How to Photograph Lightning and Get Amazing Results

7. Experiment!


Use a long lens to give a more detailed enlargement of the lightning strike itself if the storm is further away and more or less local. You can also use a fish-eye lens for some fun perspective – place your camera on a tripod, point it upwards and capture many lightning strikes in a single image.

Use whatever gear you have access to and experiment! Just in case you wonder, you can photograph lightnings just as well using a simple point-and-shoot camera as long as it has some manual control available. Just set the ISO at a base setting, close down the aperture to f/5.6-f/11 (adjust if necessary), focus on something reasonably far away (turn off AF if possible, or just keep the shutter key halfway pressed). A small compact camera sensor will provide you with plenty of depth of field – and shoot away in manual mode!

8. Lightning Photography FAQ


We put together a few frequently asked questions from our readers on how to photograph lightning.
What are the Best Camera Settings for Photographing Lightning?
Ideally, you should be shooting in manual mode to be able to fully control each exposure. Start with ISO 100, aperture of f/5.6 and set your shutter speed depending on how bright it is outside and how bright lightning strikes get. Evaluative / matrix metering often works well, but you should adjust exposure based on how bright or dark your photos look. Make sure to acquire focus beforehand and turn off autofocus, so that your camera does not re-focus each time you take a picture.

Is it Safe to Photograph Lightning?
Photographing lightnings can be very dangerous, especially if the storm is taking place directly overhead. Make sure that you stand in a covered area, or move away from the lightning storm and use a telephoto lens to shoot from the distance instead.

How do I Photograph Lightning with my Smartphone?
Ideally, you should set your phone on a stable surface or mount it on a tripod to avoid camera shake. Once you do that, use an app that lets you adjust your camera settings such as ISO and shutter speed. Next, set ISO to the lowest value, compose your shot and take a picture. If the image is too dark, adjust the shutter speed accordingly.

9. Be Patient and Take Many Shots


Lightning photography can require you to take many photos – shot after shot – pointing your lens in the exact same location, just hoping that lightning strikes in the right place. Even with an automatic lightning trigger, this could mean you take dozens of photos in a row during the same storm, with the exact same composition. Sometimes, you may return home empty-handed just because of bad luck! However, a good photo is just around the corner; it is bound to happen eventually. Just be patient and keep taking pictures in sequence. You never know which one will turn out perfectly.

Hopefully this guide gave you a good understanding of how to photograph lightning and stay safe while you take pictures! Good luck, and let us know below if you have any questions