Learn lightning photography: a step-by-step guide.

SmugMug
SmugMug
Published in
4 min readOct 21, 2020

--

Are you ready to take amazing images of lightning? Here’s the gear you need and instructions to take impressive lightning shots, step by step.

Lightning is powerful, beautiful, and unpredictable, which makes photographing it both challenging and rewarding. Whether you’re in the desert chasing clouds or at the beach and want to capture a water strike, we’re ready to help you master timing so you can take amazing photos of lightning strikes.

In this article, you’ll learn

  1. The gear you need to photograph lightning.
  2. Camera settings for taking photos of lighting.
  3. How to take photos of lightning with your iPhone or smartphone.

Let’s get started!

The gear you need to photograph lightning.

If you want to take clear, striking photos of lightning, you’ll need a few pieces of equipment.

  • A tripod is a must. You’ll be taking long exposures and need to be able to keep the camera perfectly still for a clear shot. Bonus tip: Buy a window mount if you’ll be shooting from inside a vehicle.
  • A remote shutter will allow you to take your pictures without touching your camera, reducing any shake that may be caused by handling it. This will also allow you to set up your equipment outside and take shelter inside a vehicle or building.
  • A camera that allows you to adjust your aperture, shutter speed, and ISO is critical. This can be a DSLR, a point and shoot, or even a smartphone.
  • A zoom lens can be helpful since you’ll be shooting from a distance. A wide-angle lens can also help you capture the perfect shot as you never know exactly where lightning will strike.
  • If you plan on taking a lot of lightning photos, you may want to invest in a lightning trigger. This device will automatically take photos when lightning is detected.

Camera settings for taking photos of lighting.

To capture good, clear images of lightning, you’ll need to be able to adjust the camera’s settings. Shooting in Auto mode will rarely yield good results.

  1. Set your lens to manual focus, then focus to infinity.
  2. Set your ISO to 400. Take a few test shots and adjust accordingly. If your image is overexposed, decrease the ISO a bit. If it’s underexposed, increase the ISO.
  3. Make sure your camera is in manual mode. Why not automatic? When lightning does strike, it will illuminate the area, which may cause your camera to use the wrong exposure.
  4. Set your shutter speed. You may need to play around with this to see what works best for the type of shot you’re going for. A longer speed will give you a better chance of capturing a lightning strike but will brighten the foreground. If you want a dramatic, dark photo, a shorter shutter speed will do this but will make capturing lightning strikes a bit trickier.
  5. Set your aperture. Start with f/5.6 and take a couple of test shots. If your images look overexposed, stop down.

How to take photos of lightning with your iPhone or smartphone.

What if your smartphone is your camera? Can you still capture lightning strikes? Absolutely! Here’s how.

  1. Download an app that allows you to set your camera to manual mode. Bonus points if it allows you to shoot in RAW as well. RAW photos are better suited for editing.
  2. Disable notifications and sound. If your phone vibrates when you’re shooting, it can cause blurriness in your image.
  3. Use the same steps as above: set your ISO, shutter speed, and aperture.
  4. Once you’ve taken your photos, you can edit the images on your smartphone using an app like Snapseed.

Safety tips.

It’s worth mentioning that lightning is extremely dangerous and you should always take safety precautions. Whenever you’re out photographing, make sure you’re in a safe area such as inside a vehicle or building.

A good rule of thumb is to stay around 6 to 10 miles away from the storm. Also, stay away from

  • Elevated areas such as hills or mountain ridges
  • Open areas
  • Tall trees
  • Water
  • Metal structures
  • Objects that conduct electricity, such as power lines or electric fences

Remember, if you can hear thunder, you’re close enough to be hit by lightning.

Taking photos of lightning is fun, but it requires a bit of patience. You may need to take dozens of shots before you get a single usable image, but it’s worth it.

Do you feel inspired to try photographing lightning? Or, have you captured this type of shot before? Tell us more by leaving a comment below or start a conversation on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

--

--