting for the next monsoons.
hope you liked the article.
anvancy.