Not together unfortunately, but...

I was driving around south-central Nevada today, when I had to stop to shoot this scene...

DA 10-17mm FE @ 10mm (slight crop for composition) f/11...

Then tonight I went out shooting lightning (I think I want a carbon tripod).

Sigma 24mm f/2.8 "Super-Wide" @ f/2.8

I kept shooting the lightning even though I knew another storm was tracking down on me from the north... Sure enough, when I had wandered about 1.5 miles south of town, and ignored too many northern rumbles, wham... the rain hit! It was comforting to know my camera might survive even if my pack leaked, but my paranoia got the better of me and I took my pack off and held it in it's most waterproof position (the portion normally against my back pointed up at the sky, as it seems to be foam ergo I assumed, very water resistant). All turned out fine, I was quite soaked and bedraggled, but my gear stayed dry. I've really only had a chance to glance at these shots, and I may not get much chance tomorrow, 'cause I think we'll be working lightning fires all day. When I do get a chance, I'll post some others...

[Dale]

Errr, I realise that lightning does in fact pay for lenses, but...

You really ought to be using a medium telephoto like the lightning photo howto web sites suggest. Distance = safety and thus more flight pay and more lenses.

Still I laughed at your description of scurrying back to cover, and it is such a good shot.

[heliphoto]

Errr, I realise that lightning does in fact pay for lenses, but...

You really ought to be using a medium telephoto like the lightning photo howto web sites suggest. Distance = safety and thus more flight pay and more lenses.

Still I laughed at your description of scurrying back to cover, and it is such a good shot.

Nah, I wasn't too close to the lightning for comfort (I just want to justify a carbon 'pod ). Based on the flash/thunder time lag, I'd estimate this stuff was at least 20 miles away (it's just big/wide), and I fly closer than that once in a while. I also cropped that shot about 500 px. of width for composition, so we're now more telephoto than 24mm.

BTW Dale, did you get to come to California for our fires? I hear that one of our aircraft is working with Aussies there.

[slowpez]

Nice shots Josh, I especially like the lakebed even though I know how hard it is to get shots of lightening.

[daacon]

Both shots are great Josh well done !

[Dale]

Nope, didn't make it this time. We are waiting to see if the next two planned deployments are sent. I'll pm you at high speed if I'm going!

Nice and green here, but record low levels of rain this year, so put your name up to come over here...

Nah, I wasn't too close to the lightning for comfort (I just want to justify a carbon 'pod ). Based on the flash/thunder time lag, I'd estimate this stuff was at least 20 miles away (it's just big/wide), and I fly closer than that once in a while. I also cropped that shot about 500 px. of width for composition, so we're now more telephoto than 24mm.

BTW Dale, did you get to come to California for our fires? I hear that one of our aircraft is working with Aussies there.

[Jimbo]

Th efirst one is cool.. I travel to Salt Lake all the time and would love to spend some time there getting some shots of the salt beds. JIMBO

[heliphoto]

First of all, more lightning shots now posted here.

Nice shots Josh, I especially like the lakebed even though I know how hard it is to get shots of lightening.

Thanks. I'm afraid I have to disabuse you of the notion that it's hard to grab shots like this at night. All you really need is an active lightning storm, a tripod, a cable release and a willingness to stand out in questionable conditions grinning like a fool and snapping away.

All I did was set the camera on my tripod facing the most active cell, focus to infinity (It's nice to have a lens that I know focuses to infinity rather than past it), lock the shutter open until lightning has dropped within the frame, and close the shutter. I spent the first 10 min. dialing in the exposure. I was surprised to find that at iso 100, even f/2.8 was too slow to get a good shot (though this varies from strike to strike) so I boosted the iso a bit. Long exposure noise reduction was turned off to avoid the long dark frame exposure that follows every shot when it's on, and Lightroom handles hot pixels without user input, so it's not necessary for the camera to do it (glad I don't have a k20d though as I hear it's not optional on that body).

Both shots are great Josh well done !

Thanks daacon.

Th efirst one is cool.. I travel to Salt Lake all the time and would love to spend some time there getting some shots of the salt beds. JIMBO

Thanks Jimbo. I have processed more of these shot's and I may post a few of 'em tomorrow...

[heliphoto]

Ok, new dry lakebed shots in this post.