Nature Unlimited, 9 October 2020

This is the additional weekly image thread for the Nature Forum. While images posted to this thread should still be nature in theme, it may contain a small amount of human-made objects and therefore less restricted than the Monday in Nature threads. Please see this discussion for more details: Alternative weekly thread in Nature forum

 

Each participant please post no more than just one image per weekly thread.

Every once in a long while a truly unique photographic opportunity presents itself. One of those, for me, was a thunder and lightning storm that circled around my home from west to north-east, close enough for a clear view of the action, far enough away to be reasonably safe, and just after sunset, presenting excellent contrast with still enough light to see the clouds. I don't know if I will ever again see the same and be able to capture it. Will you share an image that you consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

This past weekend at White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas. Pelicans found trash in lake and were using this as a toy. Pelicans did not try to eat this & there was no harm done to the pelicans. First time I have seen this aspect of Pelican life. About 100 pelicans spend the winter at the lake and will migrate North in early April.

Will you share an image that you consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

Not what I would consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity - but should I return to the place in the future, I am quite certain the glacier won't look the same but be further reduced in size

Image with Nikkor-P 105mm f/2.5 showing bokeh before it WAS bokeh

This is the additional weekly image thread for the Nature Forum. While images posted to this thread should still be nature in theme, it may contain a small amount of human-made objects and therefore less restricted than the Monday in Nature threads. Please see this discussion for more details: Alternative weekly thread in Nature forum

 

Each participant please post no more than just one image per weekly thread.

 

Every once in a long while a truly unique photographic opportunity presents itself. One of those, for me, was a thunder and lightning storm that circled around my home from west to north-east, close enough for a clear view of the action, far enough away to be reasonably safe, and just after sunset, presenting excellent contrast with still enough light to see the clouds. I don't know if I will ever again see the same and be able to capture it. Will you share an image that you consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?

[ATTACH=full]1359986[/ATTACH]

 

 

Wow! Great capture. I assume this was a longish exposure and the two lightening bolts were separate events? Is the exposure time what gave the vertical cloud formations their "liquid" appearance? If so, it is very effective; it gives the vertical clouds an ethereal look while retains a substantial, ominous look for the horizontal formation.

 

Would you share the shooting data, please?

Barber shops are finally open in Cali.

Sunset illuminating the ash cloud from the eruption of Taal volcano in the Philippines, back in Feb. The only time in my lifetime that I've been that close to an erupting volcano.

A sunbeam among the rocks - how many do you see?

Would you share the shooting data, please?

 

Brooks,

You can see all of the images in this series in my gallery at this link:

Lightning | Photo.net

Most of the metadata for these images is available there. The trick I found was to set up a shooting scenario where I could keep the shutter open almost constantly, cycling immediately from shot to shot. When the sky was lighter this required the use of an adjustable ND filter. As the sky darkened I was able to open up the filter and eventually remove it completely. Of the several hundred exposures I made that evening only the 10 in my gallery were keepers, but that's the breaks when shooting something as unpredictable as lightning. A small aperture helped with DoF and to keep the exposures as long as possible. I also shot at very low ISO values and a very wide focal length. (18 mm on my 18-105mm.) It takes some experimentation to stay on top of the changing light conditions, and I shot in raw so as to preserve as much data for PP as possible. Ultimately it was quite similar to setting up for shooting fireworks, but with an even longer duration shutter speed. I hope this answers your question. PM me if you want more information.

Edited October 11, 2020 by DavidTriplett

A sunbeam among the rocks - how many do you see?

 

At least 3, maybe 4? What am I missing?

Three for sure - possibly a late faun next to the one back in the bushes. Can't tell at 200 yards.

A sunbeam among the rocks - how many do you see?

 

 

I see three.

Thank you, David. It's a beautiful shot.

Brooks,

You can see all of the images in this series in my gallery at this link:

Lightning | Photo.net

Most of the metadata for these images is available there. The trick I found was to set up a shooting scenario where I could keep the shutter open almost constantly, cycling immediately from shot to shot. When the sky was lighter this required the use of an adjustable ND filter. As the sky darkened I was able to open up the filter and eventually remove it completely. Of the several hundred exposures I made that evening only the 10 in my gallery were keepers, but that's the breaks when shooting something as unpredictable as lightning. A small aperture helped with DoF and to keep the exposures as long as possible. I also shot at very low ISO values and a very wide focal length. (18 mm on my 18-105mm.) It takes some experimentation to stay on top of the changing light conditions, and I shot in raw so as to preserve as much data for PP as possible. Ultimately it was quite similar to setting up for shooting fireworks, but with an even longer duration shutter speed. I hope this answers your question. PM me if you want more information.