Hi Tiff

Any chance of some tips for photographing lightning? We had an awesome storm last night but I had no idea what I was doing on only got one ok shot. I will post when I get a chance but wondered what I should have done. I did use a tripod (but in the dark managed to not put it up properly and couldn't work out why it was so low ) but wasn't sure what kinds of settings. I have a Nikon D60.

Thanks!!!

ScoutAnnie.

Tripod is absolutely essential!! so top marks for that.
Basic settings you'll need are (and check your manual to where you find them on your Nikon)
IS0 the lowest number it can go.... mine is 50
f2.8 as the lightning should be a long away from you the depth of field distance doesn't really matter.
manual focus. turn the focus ring around to infinity.... on mine its as far toe the left as possible. the symbol looks like

its a bit hard to see but its the L lying down on its back pointing the the 8 symbol that is also lying on its side. The 8 symbol is the infinity mark on your lens.
shutter..... now this is the important bit. put your camera onto bulb if you have it. this lets you open and shut the shutter by any time frame you determine. However to use bulb, you'll need a remote shutter release.

If you don't have a remote release flip the dial round Manual and open the shutter up for 30 second intervals.....it will look like 30" not 1/30. then use your 2 second delay on camera timer to release the shutter. just keep going for it every 30 seconds and sooner or later you'll get that shot.

be patient grasshopper..

ps. I find an umbrella invaluable to hold over the camera (and me) and a CLEAN lens cloth to wipe the lens of rain spots inbetween each 30 second shot.

hope this helps.

tiff

another good source of info is here.

ohhh. and I forgot to mention if you lens has VR (vibration reduction for Nikon, IS Image stabilizer for Canon) turn it off.

Whenever on tripod you don't need this so turn it off. Even that tiny movement of the lens gyros and blur the pic.


t

THanks Tiff, I'll have to print this off. I did have a thought about the slow shutter, even found bulb but wasn't sure how it works. May have to invest in a remote shutter release I think, I used one years ago with my dads old SLR (back in the dim dark ages of film) and it makes a difference with some shots.

scout annie.

the shutter release remote is the ONLY was to go for long exposure (slow shutter) in my opinion.

you go girl.
t