Looks like the pick of the bunch to me also! Nice capture!

Can I offer a little something, a tidbit of camera control if you will..

Bring your f-stop up to around f/8 and keep your ISO at 100 or 200, it will knock off any grain or noise you may encounter. By bringing the f-stop to 8 should bring out more cloud detail and brighten the overall shot given the 30 second exposure (by the EXIF data) and still allow clean, crisp bolts (given they aren't staccato). I rarely go above 15 seconds if I can avoid it, though with sparse lightning illuminating the clouds it's probably quite a reasonable time

You use the same Canon as me by the looks so I can help easily if you need any more tips!

You well on your way it seems
Keep up the great work, I cant wait to see what you manage to produce!

Take care
Shauno.

I really appreciate this! I am always looking for advice and always willing to try new techniques! Also, I figured since I use lights in the background as reference points for focus, I needed something to cut the glare. I have a Tiffen 58mm circular polarizer on in this photo. I don't know that it did anything, but do you know of filters that would help for stuff like this? Am I better off not using the circular polarizer?

Easy answer here.. YEP! Get rid of the polarizer lol! The only filter I use (on my 18-55mm kit lens) is a UV and this is mainly for dust and weather protection purposes. I don't use any filters on my 10-20mm Sigma.

I have a circular polarizer also but only use it now and again for daylight landscape work. You want as much light as possible (other than the lightning) to enter your lens in lightning photography. Helps bring out the foreground and cloud illumination when needed.

I also use distant lights for focus reference on my kit lens. The glare of lights should not be an issue using live view, in fact when it's cleared up and the lights are as sharp as you can get them, you can kind of tell the focus is correct. Whenever you purchase a new lens make sure it has a nice clear focal gauge on board! My new Sigma has it and it's a real lifesaver lol! Just manually set it to infinity and forget it
Even in pitch black darkness, I use the light from my cell phone to check and make sure focus is right. These are the little things you learn along the way from making many mistakes at the worst times lol.

Anything else I can help with feel free to ask!
Take care Trey
Shauno.

Good to know! I'm still very new to SLR's and I'm always of the mind to try things out first and ask questions later. I didn't really notice a difference, but then again, I didn't really try taking off the filter after I started. After all, as you well know, the lightning always strikes in your frame when you're messing with the camera... Still, what you said makes sense, and I'm always up for advice.

Anyways, I have no camera stores anywhere near where I live, so unfortunately I'll have to get my lenses online. As you know, the kit lens for our cameras doesn't have an infinity marking (or none that I see...). About where is the infinity marking with the kit lens? And what does this setting do? I assume all lenses have it (marked or unmarked).

Anyways, my cell phone has a terrible back light. I have learned to always carry a flashlight, portable radio (JUST in case things turn sour quickly), and bug spray when I'm taking lightning photos (I've had to call it an early night due to the mosquitos before). The things you learn from trial and error...

I TRULY appreciate your advice! This is one of the reasons why I joined this site!

Have a good evening Shauno.

My pleasure Trey, always glad to help

Sounds like we share many things in common! I'm way out the middle of nowhere basically? My nearest camera store is a 3hour drive South! So it's mostly internet purchases for me too.

The infinity on the kit lens is a real nasty thing and temperamental at times. It's usually just a fraction back from fully out (if that makes sense) I only rely on focusing on very distant lights to set it. It's a relative point on the focal plane that puts almost everything in the frame in focus. If you just play around with your camera in the day (no doubt you've already done this as I have many times) you'll see where this mark is and how it effects the overall image, eliminating any background blur. Some of my friends have used white out to put a little mark at this point but I wouldn't like it to powderise an enter the lens barrel. That would spell D I S A S T E R! lol.

All lenses have an infinity mark or point in their optical field.

We also learned the hard way to carry mozzie repellent at all time, particularly when we have a run of weather over a week or so and they start breeding in the puddles, mostly near where you're standing!

You take it easy Trey
Shauno

My favourite in this series

--
Main art gallery *Quaddles-Roost
My stock gallery *quaddles
Husband`s gallery *quaddie

CLUBS
~DeviantHerps~fungi-club~WildlifeUK*Insect-Lovers-Club*naturephotographer~BigCats=Birds-Club=Fujifilm-Club

Thanks! Mine too!