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                             Enlightening Clouds

It was late Monday night (okay, since it was past midnight, it technically
was very early Tuesday morning) when I finished cleaning the downstairs and
taking out the garbage when I noticed some storm clouds off in the distance,
backlit with the occastional flash of lightning. I had to grab the camera and
tripod and attempt to capture the moment.

[Enlightened Clouds I] [1] [2] [Enlightened Clouds II] [3] [4]

It wasn't easy. First off, digital cameras aren't known to be fast. Or even
medium. We're talking S-L-O-W. Given the settings I had to use, we're taking
R-E-A-L S-L-O-W. At least three seconds from the time I hit the button until
it started taking the picture, and another two or three seconds for the
camera to make the exposure, and then another fifteen or so for it to process
the image. Normally, for a static scene [5] this isn't an issue at all. Even
for a predictable action scene [6] this isn't much of an issue once you get
the timing down.

But lightning?

Perhaps if it was a stronger storm with flashes every few seconds it would
have been easier, but this was relatively weak—two or three flashes per
minute with no timing consistency what so ever. Out of twenty-six shots only
those two came out. Generally, I would wait a bit, then press the button and
hope that a flash would occur durring the exposure, but inevitably, I would
see lightning during the processing phase.

I missed some incredible shots that way.

Okay, I missed some twenty-four shots this way.

Very annoying.

But, in viewing the shots I did get in rapid sequence it is neat to see the
clouds billowing, even if twenty-four of the twenty-six shots are quite dark.

[1] gopher://gopher.conman.org/IPhlog:2003/08/13/thumb.clouds.1.jpg
[2] gopher://gopher.conman.org/IPhlog:2003/08/13/clouds.1.jpg
[3] gopher://gopher.conman.org/IPhlog:2003/08/13/thumb.clouds.2.jpg
[4] gopher://gopher.conman.org/IPhlog:2003/08/13/clouds.2.jpg
[5] gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2002/12/17.1
[6] gopher://gopher.conman.org/0Phlog:2002/12/12.1

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