Some years back now, but this image was taken within minutes of getting knocked out by lightning (indirect strike)!
I am lucky and very thankful to be alive and well! At some point I would like to share the whole story and might interview friend photographer Kevin McNeal (Photo Cascadia) for my YouTube page, about the crazy shoot.
But, one moment I was walking toward a tree I was planning to leave my lightning rod 😆 (I mean tripod!) at because of the already close strikes, buzzing in my ears, and weird buzzing sounds in a tree nearby. Then the next moment I was opening up my eyes with my face FLAT on the ground laying prostrate! Yes, I was totally FREAKED OUT, but then I saw the scene before me and could not, not photograph it! I ended up shooting over 500 images hand held and only recently took a look at the whole folder. Many more to come.
Please stay safe and don't do what I have been known to do on occasion, tempt mother nature! 😳 ⚡️
Gear: Sony A7R2, Canon 11-24@11mm, f/8, 1/30th shutter, 200 ISO, hand held, single shot.
Processing: As always, these days I only use Adobe's unprecedented quality 32-Bit, Raw on Raw Layer Workflow...
Some years back now, but this image was taken within minutes of getting knocked out by lightning (indirect strike)!
I am lucky and very thankful to be alive and well! At some point I would like to share the whole story and might interview friend photographer Kevin McNeal (Photo Cascadia) for my YouTube page, about the crazy shoot.
But, one moment I was walking toward a tree I was planning to leave my lightning rod 😆 (I mean tripod!) at because of the already close strikes, buzzing in my ears, and weird buzzing sounds in a tree nearby. Then the next moment I was opening up my eyes with my face FLAT on the ground laying prostrate! Yes, I was totally FREAKED OUT, but then I saw the scene before me and could not, not photograph it! I ended up shooting over 500 images hand held and only recently took a look at the whole folder. Many more to come.
Please stay safe and don't do what I have been known to do on occasion, tempt mother nature! 😳 ⚡️ ...Show more →
I shall remember this the next time I'm down by the beach with camera and tripod in hand as lightning strikes start up. Lightning makes me nervous anyway so this is definitely a fair warning. Glad to hear you weren't seroiusly injured or killed.
Andrew2 wrote:
I shall remember this the next time I'm down by the beach with camera and tripod in hand as lightning strikes start up. Lightning makes me nervous anyway so this is definitely a fair warning. Glad to hear you weren't seroiusly injured or killed.
And yeah, great shot (as usual)
Yes! I too, now living in "Lightning Alley" in Florida, am really remembering this and taking new precautions I never did in the past! Great idea to stay alive. .
I always felt having clouds above and below adds something special to an image. There's definitely more depth and drama, although it is already a dramatic scene in the first place. Really great shot!
Also there can never be enough reminders that there is no joking around with mother nature
Hey Mark, that is an absolutely fascinating story! I lived in Florida for a couple of years and our house was struck several times and it's amazing how much energy is released from lightening. Our bathroom was a center room (hurricane safe-room) w/no windows and during a bad storm one day, lightening hit our house and the entire bathroom lit-up like an Xmas tree. I once passed a scene where only minutes earlier, a group of kids were riding their bikes when lightening hit all of them and killed all of them, each riding separately on their bikes. The ambulance hadn't arrived yet.
The photo is magnificent for sure. I'm glad you described what you heard an experienced. May that serve as a warning for others because nearly all lightening strikes are lethal - NO photo is worth it if it's your last!!!
Exceptional Capture Mark..... Living in West Texas, we get our fair share of some pretty intense lighting strikes and they are quite insane at times. I was use precautions when I am out and about thinking that I'm invisible to such acts of nature.. Thanks for sharing your works and wealth of knowledge...
