How to Take Lightning Shots
I get asked how to capture lightning shots a lot. Here is a little tutorial:
Recommended Equipment:
1. Camera that will let you use the "bulb" shutter setting
and still set the aperture separately.
2. Good heavy tripod
3. Cable release (to remotely trip the shutter and hold it open)
4. Wide angle lens (17mm is what I usually use)
5. Watch with a second hand you can see in the dark.
Technique:
1. Setup your camera/tripod in an area it can’t get wet. Use a lens hood if your lens has one.
2. Set your focus to manual and focus the lens at infinity. Use your markings on the lens as a guide if it is too dark to see through the lens.
3. Set your camera to manual mode for both shutter and aperture (usually the “m” setting on DSLRs).
4. Set the shutter speed to “Bulb”. That is the mode where the shutter stays open for as long as you hold it open. It is imperative that you use a remote cable release for this so you don’t have to touch the camera while holding the shutter open.
5. Set your aperture around midway. If it is dark outside, I find an aperture of 13 works best for me. The goal is to set it so that you can open the shutter long enough (15 - 30 seconds) and get a good sky without it being too dark or too light.
7. Trip the shutter with the cable release and hold it for 15 to 30 seconds. It is best to time it with your watch so you can find the exact time with the best exposure.
8. Pray for a lightning strike while the shutter is open!
9. Close the shutter and view your result. If too dark, hold open longer, if too light shorten the time. You can also adjust the aperture if needed.
10. Repeat. Adjust, Repeat, Adjust, Repeat Adjust…..
A storm with not much lightning, you might have to take 50 to 100
empty shots before you get the lightning. A storm like last night, I
was able to capture lightning on every other try—sometimes with
two or three different lightning strikes in one exposure.
Tip: If lightning goes off 5 seconds into the exposure, don't be tempted to close the shutter and look at it. Still keep exposing at least for 80- 85% of the time you were targeting.
For instance, if you would normally time for 30 seconds, keep going for at least 25sec. A good lightning burst (or two if you are lucky) will lessen the total exposure time... but not as much as you think.
Post processing:
1. Convert to B&W using the channel mixer ( or apply image command).
The colors are usually minimal in the pic and the tint of the sky can come off kind of funky, so I usually convert to b&W using the green channel only. It will usually have the best contrast in the sky.
Play with the channel mixer in Photoshop. You may find red to be your best channel for foreground detail and green for sky. The blue channel will contain the majority of the noise and usually won't be useful.
2. Use a high amount on the sharpening. I use an aggressive 200 to 500 on the amount in the "unsharp mask " filter with a radius of 1 and threshold of 5 to 10. Best to do this on a duplicate layer so if it is too much you can just lower the layer opacity.
Hope this helps. Looking to forward to seeing everyone else's attempts.
Comments and faves
mturnage, Alison Chains, J☺han, nehrke, and 97 other people added this photo to their favorites.
Alison Chains (58 months ago | reply)
Thanks so much for the tutorial.
J☺han (58 months ago | reply)
Very nice capture and a great tutorial!
nehrke (58 months ago | reply)
Thank you for the tutorial.
I have a new camera so I am learning as I go.
M-J Turner (58 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Anything Wild!, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
awesome3 (58 months ago | reply)
many thanks for your advise!!!!
bucketmaster (58 months ago | reply)
Cheers for the tips....
VickiVale (58 months ago | reply)
Thanks for the technique. I'll fav for future reference...and to enjoy the great lightning shot.
M-J Turner (58 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Right Place, Right Time!, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
BeenSaved [deleted] (58 months ago | reply)
*Excellent Photographer Awards*
This is an official invite for you to post this photo to our group. Feel free to join in on the fun but please follow the rules.
dredgemortle (58 months ago | reply)
Great shot and I appreciate the tute!
Ronen M (58 months ago | reply)
This is one of a kind piece of work !!!
please take a moment to join One Of A Kind
we'd love to have your photo added to our group.
ComputerHotline (54 months ago | reply)
Hello
This photo should be used in class, at school !
Please add your photo to Photos pour l'école / Photos for school
Read the group rules first.
You can add this photo in more groupes :
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5348 Franco (52 months ago | reply)
Thats a really great shot! Congrats! Have a nice day, Franco
iblogologist [deleted] (51 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Layman's Photography, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
I can only echo the comments before me and see that there are many hours of reading to be had whilst looking at your impressive yet informative collection!
That is why I would love you to enter this picture (and others like it) to our newley formed group where like-minded individuals can showcase their work and share technique.
NebraskaSC (47 months ago | reply)
Please post your amazing photo to Texas Thunderstorms
Please tag your photo "Texas Thunderstorms"
justin_elbert [deleted] (46 months ago | reply)
Great advice & photo.
The only thing I don't agree with is the convert to B&W step. I usually get great color in my lightning shots.
ardeona (41 months ago | reply)
Thanks for the detailed tutorial.
Lacking a remote/cable release, I have had good success with my camera's timer and have also used the interval functionality of the D300.
Settings are very similar to those you suggested:
30 second exposures
f/16-f/22
focus set to infinity
Like the comment above, I prefer a little color to my lightning images, though b/w conversions can also look great. Just a personal preference.
Tipsy_Tiff (41 months ago | reply)
thanks so much for the great shot and the wonderful tutorial. I fave'd for future reference. I've been practicing lightning shots for what seems like ever now, and this is the best explanation i think i've read thus far.
Bad, Bad Lechroy Brown (40 months ago | reply)
thanks for sharing the photo and notes - very kind!
A.Ruiz (39 months ago | reply)
great tutorial ! i have been asking myself how to get a decent lightning shot but dident have a clue lol
tunk u very much
cltan47 [deleted] (39 months ago | reply)
great shot
Siva! (36 months ago | reply)
Thank you for sharing the knowledge!
Stormlover87 (34 months ago | reply)
Photo was taken as the storm was on it's way out.
Time: 1am August 8 2008
Spot: Taylor hill. Red Deer Alberta, Canada looking east
Temp: around 21C(70F)
Humidity: around 72%
Used: Wireless remote and tripod
Exposure: 30 sec
Aperture: f/8
ISO Speed: 200
The best way is to experiment. not every lightning bolt has the same brightness, light can bounce off rain shafts and clouds.
Also city lights limit exposure times, heavy urban settings not recommended due to light pollution
longhorndave (34 months ago | reply)
@Stormlover87, @ardeona, and @justin_ebert. Great shots. I love the color in them. @Stormlover87... The wireless remote sounds like the best option for Lightning shots. Also, great point about avoiding heavy light from urban settings.
wallypumpernickel (33 months ago | reply)
thank you very much for taking the time ot put up the tutorial
chris37111 (33 months ago | reply)
I've tried a few times to photograph lightning but will follow your suggestions - thanks for posting them
jaosehl (Ashleigh) (32 months ago | reply)
I've been dying to try this. Thanks for the tutorial!
simon king 91 (31 months ago | reply)
actually awesome in the originate meaning of the word
riffsyphon1024 (31 months ago | reply)
Brilliant tutorial! Makes me want to perfect my attempts.
KatjaHafenmaier (19 months ago | reply)
Waiting for the Next Storm
MikeBehnken (19 months ago | reply)
I switched from a 14-24mm super wide to a 50mm and got this one, guss I was lucky! F11 turned out great.... 30 second exp.
megmoore1 (17 months ago | reply)