3 Lightning approaching

[Coskier]

Heard thunder last Friday, so I went outside to see if there was any lightning worth trying to get a pic of. Was one of the most active electrical storms I had seen here for some time. Put the drone up for about 10 mins while the storm was still quite a ways off, and just shot a lot in burst mode. This is the best shot. Got some more decent ones I need to edit, and some video that has a couple frames worth exporting. But this is the winner, hands down. One shot (not a composite), in burst mode.

 

[KennethH]

I think that shot is amazing. It was taken at exactly the right moment. Any chance an un-edited copy shows it hitting the ground? That too would be amazing.

On taking a closer look, I see what I thought was a decorative border is the actual ground. What drone exactly took this? It is even more amazing.

 

[Coskier]

It is a ground strike, the bottom where it hits is way in the distance. The little dots you see at the bottom are the lights of houses. I was probably 200-300' off the deck.

And thank you for the kind words.

 

[Crash Pro]

That is awesome! What ISO and shutter speed did you use?

 

[Coskier]

That is awesome! What ISO and shutter speed did you use?

I was in auto, but the EXIF says ISO 1050, f2.8, 1/6" - link to the info:

https://flic.kr/p/2nKuCDe

 

[Crash Pro]

Thanks for the info! Trying to get a shot like that but unfortunately/fortunately there have not been many lightning storms in this neck of the woods for a while.

 

[Coskier]

Thanks for the info! Trying to get a shot like that but unfortunately/fortunately there have not been many lightning storms in this neck of the woods for a while.

My pleasure. Burst mode seemed to do the trick. We haven't had a storm like this for a long time around here, so I was quite thrilled that it happened and I got this result. Love the Mavic 3!

 

[DaveS]

Super shot... frame it!

 

[Coskier]

Super shot... frame it!

Thank you! Planning to, just figuring out right medium - metal, acrylic, etc.

 

[PhotoDB]

Can you check the metadata and see what settings you had for this shot. I'm guessing pro mode, as this is one of the crispest I've ever seen from a drone. Nice work.

 

[Squidinc]

One of the best lightening pics I’ve seen for sometime. Great job

 

[R.Cowan]

What a great shot!! Well done!

 

[KennethH]

It is a ground strike, the bottom where it hits is way in the distance. The little dots you see at the bottom are the lights of houses. I was probably 200-300' off the deck.

And thank you for the kind words.

I see now. Enlarging I can see the profile of the horizon, buildings and lights, and so the bolt hits over the rise. That makes it even more amazing. I don't think I'd want to be any closer to where it hit.

 

[AZDave]

Thank you! Planning to, just figuring out right medium - metal, acrylic, etc.

Just a suggestion:

1. Invert the image to swap black versus white

2. Do a mirror image

3. Find somebody with an inexpensive diode laser engraver

4. Have them spray paint a sheet of window pane glass with permanent flat black paint

5. Have them laser engrave the converted image on the painted side of the glass. If they use dithering they might be able to simulate grayscale.

6. Put the pane of glass in a box frame (paint side toward the box) and backlight it with white LEDs. Use a diffuser if necessary.

 

[KennethH]

Just a suggestion:

1. Invert the image to swap black versus white

2. Do a mirror image

3. Find somebody with an inexpensive diode laser engraver

4. Have them spray paint a sheet of window pane glass with permanent flat black paint

5. Have them laser engrave the converted image on the painted side of the glass. If they use dithering they might be able to simulate grayscale.

6. Put the pane of glass in a box frame (paint side toward the box) and backlight it with white LEDs. Use a diffuser if necessary.

And in your spare time...

 

[AZDave]

And in your spare time...

I have a $250 laser engraver that could handle this easily, and except for the light box I could complete the entire task in about 30 minutes ... half of which would be spent waiting for the paint to dry. It's a trivial project.

 

[Proffy]

Amazing!

 

[Dbez1]

Awesome photo!!!

 

[Coskier]

Thank you all for the kind words. And that sounds hella cool @AZDave - DM me an estimate for the part you can do. I can do the lightbox work.

 

[Coskier]

Can you check the metadata and see what settings you had for this shot. I'm guessing pro mode, as this is one of the crispest I've ever seen from a drone. Nice work.

What settings are you looking for? The EXIF info is available if you click through to Flickr on the image in post 5 above.