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.
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SMOKEYDOGSOCKS
THE TALLEST RED TOWER UNDER THE LIGHTNING STRIKE IS 2000 FEET TALL IN OAK GROVE.
Gino Iori
Great capture – well done !
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
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
So well done, brilliant work
SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied
THANK YOU ANDREW, I APPERCIATE THE COMPLIMENT. BOB
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
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
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
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
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
just wonderful!
myra
SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied
THANK YOU MYRA, ALL COMPLIMENTS ARE APPRECIATED GREATLY. BOB
Nature's Realm
simply stunning. -Dennis
SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied
THANKS DENNIS, ALL COMPLIMENTS ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED. BOB
theyellowfury
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
Fantastic shot!!!
SMOKEYDOGSOCKS
THANKS E.R. I WISH IT WOULD HAPPEN MORE OFTEN SO I COULD GET SOME MORE. BOB
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
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
wow!
SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied
THANK YOU HOLLEE, ALL COMPLIMENTS ARE GLADLY ACCEPTED AND APPRECIATED. BOB
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
great congrats.
SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied
THANK YOU MEELI, IT WAS A SURPRISE TO ME. I APPRECIATE ALL COMPLIMENTS. BOB
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 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
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
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
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
Well, simply marvelous.
SMOKEYDOGSOCKS replied
THANK YOU TWIND. I APPRECIATE YOUR COMPLIMENT VERY MUCH. BOB :)