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Published: 2009-06-30 06:34:01 +0000 UTC; Views: 1620; Favourites: 83; Downloads: 0
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I debated uploading this shot...I'm still feel at sorts with some of my night photography, but then again everything in life will continue to be a process of learning as we go. During my trip into No Man's Land in the Oklahoma Panhandle, this was part of the site I witnessed on the second night. Just before I went to bed, I looked at the door and saw lightning flashes from the west to the north as two thunderstorms traveled northeast. Since I was almost at the absolute northwest corner of the Oklahoma Panhandle, this storm was most likely traveling across the New Mexico/Colorado border at this point. The area was in much need of rain, so the distant storms were a little bitter sweet.At times it was extremely eerie standing outside without a city light in site with only the star light and lightning flashes, as the wind blew towards and into the rolling thunderstorms. It was well worth staying up and watching the spectacle. After an hour to hour and a half, this storm seemed to begin loosing strength since the lightning flashes substantially slowed down in number.
I don't know if you can tell, but in this shot is one of the Panhandle's many mesa's, the lightning bolt and thunderstorm, and the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) directly over head in top center of the image. One thing that is pretty neat is how many more stars you can see without any distracting light, which makes it a little more difficult to point out the popular constellations. I was quite pleased with being able to capture all those elements in one shot, but then again I am a nerd! (Here's a link to a crude outline of Ursa Major in this picture: [link] )
Hope you enjoy!
Β©Copyright Kyle Wright. You may NOT use, replicate, manipulate, or modify this image without my permission. All Rights Reserved.
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Comments: 19
SkylordZuleano [2013-10-10 02:32:45 +0000 UTC]
I like this for some reason
can't tell why
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SilEnigmaArts [2009-07-03 04:24:50 +0000 UTC]
This is a stunning shot and made even more stunning by the fact that you can see the stars as well.
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jayschwartz [2009-06-30 17:27:34 +0000 UTC]
That is great, love the stars above. Great thing about the panhandle is you can see forever.
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kylewright In reply to jayschwartz [2009-06-30 19:37:01 +0000 UTC]
No doubt! We went right through your old stompin grounds. I have to say, that once you go out past Guymon it really is crazy flat! Same thing with southwestern Kansas...it's like being lost at sea with nothing but grass from horizon to horizon! Straight out of Mad Max...
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damnnngirlx3 [2009-06-30 15:09:00 +0000 UTC]
Stunning.
I've always wanted to take pictures of lightning, but there's no clear area around here, and I don't know what setting to put my camera on. :[
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kylewright In reply to damnnngirlx3 [2009-07-20 19:41:49 +0000 UTC]
I'd say get on top of the house, but that's probably a bad idea in a thunderstorm...haha
As far as settings go...here's a starting point: high shutter speed(30/1 sec), a low to medium aperture setting, and a fairly high ISO setting to increase sensitivity to light. As in all things, it depends on variables of the circumstance but this will at least give you a ball park of where to start.
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SJG-photography [2009-06-30 07:03:37 +0000 UTC]
Amazing!
Did you need any editing in this or is it pretty much how you took it?
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kylewright In reply to SJG-photography [2009-06-30 19:44:45 +0000 UTC]
I increased the contrast some to make the blacks darker. Since I had my ISO pretty high and the shutter set to 30 seconds, I didn't have a lot to work with in the photo. It's got a lot of noise at those settings!
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soulatech [2009-06-30 06:48:09 +0000 UTC]
That is just stunning! Can you upload a larger version tho so I can see the details more please.
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rey-sin-corona1 [2009-06-30 06:35:57 +0000 UTC]
Wow, an astonishingly perfect capture.
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