Fast as Lightning

[jennifer_gonzales]

I would really like to get a good photograph of lightning, and I read about how to do it, and part of the 'secret' is to set

the focus on your lens at infinity, as stated in the quote from the website below:

 

"So, lightning photography is nothing more than setting up your equipment at night, setting focus to infinity, selecting

the proper film speed and aperture, and open the shutter. Then wait for lightning, and when lightning occurs within

your camera's view, you close the shutter (by unlocking the cable release) and advance the film for the next frame."

Courtesy of: http://www.weatherscapes.com/techniques.php?cat=lightning&page=lightning

 

Question 1: I have a Nikon D80 with the 18-135mm kit lens and was wondering where the 'infinity' setting is.

 

 

Ok, now tripods, my dad loaned me a super duper tripod that goes at least as tall as me (5'7'') and is totally stable

and lightweight, and it even has a level!

I bought a small (6'' - 17'') 'tabletop' tripod, the Quantaray by Sunpak QSX 1002XL tripod, but am afraid that it isn't as

sturdy for the D80, however it is more portable. I would like a small tripod that I can easily stash in my camera bag,

since I might not be at home, or all set up when lightning strikes!

 

Question 2: what is the 'best', in terms of portablity and stability, small tripod to get for the D80?

 

Extra Information: I ordered the MC-DC1 shutter release cable as well.

 

Thanks!

[bobatkins]

How big is your camera bag!

 

I have a Velbon 343E which I use when I need something small and light, but it's stll almost 18" long when folded. I even reviewed it here on photo.net - http://www.photo.net/equipment/velbon/343e/index.adp However I don't think it's still a current model.

 

If you want someting that folds up smaller, you're not going to get anything that both goes high and is stable. You might look at the Velbon ULTRA MAXiS tripod. Folds to around 12" in length.

 

BTW lightning photographers have been struck by lighting, so be sure to read up on safety in lightning storms before going out and shooting.

[jennifer_gonzales]

Oh, I forgot to include my camera bag! I have a Lowepro Slingshot 200. :) It has neat little side straps you can clip stuff on, and the little tripod I got would fit right down the inside side of the bag.

 

I am looking for something small and lightweight and stable...perhaps this doesn't exisit due to simple physics? The little tripod I got does hold my camera, but I am leery of leaving the camera on it and far away from me, like if I wanted to get myself in the picture. Also, the directions said to make sure that no part of the camera extends beyond the reach of the tripod's legs...and my lens does - a lot, which makes it heavy on that end, and I can just see the mounting plate, while tight now, with some use loosening up and my camera crashing down.

When I bought the tripod I told the gentelman helping me at Ritz Camera Store I had a D80 and he said this would work, but, I am not so sure...

I will check out the suggested tripods, thanks! :)

[wpahnelas]

i was using a Quantaray QSX-DigiPro 8500 for a while, it's about $60 and it fit into this nice little nylon bag that came with a $25 tripod i got from staples. the quantray is heavy enough for your D80 and lens, but still tote-able. what i hated about it was that the mounting plate was impossible to release. but maybe i had a bad one.

 

most photographers prefer heavy tripods -- especially with pro-level bodies and big telephoto zooms. but i just now checked out my D80 with a 24-120 VR lens, which is probably close to the weight of your setup, and it really is not that heavy...

[david_l3]

Set your camera to its lowest ISO setting, the aperture to 5.6 (dark night), 8 (dusk), or 11 (fading daylight) and shutter to B

with a remote release. Hold the shutter open for a few seconds to a minute or two. A wide angle lens setting will improve

your odds of catching a lightning bolt in the frame. I don't think your lens has a distance scale. Infinity is at the focus ring

all the way to one end of its travel. Look in the finder and if the view is sharp it's at infinity (or pretty close to it). Lightning

is exciting but don't get too much excitement by getting struck yourself. Remember the tripod is metal and will dangerously

attract lightning.

[steveshinn]

I haven't gotten around to posting examples of this but I have found that some active storms seem to develop a fairly predictable discharge pattern. Sit a bit and see if this is true. Also, while your vantage point might give you excellent views, it also leaves you open for a real shocker so follow the above suggestions!

 

Set your camera as suggested above and aim it in the direction of the recent strikes. They should be no less than a couple of miles away unless you want to redefine flash photography. Start your count and open the shutter a few seconds before you expect the next discharge. I saved a lot of film doing this in the predigital age.

 

A car is a fairly decent place to shoot from. The highest point on a hill, under a tree or on horseback is not... One time while backpacking in a storm we felt some tingling sensations. Being aware of the warning signs, we dumped our packs and dove for low cover in the rocks. We didn't need to cook that night.

Be VERY careful.

[jennifer_gonzales]

Hi,

Thanks to all who replied, I am definitely checking out different tripods, particularly the QSX-DigiPro 8500.

 

Thank you for the good advice on how to be 'fast as lightning' (and yes, the kung fu fighting song is in my head!).

 

I will be safe, I don't like my (naturally curly) hair on humid days, I am sure I would hate it electrified. LOL!

 

Next storm - should be Friday! :) If I get anything good I will be sure to post it!

 

Thank you again! :)

[jennifer_gonzales]

p.s.

 

Thanks for telling me where 'infinity' is too!

 

:)

[rick_wong]

if all you wish to capture is the lighting bolts accross the sky a lightweight shaky tripod is ok but if you want to shoot the lighting with forground objects like buildings and want them sharp you need a sturdy tripod. Most storms include wind and rain. A small tripod if sitting on the ground means you need to get down to the camera level to frame. Also if you want big bolts going accross the sky you need to focus tight in that area (around 50mm or longer). The example that I am attaching shows a shot of Amazon's HQ in Seattle and I-5 in the forground this was around a 5 sec exposure. if I did not have a sturdy tripod the lights would of been blured

[rick_wong]

if all you wish to capture is the lighting bolts accross the sky a lightweight shaky tripod is ok but if you want to

shoot the lighting with forground objects like buildings and want them sharp you need a sturdy tripod. Most storms

include wind and rain. A small tripod if sitting on the ground means you need to get down to the camera level to

frame. Also if you want big bolts going accross the sky you need to focus tight in that area (around 50mm or

longer). The example that I am attaching shows a shot of Amazon's HQ in Seattle and I-5 in the forground this was

around a 8 sec exposure. if I did not have a sturdy tripod the lights would of been blured<div></div>

[greg_campbell1]

The suggestions in the article sound about right. One correction I'll offer: Don't close the shutter immediately

after the lightning occurs. A good lightning photo combines the lighting with a properly exposed scene. If your

landscape needs 30 seconds for proper exposure, give it the full time.

 

The big 'trick' to lightning is learning what exposure time is right for a given scene. (Lightning distance

limits your aperture range) City lights, lingering twilight, etc. are all hard to judge, and may be too dark to

produce an accurate meter reading. A digital camera, even a P/S, can be used as a great exposure meter. You can

dial up the ISO and shoot at wide apertures as needed. Take a base exposure and chimp the scene. Adjust your

exposure until you get the exposure you're looking for. Then translate that setting, correcting for ISO and

aperture differences, to produce an exposure time that will give you the same result on film. (In short,

aperture determines lightning brighness, and aperture+shutter controls foreground exposure.)

[jennifer_gonzales]

Wow, Rick, that photo is really nice. I would LOVE to be in a location to (with a LOT of luck) get a shot like that, I was actually just going to practice from my front porch. :) But it never stormed like the know it all weatherman said it would! ;)

 

Greg, I am committing what you said to memory, what you wrote sounds a lot like what I am reading in this book called 'Understadning Exposure' by Bryan somebody. Here is kind a of 'silly' question, but I have to ask it anyways, in the book (and you kind of mention it too), he often shows a photo and then says he 'metered off' on the grass, or snow, or sky, then he 'recomposed and took the photo'.

 

What does that mean, to meter off? I know he is talking about the light meter for exposure, does that mean then he gets the 'right' exposure based on how bright the grass/snow/sky/water is, and then leaves it that way when he recomposes on his subject and takes the picture?

Is this what you mean in your post?

 

Thank you! :)

[jennifer_gonzales]

p.s. oopsie, I don't have the book called Understadning Exposure - I have one called Understanding Exposure!

[geoffm]

Hi Jennifer,

 

I'm surprised that no-one has come back to you with an answer to your latest post by now! Your interpretation is

generally right, but with a caveat or two.

 

What he means by "metering off" something is that he points his camera/meter at this object, takes a reading, and

uses this as a basis for his exposure. He then recomposes the scene (and maybe also re-focuses) before shooting.

 

The simplest way of doing this is to pick something that you want to appear as an average mid-tone in the shot, and

meter off this. Then you just recompose and shoot.

 

If you meter off something that isn't a mid tone, then you will have to adjust exposure before recomposing and

shooting.

 

For example, you mention metering off snow. If you do this and shoot without adjusting exposure then the camera

will make the snow turn out mid grey rather than white (remember that the camera always turns the object you meter

from into a mid-tone - that's the way it works!) If you want white snow you have to increase exposure one to two

stops above the meter reading (or meter from something mid-toned to start with.)

 

Contrariwise, if you meter off something dark and don't make any adjustment for this, then you shot will turn out too

light, as the camera over-exposes in an attempt to make the dark tone into a mid tone.

 

Hope you get another storm soon!

[jennifer_gonzales]

Geoff,

Thank you, your response is extremely helpful. I really appreciate it! I am glad to know that my intrepretation was mostly right, but I didn't understand why one would do that, and now I do. Thank you! :D

 

I hope I get another storm soon too! But, in the meantime I am contenting myself with taking pictures of everything else. :) I hope I can post a picture of lightning soon! (One that I took, of course! LOL)