.

TO PHOTOGRAPH
LIGHTNING

8st PART

If your camera does not allow an exposure time of B or T or greater than 10 seconds and you only have this night mode or an exposure time of 2 seconds maximum with manual mode, then with a shorter exposure time or the night mode is possible to get results as good and sometimes even prevent the picture is marred by too bright flash. But for that you must use the continuous shooting (burst mode) and not move the tripod at each shot. And a lightning may be taken averaged over 50-100 photos following the thunderstorm activity. And then it will merge photos. For example on 10 photos of an exposure time of 2 seconds each and taken following, if 3 photos have lightning(s) of which the first and last with an interval of about 20 seconds, then merge those 3 pictures would amount to about the same that having put an exposure time of 20 seconds.

  • METHOD TO MERGE MULTIPLE PHOTOS LIGHTNING

For this with Adobe Photoshop software you open the first picture. Then you open the second photo, by selecting and copying it. Then you go to the window where there is the first picture and you paste the picture you just copied. Then in this window each photo that you paste will represent a layer. So that the picture that you just paste to it is superimposed on other photo then you must go into the window of Photoshop which shows us the pasted layers and tells us how they are pasted. For the layer that was pasted you must hand "Normal" on to "Overlay" which is often the best (but which can sometimes be too bright). Sometimes you have to crop photos based on landscape or lighted houses... Then you must do the same for other photos and when the operation is finished you only have to merge all layers by going to LAYER and MERGE LAYERS.

Since the 2 merged photos will never be fine depending on the brightness too or not quite important due to the merger, it will sometimes arrange this. Then by going to LAYER and NEW ADJUSTEMENT LAYER and CURVES you can all improve without too much difficulty.

On 06/24/2005 thunderstorms located about ten kilometers from Saint-Gaudens
is awakened with beautiful lightning. To get an idea of the thunderstorm here is
a panorama of 6 images merged, with an exposure time of 2 seconds each, with
the interval between the 1st and 6th photo is all of 14 minutes. But all the
flashes aren't included because a lightning strike could have ruined everything.
For each picture setting is ISO 200, F4.4, 2".

Click here for to enlarge

Click here to view photos used in this panorama and the lightning strike
that could have messed the photo with a rather long exposure time

Click here to see an animation of the most beautiful lightnings

PRECAUTION DURING THE LIGHTNINGS HUNTING

  • IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE :

- You have to stay away from tall objects such as trees, and telephone poles ;

- You should avoid be located in a surrounding landscape. It is best to seek shelter in an area of low altitude as a Valley ;

- You must especially be away from the water which is a good conductor of electricity. Don't go on a boat when a thunderstorm is coming and if you are already on a boat it is best to go as fast as possible on land ;

- You need to be away from objects that are good conductors of electricity such as tractors, metal fences, motorcycles and bicycles... (don't hold an umbrella) ;

- Don't park your car in the surrounding of a cliff or in a valley embedded in the event of heavy rainfall... ;

- During a thunderstorm you are safe inside a car, but don't touch the metal parts and there isn't zero risk. You must not park near trees or other large objects that may topple over during a thunderstorm and you have to watch out for power lines that have fallen or may fall on your car ;

- If you are in a forest, then shelter you under dense vegetation formed of small trees or bushes ;

  • IF YOU ARE INSIDE :

- Don't go out if the thunderstorm is very closely ;

- You must be away from all objects which are conductors of electricity such as radiators... ;

- Don't use the phone ;

- Before the thunderstorm is near you, unplug electrical appliances, including radios and televisions. But don't touch during the thunderstorm ;

 


WARNING
Patricia Régnier helped me correct mistakes, please you to visit her blog
I’m not english speaker, some improprieties can appear to english masters.
Could you help me reporting by mail any fault you read. Thank you for all.
Contact :