There are few better shows in the African bush than a thunderstorm. Over the past two weeks we have been treated to an incredible array of exactly this, the raw power of nature. The sounds, the colours and the sheer explosiveness of lightening. There is a sense of calmness in amongst the electric chaos of a storm. It is something that cannot be described only felt.
The lightning ran parallel to the ground at one stage. Simon Smit
The days leading up to a thunderstorm are always full of excitement… As each day goes by the temperature soars higher and higher with clouds building up into the late afternoon. There is a sense of energy that fills the air not only felt by us but the wildlife feel it too.
The theatre is unreal, a brief moment in time where the darkness is expelled and an African canvas is illuminated.
To watch the breathtaking sky is one thing but trying to capture it using a camera is another. We set our cameras to manual and experimented with some settings. Trevor and I had slightly different settings but purely because we had different equipment. I had a shutter release cable and he didn’t. We both used tripods, essential for a stable shot because of the length of time the shutter was open.
The lack of a shutter release is not a big issue and the self timer function can be used as a substitute to ensure a steady shot by allowing the camera to stop shaking after you push the shutter button.
Low ISOs and long shutter times are ideal. Allowing the shutter to stay open for an extended period of time provides more chance of capturing the split second flashes of light. A range of 100-400 was used for ISO levels and we set our cameras to an aperture of f8. The ISO level determines how long the shutter needs to stay open to correctly expose the image.
With lower ISO levels longer shutter times are used. 30 seconds was the amount of time Trevor found ideal. I set my ISO to 400 and floated between 10 and 15 seconds depending on the intensity of the flashes at the time.
Thanks to the digital age we are able to experiment and get immediate results. If you are unsure of your settings, fire off a shot and look at the results and adjust your settings accordingly. Remember that light conditions are very rarely the same so be open to experimenting until you achieve the desired outcome. To get these kinds of shots a basic understanding of your equipment and settings will help but the only way you will get the shots is if you get out there and try, have fun!
Sheets of lightening illuminate the nights sky. Trevor McCall-Peat
The last photograph I took on the evening. Simon Smit
Using a 70-200mm lens is not ideal for this type of photography but captures a close up image of a dividing bolt. Trevor McCall-Peat
An almighty bolt!
A single bolt strikes the darkness in a display of one of natures great creations…Thunderstorms. Trevor McCall-Peat
Raw power. Trevor McCall-Peat
Interesting texture in the clouds. Simon Smit
Written by: Simon Smit and Trevor Mccall-Peat
Photographed by: Simon Smit and Trevor Mccall-Peat
Stunning photos.
Love these photographs!! Thank you!
Does the lightning ever get really close to the living quarters? I have been directly under a severe thunder/lightning storm once and it was eerie. Lightening bolts were striking very close to my dwelling in the woods. I was mesmorized and terrified watching the bolts of lighting between the trees so close to me, not knowing where the next one would be. The sound was strange, too, and excrutiatingly silent between strikes.
Hi Kim, there are occasional lighting strikes that are close to camp. Your experience sounds exhilarating! Thank you for sharing,
Wow amazing photos! I have a request, if you can kindly update a bit more on the lion prides?
Thank you Beatriz, we will be featuring a lion update this week. Thanks for checking in.
Thank you for the wonderful photos, as well as the suggested settings. I have yet to capture a good lightning photo.
Guys these pictures are better than any fireworks display & I would love to have been there to witness that raw power! Beautiful thank you. Have you ever had animals struck by lightening?
Hi Wendy, thanks for your comment. There are no recorded incidences of animals on property that we know of that have been struck but I am sure there must be a few that have happened that we may not have been aware of. The raw power of a thunderstorm is incredible to witness – the theatre of the sky!
Nice shots!