Photo of the Day: Chasing Arizona Storms 9.24.19

Photo of the Day

Phoenix Storms

Date taken: 9.23.19

Backstory: I’d been itching to get out of the city as of late and Monday night proved to be a perfect opportunity to do so. Phoenix was having a huge storm cell roll through and I asked a friend if she’d want to come shoot some sunset/storms as well.

We met out in Gold Canyon (30 minutes outside of PHX) and it proved to be a great spot. We had the sunset behind us and in front of us, a massive lightning display. Now, without a lightning trigger, getting a good crisp shot can be tough. It’s nearly impossible to point and click because human reaction isn’t that fast.

So, you have to go to the long exposure route. Basically, set your long exposure anywhere from 15-25 seconds (that’s up to you) and put your f/stop around 4, and then figure out your ISO from there. Most of your shots will be dark if there’s no lightning. But if you happen to catch one, it’ll light it up perfectly. (The hardest part is making sure you’re in focus. I’d suggest going manual.)

We were out there for two hours or so and it was absolutely magnificent. There’s always something alluring to watching storms roll in but then trying to photography it adds an entirely new dimension.

Side note: Get EXCITED! Calendars will be happening again in 2020. I’m beginning to sift through the thousands of photos I’ve taken this year and will at some point figure out what I want to do. At the moment, I’m thinking I’ll do a general one and then a limited edition Colorado and Iceland one. And don’t worry, I’ll mention the location for each photo. That was a blunder on my side last year.

Until next time adventurers, take care and be safe.

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