storming at macquarie's point

[d70_n00b]

Hey all, me and the gf took a (longer than expected) hike down to Macquarie's Point because I wanted to get some nice O.H./S.H.B. shots... about halfway there it started thundering and lightning. I had my fingers crossed, but as we were reaching Macquarie's Point (I'd taken like one normal shot) the rain started... I convinced my gf to stay under a tree with me, where I soon set up my tripod and started snapping away -- worried about my precious D70 the whole time. Anyways, I got some shots I thought were pretty decent (minimal PP, just a bit of cropping and some rotating... Didn't get all the rotating perfect, but I'll fix that later... I'm tired). Let me know what you all think!

As always, click thumbnails for larger versions.

[flipfrog]

awesome stuff
nice to see that bridge as part of the image but not the only subject for once!

[Oneputt]

I think that you have got some great shots there. Very wll done

[LostDingo]

Good captures in this, you did well but must have been a somewhat hair raising experience!!

[birddog114]

d70_n00b

Well worth for your walk to the Mrs MacQuairie Chairs.
You're couraged enough to be there under the lightning storm, surrounded trees & rocks are the danger signs in the storm.

Lately, its name has been converted to "Kissing point" or "Open Sex Farm" and its business hours is starting after dark

[sheepie]

That last one, especially, is a good one - well worth spending a bit of time PP'ing. Look forward to seeing the end result
Well done on having the mental fortitude to stay out in that last night - and even more well done to keep the gf there with you (although it is one hell of a romantic spot)!
We got the edge of the storm pass over here. I reckon (looking at the radar images) it took it's revenge on Birdy's place for all the good work he does - a bit of balancing up all the good Karma

[gstark]

I too think that the last one of these is simply awesome.

Great work and thanx for sahring these.

[Killakoala]

Really awesome. These are some of the best lightning strike photo we've seen on this forum.

One of those strikes may be responsible for me losing power last night and still not restored when i left for work this morning. We had a major strike on powerlines in my street in Nth Ryde.

[birddog114]

One of those strikes may be responsible for me losing power last night and still not restored when i left for work this morning. We had a major strike on powerlines in my street in Nth Ryde.

Where's your portable generator? I thought, it was issued to all sailors in the RAN

[rokkstar]

Absoloutely brilliant.
I agree, it's nice to see the OH as just part of the picture rather than the main point of interest.

Very well done, and well worth the trek and perseverance.

[Alpha_7]

This are friggin fantastic... my new goal is to capture lightning in interesting places, not just in my own backyard. Awesome stuff!

[stubbsy]

Whatev everyone else has said! Can't wait to see the final PP'd version.

[sirhc55]

These are the best OH shots I have seen in a long while - the lightning is absolutely fantastic. A great series of pics to take back home

[moggy]

Terrific pics, very well done.

Bob.

.

[radar]

Awesome shots,

I admire your courage or foolishness

#1 and the last ones are my favourites, but all are great

thanks for sharing,

radar

[marcotrov]

Great series Anthony and beautifully exposed. #1 and last one are the picks IMO. Great drama and balance
cheers
marco

[Hlop]

Great photos! My favs are #1 and #5. Well done!

[Alpha_7]

Anyone notice a weird light patch above and to the left of the OH, is it the OH and its light relfecting of the clouds ? Or is it just me... seems like there is a yellow glow or tint to the clouds.

[thaddeus]

Awesome shots of what is usually a cliched view.
What settings did you use?

[d70_n00b]

Anyone notice a weird light patch above and to the left of the OH, is it the OH and its light relfecting of the clouds ? Or is it just me... seems like there is a yellow glow or tint to the clouds.

Do you mean in shot number 5? I saw that too, I think it was a raindrop on my lens that caused it (I have a few other shots with the same)...

Awesome shots of what is usually a cliched view.
What settings did you use?

Most (if not all) of the shots posted were at ISO 200, f/9, 15 sec., taken with the kit lens at 38mm. In the beginning I was just shooting at the first signs of light (i.e. the whole sky lights up, then I snap, then cross fingers and hope for a bolt)... eventually I just kept snapping away. I have a 1GB card and changed the focal point to the bottom center (so it would stay focused on the bridge), and I didn't come near filling the card. I remember getting mad that I missed one AWESOME shot right down the center between snaps. Oh well.

Thanks for all the great responses on these, all! I remember seeing some lightning shots on this forum and thinking "Man, I wish I could get a couple of shots like that!" Needless to say I was pretty excited to have gotten quite a few decent shots on my first try out.

Let me know if anyone has any suggestions/tips on what kind of PP I should be looking to do (or if you think I should leave them as they are). Thanks again!

[Alpha_7]

Arh a raindrop, yep that could be it, I had to periodically give my UV filter a wipe to get of the odd raindrop (even when I was undercover). For the first time out, you got some stellar lightning shots, as far as technique is concerned. I use between 10-30 second exposures and as soon as its taken a shot, press the shutter again this way I have minimal "downtime" to miss a possible lightning strike. It also means I end up with a CF mostly full of dark to black images

[Mal]

Well done. Has the gf seen the pictures? A good way to get her hooked into photography!
Great shots number 5 is my favourite

[avkomp]

wow, some nice captures here.

even better because you risked getting whacked by lightning to get them!!

Steve

[maca]

nice work really well done

[Willy wombat]

Excellent - when i heard about the storm in Sydney last night i knew that some one would have been out there with cam in hand.

Congrats. These are very good.

[drifter]

Great shots .

[Glen]

Anthony, great shots of an often seen subject

[elffinarts]

I remember getting mad that I missed one AWESOME shot right down the center between snaps. Oh well.

lol - that happened last time I was able to escape the office to enjoy a storm

I missed about 6 great shots while the D70 was lagging between the 30sec exposures I was doing. Had me just about pulling my hair out. 30sec shot of nothing........ 2 sec break between shots and the lighting strikes nearby and very fiercely and of course I miss it before my next 30sec exposure. lol

these are my new fav pics of Sydney! great work

[christiand]

Hi Anthony,

I'll just join the large queue of dslrusers
praising your photos and say: nothing I can add.

Regards,
CD

[glass eye]

Awsome pics i agree on the last one being the best.

What setting did you have the camera at? iso aperature and so forth.

John

[sheepie]

Arh a raindrop, yep that could be it, I had to periodically give my UV filter a wipe to get of the odd raindrop (even when I was undercover).

hehe - the menace that is the raindrop...


(Some of you may have seen this one )

Anyone that can get good lightning shots while in the rain has done well - there's just so many variables!

Of course, luck comes into it big-time - as I was with the above shot

As I said earlier, Anthony, you've done well. I guess my only real criticism (if you can call it that - more a suggestion for next time really) would be to have had a slightly wider angle - the Opera House and Bridge are too close to the edge of the pics for my liking. So far as PP work, play with the levels and make sure the horizons are dead level. I'm finding the Opera House, on my monitor at least, is a little overdone - try bringing the exposure on that down a touch. I'd leave the tree leaves in the top - I think they add a dimension to the pics.

Your technique seems to be sound - the settings you've used are very similar to what I used in the above shot. As encouragement, and if you haven't seen it before, I have this cropped to just the bolt, and printed to A3+ size (thanks to Birddog) - well worth the effort.

[d70_n00b]

What setting did you have the camera at? iso aperature and so forth.

Most (if not all) of the shots posted were at ISO 200, f/9, 15 sec., taken with the kit lens at 38mm.

As I said earlier, Anthony, you've done well. I guess my only real criticism (if you can call it that - more a suggestion for next time really) would be to have had a slightly wider angle - the Opera House and Bridge are too close to the edge of the pics for my liking.

I know what you mean, hadn't thought much about it at the time... was also trying to keep the leaves out of the shot as much as possible (didn't realize they'd look kind of OK in the shot). Also, some of the shots have been rotated a bit already, which has cut off some of the sides.

So far as PP work, play with the levels and make sure the horizons are dead level. I'm finding the Opera House, on my monitor at least, is a little overdone - try bringing the exposure on that down a touch. I'd leave the tree leaves in the top - I think they add a dimension to the pics.

Yeah, lowering the shot's exposure as a whole also lessened the lightning effect, so I'll need to take my time and try to single out the Opera House's exposure. As for the leaves, I somewhat agree, they're starting to grow on me (not literally... )

Your technique seems to be sound - the settings you've used are very similar to what I used in the above shot. As encouragement, and if you haven't seen it before, I have this cropped to just the bolt, and printed to A3+ size (thanks to Birddog) - well worth the effort.

I'm glad the settings worked out, I had my fingers crossed and it looked pretty good in the mini-LCD on the camera. I like your lightning shot a lot, too... I can see how cropping the bolt would look quite awesome!


Anyways, thanks to you all for all the great compliments and helpful thoughts! I really wasn't expecting such an awesome response on these, I'm glad you all enjoy the shots!

[d70_n00b]

Hey all, didn't want to open a new topic for this... Just wanted some quick feedback on this:



It's my first attempt at framing an image, I'm thinking of making a Photoshop action out of it... Any comments/suggestions?

Thanks!

[Alpha_7]

I like it, nice frame, and great PP work!

[kipper]

Now this is what I'm talking about.

[Jonesy]

Kipper is right! This is what it is all about and what I would love to have hanging on my wall... But only If I had taken it!!!! A classic scene with some great lightning to set it off. I love lightning shots but like Kipper, I think the keepers have to have the right landscape to go with it!!!

AND YOU GOT A SERIES OF THEM I'm jealous

great stuff... Cheers

[antman]

Fantastic.

[mudder]

G'day,

Just catching up with this thread now, I'd be proud of that one mate, nice framing and treatment... Print that out large, frame and hang it on the wall.

[BBJ]

Bloody Beautiful, love it jealous, words can not explain but this is a great shot framed.

Leon, i think you have been playing with Paint Shop Pro there.LOL