GOD'S LIGHTNING SHOW

SMOKEYDOGSOCKS

GOD'S LIGHTNING SHOW

MAY 12, 1988: ON TOP OF MOUNT VACA LOOKING OVER THE TOWN OF VACAVILLE CALIFORNIA AND SACRAMENTO VALLEY TOWARDS RIO VISTA. THE LIGHTNING STORM STARTED IN THE SIERRAS AND TRAVELED ACROSS THE SACRAMENTO VALLEY ALL THE WAY AROUND THE CASCADE MOUNTAINS TO THE NAPA VALLEY. ABOUT 20 SECONDS AFTER LEAVING MY PARKING SPOT, WHERE I TOOK THIS PHOTO FROM, DAYLIGHT HAPPENED. THE LIGHTNING STRIKE WAS SO INTENSE, THAT MY FRIEND WHO WAS WITH ME AND JUST HAPPENED TO BE BLIND, SAID HE WAS ABLE TO SEE SOME OF THE LIGHT IN WHAT LITTLE VISSION HE HAD. AND BELIEVE ME, HE COULDN’T SEE THAT MUCH. THIS PHOTO MAKES A GREAT 20X30 TO HANG ON THE WALL, MAYBE OVER A FIREPLACE MANTLE.
LIGHTNING STRIKES LIKE THESE HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO BE OVER 10,000 DEGREES IN TEMPERATURE AT THE CORE OF THE STRIKE, WHICH MIGHT ONLY BE ONE INCH IN DIAMETER. THIS SHOT WAS A MULTIPLE EXPOSURE SHOT OF 4 EXPOSURES OF 20 SECONDS EACH WITH A CABLE SHUTTER RELEASE ON A TRIPOD. THE CAMERA WAS A CANON EOS 620 WITH THE SHUTTER SET ON THE B SETTING AND THE F STOP WAS SET AT FF:22, SO I WOULDN’T OVER EXPOSE THE CITY LIGHTS. TO GIVE THIS IMAGE SOME SORT OF SCALE, THE TWO RED LIGHT TOWERS THAT ARE JUST TO RIGHT OF CENTER, THE SHORT ONE IS 1600 FEET TALL AND THE TALLEST ONE IS 2000 FEET TALL. I WAS ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN THAT IS 2800 FEET IN ALTITUDE. THOSE TWO TOWERS ARE APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES AWAY FROM WHERE I WAS SITTING.

GOD'S LIGHTNING SHOW belongs to the following groups:

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Greeting Cards, Matted Prints, Laminated Prints, Mounted Prints, Canvas Prints and Framed Prints

GOD'S LIGHTNING SHOW by SMOKEYDOGSOCKS
GOD'S LIGHTNING SHOW by SMOKEYDOGSOCKS
  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS

    SMOKEYDOGSOCKS

    THE TALLEST RED TOWER UNDER THE LIGHTNING STRIKE IS 2000 FEET TALL IN OAK GROVE.

  • Gino Iori

    Gino Iori

    Great capture – well done !

  • Gino Iori

    Gino Iori

    Smoky – should you consider joining some groups and submitting your work to them. You will get a wider audience that way.

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU GINO, SORRY IT HAS TAKEN ME SO LONG TO RESPOND, I TOOK YOUR ADVISE AND HAVE JOINED MANY GROUPS. THANKS AGAIN, BOB.

  • CynLynn

    CynLynn

    Wow what a light show, never seen so much in one picture, very well done

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU CYNLYNN, I ALMOST MISSED THE WHOLE SHOW. I ONLY HAD TWO FRAMES OF FILM THAT NIGHT, I USED UP THE PREVIOUS FRAMES ON THE SUNSET THAT WENT ALONG WITH THAT ELECTRICAL STORM.

  • Andrew S

    Andrew S

    So well done, brilliant work

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU ANDREW, I APPERCIATE THE COMPLIMENT. BOB

  • Daniel J. McCauley IV

    Daniel J. McCa...

    Fantastic work! Beautiful image!

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANKS DANIEL. IF I HAD BEEN USING DIGITAL BACK THEN, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET MORE SHOTS THAT NIGHT. I RAN OUT OF FILM AND ONLY HAD TWO FRAMES TO WORK WITH. I APPRECIATE THE COMPLIMENT. BOB

  • Fremme

    Fremme

    great timing, right place, right time, great capture

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANKS FREMME, I ACTULLY PLANNED THAT NIGHT ACCORDING TO THE WEATHER REPORTS AND ALL THE TALK ABOUT ELECTRICAL STORMS THAT SHOULD BE HAPPENING. THEY WERE RIGHT, IT DID. I GOT ANOTHER CHANCE AT LIGHTNING ONE MONTH LATER FROM THE SAME MOUNTAIN TOP,BUT A DIFFERENT DIRECTION, MORE NORTH EAST. BOB

  • van049

    van049

    Great capture of such a fantastic light show!!!!

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU VAN, YOU SHOULD SEE THE FULL FRAME SHOT. THIS IS A TIGHT CROP TO HIGHLIGHT THE LIGHTNING. BOB

  • Catherine  Howell

    Catherine Howell

    Absolutely incredible capture:)

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU CATHERINE. WITH FILM YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO GET UNTIL IT’S DEVELOPED. MY NEXT OBJECTIVE IS TO GET SOMETHING SIMILAR ON DIGITAL. I HAVEN’T FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO MULTIPLE EXPOSURES ON ONE FRAME YET WITH DIGITAL. BOB

  • Rachel71

    Rachel71

    Exciting Shot – well done – AWESOME!!

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU RACHEL. I HAVE A COUSIN WITH THAT SAME NAME. SHE’S A KICK. YOU SHOULD SEE THE FULL FRAME SHOT. THE GRAND EXPANCE OF THE VALLEY REALLY SHOWS UP IT IT. BUT, MY IDEA WITH THIS SHOT WAS TO DRAW ATTENTION TO THE LIGHTNING. BOB

  • myralandau1

    myralandau1

    just wonderful!
    myra

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU MYRA, ALL COMPLIMENTS ARE APPRECIATED GREATLY. BOB

  • Nature's Realm

    Nature's Realm

    simply stunning. -Dennis

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANKS DENNIS, ALL COMPLIMENTS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED. BOB

  • theyellowfury
  • PeriRainPhotog

    PeriRainPhotog

    Wow what a fantastic capture

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU CHARITY FOR THE COMPLIMENT. I’M SORRY IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO RESPOND TO YOUR COMMENT. I DO APPRECIATE IT VERY MUCH. BOB :)

  • E.R. Bazor

    E.R. Bazor

    Fantastic shot!!!

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS

    SMOKEYDOGSOCKS

    THANKS E.R. I WISH IT WOULD HAPPEN MORE OFTEN SO I COULD GET SOME MORE. BOB

  • Andrea Searle

    Andrea Searle

    Fantastic, I can only hope to take such wonderful photos one day :)

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU ANDREA, I GUESS YOU JUST HAVE TO BE IN THE RIGHT SPOT AT THE RIGHT TIME. I HAD PLANNED THAT PHOTO TRIP, ACCORDING TO THE WEATHER INFORMATION FOR THAT DAY, THEY PREDICTED THE ELECTRICAL STORM. I ONLY WISH I HADN’T SPENT SO MANY FRAMES OF FILM ON THAT NIGHTS SUNSET. I ONLY HAD TWO FRAMES OF FILM LEFT FOR THE LIGHTNING. I HAVEN’T TRIED TO REPEAT THIS IN DIGITAL, I HAVEN’T FIGURED OUT HOW TO LAYER AND MY CAMERA DOESN’T HAVE MULTIPLE EXPOSURE OPTIONS IN IT. BOB

  • Imber

    Imber

    Wow! Superb work!

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU IMBER. THE FULL FRAME OF THIS SHOT, SHOWS MUCH MORE OF THE VALLEY, BUT I WANTED TO IMPHASIZE THE LIGHTNING BOLTS HERE. SO, WITH ABOUT A 20X30 CROP I MADE THIS 8X10 SIZE IMAGE.

  • HolleeH

    HolleeH

    wow!

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU HOLLEE, ALL COMPLIMENTS ARE GLADLY ACCEPTED AND APPRECIATED. BOB

  • MKAOleson

    MKAOleson

    Amazing talent, amazing patience

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU MKA, I APPRECIATE AND GLADLY ACCEPT ALL COMPLIMENTS. BOB

  • E.R. Bazor
  • E.R. Bazor
  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    FAR OUT. THIS IS ONLY MY SECOND AVATAR SINCE I JOINE REDBUBBLE. THANK YOU EVER SO MUCH. BOB

  • Meeli Sonn

    Meeli Sonn

    great congrats.

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU MEELI, IT WAS A SURPRISE TO ME. I APPRECIATE ALL COMPLIMENTS. BOB

  • Sooty6

    Sooty6

    Fantastic capture of mother nature at its worst.
    Well done

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU SOOTY. ALL COMPLIMENTS AND COMMENTS ARE GLADLY AND GREATFULLY ACCEPTED AND APPRECIATED. BOB

  • Dream Vision Images

    Dream Vision I...

    Stunning shot, well done… It is so difficult to shoot lightening…

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU ERIKA, IT’S NOT HARD TO GET SHOTS LIKE THIS, WHEN THE ELECTRICAL STORM IS AS INTENSE AS THIS ONE WAS. THE REAL TRICK, IS NOT GETTING HIT BY IT. :) BOB

  • sunsetgirl

    sunsetgirl

    wow amazing capture!! like the title too!

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU SUNSETGIRL. IT SEEMED LIKE IT WAS THE ONLY TITLE I COULD GIVE IT. I APPRECIATE YOUR COMPLIMENT AND COMMENTS. BOB :)

  • Helene Kippert

    Helene Kippert

    Absolutely amazing shot – love the title!

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU HELENE, IT WAS TRULY INSPIRED BY THE ALL MIGHTY. MY FRIEND THAT WAS WITH ME AND BLIND, SAW SOME OF THIS LIGHT WHEN THE BOLT STRUCK JUST ABOUT WHERE WE WERE PARKED, JUST AFTER I PULLED DOWN OFF THE PARKING SPOT TO LEAVE. WHEN IT BECAME DAYLIGHT ALL AROUND US AND THE THUNDER HAPPENED LIKE RIGHT NOW, I KNEW WE HAD JUST MISSED GETTIN STRUCK. I APPRECIATE THE COMPLIMENT. BOB :)

  • Opal Westmoreland

    Opal Westmoreland

    This is a fabulous shot. I lived in Vacaville, Ca. back in 1970. Do they still have the onion factory there? Thanks for sharing….......................Opal

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    NO, UNFORTUNATELY THEY DON’T. I MISS THE SMELL OF ONIONS MYSELF. THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENT ON MY PHOTO. I GLADLY ACCEPT AND APPRECIATE ALL COMPLIMENTS. I GRADUATED FROM VACAVILLE HIGHSCHOOL IN 1970, SO THAT IS GOING BACK A WAYS. BOB :)

  • TWindDancer

    TWindDancer

    Well, simply marvelous.

  • SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied

    THANK YOU TWIND. I APPRECIATE YOUR COMPLIMENT VERY MUCH. BOB :)

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