Lightning Appearing to Strike Twice

Image

I’ve had little success with long exposures. Our last night on the beach, there was a little bit of lightning. I spent an hour doing 30 second exposures. This shot was the best one by far. I love that you can see a couple dining on the beach with a spotlight as well as people looking for crabs along the shoreline.

This is pretty noisy, but I love the double fork of lightning and the cloud formation. Utah doesn’t deliver quite the same thunder/lightning that other parts of the U.S. can bring. I had hoped for 20 or 30 shots I could pick the best from, but alas, it didn’t work out that way.

I used this, wrapped around the deck rail to hold the camera and the 24–70 2.8L lens. It works well as a headdress, sure, but as a grippy camera thingy, it did very well, despite making Heather extremely nervous that our camera was being held four floors up by the Gorillapod.

This is a full manual shot, with aperture and exposure all dialed in by me. I tried to shoot it at 100 ISO, but 500 yielded a bit more detail and light in the foreground, especially because I wanted a higher f–stop (this shot is f11) for a broader depth of field.

  • http://thelightersidephotos.com Ashley

    i know exactly what you mean about long exposures.…i have been trying to master them for a while now. at any rate, i think this shot came out beautifully — the lightning and surrounding sky are gorgeously framed.

  • Richelle

    That picture is breathe-taking! Well done!

  • http://www.blessourhearts.blogspot.com Mary Moon

    That picture is freaking amazing. I mean that. I’m not much of a big photo-person but that is very, very special.

  • addiann

    Thank you for the details!! And I think one of those inventive tripods is definitely on my list. Wonderful shot. The only lens I have so far is an 18 X 50, and those wide views are really fun. Love looking at your pictures, Jon.

  • http://piratingeleet.com Sara

    I love this shot. It seems so surreal with the people and the spot lights.

  • http://aspicedlife.blogspot.com De in D.C.

    I think that was one of the most amazing shots you have ever taken. The lighting of the clouds and water almost looks painted, which is in contrast to the sharp details of the beach. Breathtaking.

  • Matt

    Please to make print available. Wants=Very Yes.

  • http://andria-and-co.com Andria

    What a great photo!

  • http://www.saroy.net Sarah

    Very very cool.

  • http://amyrollo.com/brookland Amy

    Sick. Shot.

    I HATE tripods because I feel they are too restrictive. Will be purchasing that ingenious piece immediately.

  • http://www.fromthefrontporch.com/WPBlog Ann from Montana

    Beautiful!! All of it — the fork, lit clouds, beach! The broad depth of field made this shot.

  • Lesley

    This photograph could be an award winner. There are many elements that draw, focus, and please the eye — little details to love — not the least of which is the hint of (foreground beach coloured) brown in the sky and along the shoreline opposite the beach in the foreground. The contrast in the water — rippling on the peaceful side, like glass on the lightening side — is also lovely.

    I haven’t a clue what your technical explanation means. (Unfortunately! I really should take a course.)

  • amy dd

    Awesome, Jon.

  • ava’s nanny

    please please please make that a print. and please please please still have one next week when i find some moneys.

  • memikeyounot

    I just clicked on this and saved it as my wallpaper–just a stunning shot that looks especially nice on my new laptop(sorry, Jon, not a Mac.)
    Hope it’s OK that I am using that way.….….…everyone should try it!

  • Marshall

    Nicely done Jon. The cloud really makes it.. and the foreground looks like it was light painted.

    Incedently, Sam captured lightning well here too: http://​wvs​.topleftpixel​.com/​0​8​/​06/11/

  • http://blurbomat.com blurb

    @Marshall, thanks for the props and thanks for sharing that incredible photo!

    Thanks, everybody else!

  • http://log.davedot.com/ Dave Vogt

    I picked up one of those tripods a couple weeks ago. Very good

  • http://fiddley.com Pete Dunn

    I have tried to do this same thing with varying degrees of success. Some of my favorites came from a bunch I tried looking straight at the north star with about a 4 minute exposure from about the deepest part of the Grand Canyon.

  • Melissa

    That is breathtaking… Don’t you just love the Gulf Coast? It’s like Heaven there.

    Will this be available as a print? I would love to buy one and frame it for my mom’s house in Florida!

  • LeFiffre

    Nice work.

  • @dmx

    i once swam in the gulf in a thunderstorm, it’s magical.
    for good storms in utah, get to antelope island and photograph storms across the lake, they’re amazing.

    nice pic!

  • http://www.urbanana.net Lauren

    Wow, there are so many things that I love about this photo.

  • http://heyyourememberme.blogspot.com/ that girl

    My husband was in the navy for 4 yrs and he says his favorite part was watching storms out at sea..That’s what I love about him: his ability to appreciate beauty in situations that would have me curled up in the fetal position guzzling bourbon and anti-anxiety meds..

  • http://www.jillshalvis.com/blog Jill S.

    LOVE that shot.