On Friday night, while our YDR staff photographers were chasing volleyball teams around the state, I used a day off to chase the storms that crossed the county.
To shoot lightning displays, you need a few things, including luck. Shooting lightning without rain is a big plus. Finding an interesting vantage point at just the right time-- usually before rain hits-- is sometimes tough, other times impossible.
This photo was taken from the Columbia side of the Susquehanna River, probably about a half hour too late. As I raced around trying to find just the right place from which to shoot, I lost precious time as the storm wandered north.
I changed to the Wrightsville side, where another photographer joined me, and showed the photos she made from high up on Sam Lewis State Park's hills. The number of lightning strikes was impressive, exposure was good. As I looked at the photos, I wished I had been at the bridge when she was atop the park's hill.
More strikes would've made this a much stronger picture. But I like the depth of the bridge compared to a flat landscape.
Be prepared to shoot a lot of pictures. Exposure often depends on the brightness of the strike. It's a giant sky and lightning can strike anywhere. Being high isn't necessarily the best place from which to shoot a storm.
For some awesome lightning photos, click here. As you check them out, notice that rules of composition still apply. There is more more to these pictures than a lot of strikes.
For tips how to shoot lightning, click here.
This photo was taken at 200 ISO, 30 seconds at f6.3.
This is superb. That bridge is a great favorite of mine, and the single lightening strike serves a focal point in an excellent composition. Thanks for sharing.