Thunderstorms

I have recently been attempting to photograph thundrstorms at night,using the K5, with varying levels of success. Exposures seem to work best around 4-10 seconds, depending how active the storm is. If there's more than one major flash during the exposure, the pictures end up blurred as they are handheld. The first shot was taken at 6400 ISO , 3 seconds, using the Sigma 18-250 at 65mm. The second two were using the Sigma 24mm f2.8 Super-Wide II wide open, at 10 seconds and 3 seconds respectively. I just need to find a way of stabilising the camera a bit better! C+C, and any suggestions or ideas on how to improve my technique, most welcome.

Fly more smoothly.

Open the window, obviously...

You need to improve?

#2 and #3 are super, just keep taking as many as possible, after all, digital shots don't need developing so...

Love #2 and #3

2 and 3 are great. No chance of a monopod? Or a fat gecko? (google it!)

Bret

I had a look at one of those, it's bit large unfortunately. I did fiddle with a Gorillapod, but there's not really anything to attach it to. Also, if it's turbulent, I guess arms work better than anything attched to the aircraaf; though it was pretty smooth when I took these as we always try to stay upwind of storms.

I agree. Nicely done. K.

Thanks Kris, and everyone else, for the comments. I still think I can improve my technique somehow. I nearly lost these pics when the memory card disintegrated when I took it out of the camera!

I really like these. I think the softness lends an etheral quality. For me you shouldnt try and stabilise but experiment more with handheld long exposures.

I can google a picture of a storm anytime- these are more interesting.

Very evocative.

Maybe multiple exposures? Assembled in PS.

And decouple the vibrations with a steady cam apparatus and a sprung mass dampening system, say .... your arm.

These are great. I agree that there is *something* about them not being quite sharp. Not sure I have a good idea on how to stabilize. Maybe a rubber lens hood will enable you to get a bit of friction between the end of the lens and the window and add a little further stability.

I especially like number 2 - looks like an A-bomb in the distance!

Regards

Bingo, gyroscopic mount!!!!!!!
probably not cheap nor easy to explain to the security folks.

but if the camera is rock solid the clouds will move slightly relative so not a full solution.

Strap the camera to a heavy hard disk drive, and spin it up, the faster the better. Hey presto, a DIY gyro-mount.

#2 is absolutely superb. The others aren't so bad either. Somehow I can't imagine you using a tripod on a flight deck but the rubber lens hood pressed against the window sounds like a good idea to increase stablization. As othe others say, keep snapping them and some are boundg to work out big time as your practice pays off.
David