Gorilla Monsoon

Not the most electric of storms--it took me almost half an hour of standing out in the rain just to get this shot, but i hate to pass up any opportunity to shoot lightning from close to home. This is looking south at Pueblo; the bolt on the left blew a transformer. Lots o rain tonite! (10s exposure)

Lightning has been on my "to-do" list all summer, and still have nothing. The lightning itself is terrific, however the ridgeline/horizon silhouette with the house makes this feel kind of pedestrian (I realize you don't have a TON of options in Pueblo). I think it's worth a 1/2 hour of your soggy time regardless!

It is always fun to capture lightning. But I have to agree with Jared here..... the ridgeline/horizon silhouette is distracting in this shot. Actually, it is the distant lights and cell phone towers that I find distracting. The silhouette of the house gives it a "lonely" feeling, which is great, but those towers just take some of that feeling away for me.

It's about choices isn't it, the lightning is the star here the foreground is a bit player. When you place the camera the foreground has no importance in the decision it's all about where the most activity is occurring. Dramatic shot Stan and foreground is just an anchor, doesn't bother me.

Paul

Only half an hour? Seems worth it to me. I'm with Paul on this one. The lightning is the main subject and as for the foreground, I actually like the house. It evokes the feeling that this kind of show can happen in anyone's backyard in Colorado (and it does in real life.) You don't need to be standing on a high mountain ridge to witness it.

Striking. Simply striking.


Well, as usual I'm the weird one. I covered up the ground silhouette and the image became a floating electric ball that left me wondering what I was looking at. Looking again at the full image, the ground anchors the shot, I really like the ground in there.

Stan, I like the silhouette of the house, but the far distant lights and cell phone towers, are very distracting.( The house and the lightening actually gives me goosebumps) But---anyone that will stand out in the rain in a electrical storm for a shot at lightening ------my hat is off to you. Lately it is very difficult to get the perfect photograph. There are either people, windmills, lightpoles, cell towers, etc that will most often need be cloned out. Good shot.

I was heading home after dropping of art for the State Fair Show when this storm started. It was closing in on all sides and looked like a good thing to get away from. Turned out COS was about to be hit too.

I like the purple color and the main strike is a great capture. I keep waiting to catch a good show like this and always like your lightning shots.

Stan,
Did you do a series of exposures hoping to capture the lightning, or did you have a detector? The house and distant lights give it a suburban feel, which does not bother me.

That is one amazing image! Looks scary just standing out there!

That's one hot lightning bolt! No nits from me, we're surrounded by urban sprawl and nature "hits" in all sorts of places.

Cool shot Stan.

Crazy cool! I hope that was not at 17mm!

I agree with Jackie that I will keep the silhouette but perhaps clone out the towers, but it's a crazy shot that I am not sure I will get a chance to make!

Your title makes me laugh loudly and the image scares the hell outta me!

Stan, you are the master of lighting shots! Not an easy task.

Electrifying!

Thanks folks--i should have been clear i wasnt really looking for critique--just sharing the lightning!
Doug: you dont need a detector at night--just keep firing until you get a strike, delete remainder

Nice lightning shot, it's always worth it!