Hello All,
Well as most of you would know there was
a storm across Sydney last night and I happened to get some pictures for you.
You need to read the story behind
the pictures to realise the stupidity
of some photographers and their quest for the greatest images.
It started in the west. I could see great cloud
formations and lightening strikes everywhere. In my office it was like a fluro
light was flickering outside. I couldn't hear the storm but knew it was in the
distance. So I thought I'd wonder up to the roof to catch a picture or two. I
have a few excellent lightening shots but never knew what was going to come
about this night
The camera was getting pretty wet so I had to be quick. I had no tripod either. Just an old table to rest on...
As I took a few more pictures the wind came up really
strong. then a few strikes to the south of Parramatta.
I knew it was on its way and I could see that our unit complex was almost right in
line of the storm.....
I Rang my neighbour and asked if he would like to catch some
pictures with me but it was a bit late and he was ready for bed. It had
been a hot day and the cool breeze was not too bad to be in so I grabbed a
memory card and spare battery and headed for my own balcony "with an umbrella".
I started catching so many strikes that I became a little
bored with how easy it actually was.
This shot below has a minimum of 7 strikes in total.....
SO !! I decided to capture my own image with a
lightening strike in the same shot. NOW how many of you have your picture with
lightening....?
The camera was taking 20 - 30 second exposures and easily
getting me and the lightening all at once and with multiple strikes....
The freaky part is that I am standing in the rain... On the rooftop... In a
thunder storm.... with bare feet... In half an inch of water...holding a wire
framed umbrella over my head!!!
My hair was lifting up into the area between the umbrella
and my head... Just like one of those static machines or something....everytime
a flash in the sky would light up.... This photo was the hardest 20 seconds I
think I'll ever do again.....especially
when you see what is about to happen.....
The decision was made to put down the umbrella...
I was having a chuckle to myself when I thought of this shot
above.... I would take an image that appears to have me creating the
thunder and lightening, just like some 'lord of the rings' wizard
or something.....
Now I was getting scared !!! because
the hairs on my arms where lifting straight up when the sky flashed above....
So I decided to come under cover and finish up my lightening
photography for the night....
BUT..... I had to get just one more shot of the tremendous
storm that had entertained me for over an hour so I set up the camera for one
last shot.....
Timed it for a thirty second capture
Pointed it at where I had been standing only a moment
ago..........
And pressed the
button.........
1second.....
2seconds.....
3seconds.......
Then it happened !
Lightening only 20 feet away
and right near where I had been standing.......
· Most lightning strikes occur either at
the beginning or end of a storm.
· The average lightning strike is six
miles long.
· Lightning reaches 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit,
fours times as
hot as the sun's surface.
· A cloud-to-ground lightning channel
can be 2 to 10 miles long.
· Voltage in a cloud-to-ground strike is
100 million to
1 billion volts.
Just 20 feet
away......
I hope to bring
you more pictures in the future......
Regards
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