This was my first real attempt at capturing lightning - and I actually got a couple of bolt images! HAHA
This was taken on Topsail Island, NC (USA), while Dad & I were on a fishing trip. And yes, this was "close"! I jumped (nearly out of my skin when this one hit), but I had just clicked the remote trigger on the camera too!
That's the Jolly Roger pier and we caught a bunch of bluefish and Spanish mackerel over the three days we were there. The fact that I got some cool lightning shots on the afternoon we arrived was just a bonus!
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POST CHALLENGE:
OMG!!! I thought I might be in the running for top 5, but my score kept rising after the first day of voting (when it was in the upper 6s). Believe me, I'm as surprised as you are! I was just thrilled to show off that I actually got a lightning bolt shot - I didn't think so much about the fact that it was a relatively long exposure that showed off the waves or the graduated tonal range of the sky & sea - I was just stoked about the bolt! ROFLMAO
My father laughed at/with me when I was taking these shots (because we arrived for fishing and the storm was VERY intense). I shot this from the motel balcony (and ended up shooting from inside the room because of the horizontal rain). But I was determined to get at least one lightning shot from this terrific storm...
It paid off! teehee... Dad was like - did you get that one? Did you get that one? (Every time a bolt would show up - and I'd have to say, "no - it was between clicks or it was just before or after I hit the button".) Until I realized and shouted "I got one!!!" and then I was like, "I got another one!" hahaha - It was fun... (The fact that we caught our limit of fish for three days didn't hurt my frame of mind either...)
PS:
And yes as some of you have commented, I realize that I probably could/should have used "Overwhelming" or "Omnipotent" or another "O" word, but I liked "Opulent" and thought it fit.
Dictionary.com:
"opulent"
1. characterized by or exhibiting opulence: an opulent suite.
2. wealthy, rich, or affluent.
3. richly supplied; abundant or plentiful: opulent sunshine.
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Awesome capture of an awesome moment split-second in time. Congrats on the Blue! Love the comp, tones, and fog... it leaves the viewer with the feeling of actually sitting on the sand (at least it does for me). This belongs on a wall at ~50". Well done :O)
First Congrats on the blue ribbon! I like blue and hnece this pic attracted me very much. Looking at the pic i was wondering about the connection between caption and content and was guessing may be u were meaning Opulence in the sense of variety and vastness of some of Nature's gifts - lightning, brilliant but very short life; an ocean that is vast and permanent with waves that rae individually short but as a part of the sea everlasting, the transience of lightning vs the solidity of the pier and the lifeless material contrasted by the lively fish....
all these surmise b4 looking at your comments and after thoughts on the caption... lol!!!!
I am no photographer just one who comes here to enjoy the work ogf masters like you!
Wonderful shot SJ. Very well deserved Blue. As others have said - beautiful tones and great story. I had the same feeling when I took my shot ( entered in the Sepia challenge ). We don't get many good storms and I have tried on numerous occasions to get a lightning shot...like you, I got such a buzz when I got a couple. Mine didn't do so well in the challenge, but it was shown on TV on the local news and it maybe in a book which the station might compile at the end of the year of all the shots they have shown on the show for charity, so not to upset with the challenge score, lol.
Congrats ( and good thread on CEJ also nice one Chris)
Wingy
Cracking shot dare I say! Close, fishing, lightning, not a good combination of words for surviavl in thunder storm conditions! Glad to read you took the shot from the safety of your hotel room. However, you were in the right place at the right time and got a first rate shot. The composition is great, I love the old rickety pier; the colour of the water is very pleasing and the ominous, dark, murky background adds the finishing touches to an excellent image.
COO!
This is SO much better than I got - I took about 120 shots, all at about 1/60th second, and only got a weak looking shot against light background sky. This is really impressive! Reminds me of stormchasers, and the sort of classically perfect shots they show, but they are usually about two miles away - not so you! Wonder if it was very dark, and all the light comes from the bolt, or is there some skylight, or what? I would love to know what the time was on the exposure
I bet you will get lots of folks want to buy this print - I do!
All the best for a bright future - hope it's not just a flash in the pan, as they say here
Hey, this is Brenda D. This photograph is one of the most incredible sights that I have ever seen!! I love looking at you work......truly amazing.
Okay, now about the Blues and Mackerel that you and your Dad caught. Did you use a Hopkins for the Blues and live bait for the Macks or live bait for both? I thought that Blues only ran during November. When did they change their migrating habits??
Congratulations! I can picture "the legend" taking this shot with your dad - sounds like you were both jumping up and down. It's an awesome (can't help using it again) shot! You deserve the blue!
This is really an amazing shot and I love your enthusiasm for it as well! Don't ya just love getting THE shot? I particularly like the brightness at the origin of the bolt and then the gradient darkness in the sky and the nice toning of the beach and water. The pier adds a lot to this shot as well. Nature sure gave you a shot to remember!
Oh wow! What's not to like about this fabulously, perfect image? It's an incredible image to say the least!! The soft blues against the lightening bolt are so pretty and yet vicious at the same time. What a capture!
This is pretty intense - the subject matter and the photograph - I wouldn't have been outthere but that just me. Is the pier ok? I love the blues and greens. Great job!
Fantastic lightning capture! I really like the colors too and how they blend to the horizon. The water seems almost ghostly (from post-processing?) The title works very well too. Good luck in the challenge.
Main Entry: op·u·lent
Pronunciation: -lənt
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin opulentus, from ops power, help; akin to Latin opus work
Date: 1523
: exhibiting or characterized by opulence: as a: having a large estate or property : wealthy b: amply or plentifully provided or fashioned often to the point of ostentation
I don't think "Opulent" is the right word here, FYI. Nice capture though.
At last a lightning shot that I like, and that works. And the colours are wonderful ... not the normal mauvey, pinky, bluey mess that we see with most lightning photographs.
Nature's Opulent Power
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