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| July 29, 2009 |  Permalink |
Lightning
A weather front rolls in from the horizon, storm clouds darken the sky, and (at least 1.3 billion times a year) lightning strikes. Last month, the National Weather Service promoted their Lightning Safety Week, with information designed to call attention to safe practices, helping people avoid lightning strikes which kill an average of 100 people every year. While the exact nature of the initial formation of lightning remains a subject of debate, what is known is that lightning strikes are caused by electrical imbalances present in the clouds. Those imbalances correct themselves suddenly, with an often spectacular light show - which I've tried to show here, with a handful of recent photographs of lightning from around the world. (26 photos total)
To see the entire entry, with all photographs, click here.
178 comments so far...
All Great pictures!! As always.
Awesome pics!!!
Nature's display of power. Impressive.
Amazing! Love #5 and last one.
so beautiful . #18 is the best. thanks alot
I love lightning shots - awesome selection!
so beautiful . #18 is the best. thanks alot
amazing, absolutely fascinating.
Shame you weren't able to include photos from the amazing storm we had last weekend... It was the storm of the century, and possibly beyond!
^
Should have mentioned in my comment that the amazing storm took place in Vancouver on July 25th... Google for images! :)
This is real photografic aesthetics: light and instant!!!
does 18 look fake to anyone else?
genial!
MRD: It looks like #18 was "sharpened" which gives the lightning bolts darker outlines. So, not fake, but slightly tweaked.
Absolutely fantastic selection. From early childhood Mosez has been fascinated with lightning .
#5 is insane - make me want to duck down just looking at it.
UFO on the #21 ? :P
Nice pictures as always
You can definitely tell why so many people saw lightening as being a sign of the gods.
Beautiful and Terrifying.
#18 is over"sharpened". Amazing exposures.
18 looks strange to mee too. That dark outlines..... ( maby a video screencap)
1.21 jigowats? Oh, sure. We can tie into Hoover Dam with a very long cable. Or we build a turbine on the back of this thing and you can drive it over Niagara Falls. Or you can drive across the country at 88 miles an hour and hope that you get struck by a bolt of lightning.
#18 has been sharpened, and they overdid it a bit.
#24 is my fav - great exposure and colors.
I agree on 18, I'm not a photoshop expert, but it doesn't look right.
#6: Back to the Future!
Awesome!!!
#12 and 26 are the best of the bunch. Having taken a few lightning shots I am envious. And yes #18 is over sharpened, but I like the effect.
#18 is the most impressive.. #10 is also nice
I wish we could put our own lightning photos. Awesome photos as always.
#18 looks fake to me. but i asume its not .. i trust on Big Picture.
and i love #5!!!
are the pics taken on some automatic way? or its just right time right moment?
thanks!
Love it!
To those who say #18 is oversharpened...maybe it's because it was originally published in a small-town newspaper without the greatest ink and paper quality, so they were just overcompensating to make it look decent in the newspaper.
Where are all the "What a mighty God we have!" comments? Maybe #9 was a subtle reminder that they should keep their noses out of this one?
A picture says a thousand words, and pictures of nature's power and grandeur usually dwarf any superstitious myths presumed by anyone.
Please keep the nature/science photography coming. The political sets are interesting and valuable, but the human interest sets are mind-numbing. I am not even usually disappointed by those, so long as I get some pics like these often enough.
Resimlerin içine atlamak istedim.Tebrik ediyorum.
#6 SAAAAAAAVEEEEEE THE CLOCK TOWER. And party like its Nov, 1955.
Awesome photos.
Two of the most impressive lightning photos I've seen are actually of the exact *same* lightning bolt, taken from opposite sides by separate photographers. The two photos are below
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waz77101107/3550255141/sizes/l/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/john_maarschalk/3551014084/sizes/o/
Incredible
#18 definitely looks fake, maybe oversharpened, but ugh, just doesn't look that awesome to me.
All the rest are amazing
Great photos as always. I love #5 and #10 especially...
WOW...... the force of nature !!!! AWESOME PICS
WOW...... the force of nature !!!! AWESOME PICS
haha gods power, hit a church...
Shameless...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dbrim/2414925863/
It's Obama's fault! Or, it's the liberals' fault!
Just had to say that, since no matter what the subject, someone out there writes something dumb like this. I just wanted to get it out there, LOL. >;)
Commenter #23 beat me to it, but I was going to say that Picture #1 looks like something I've seen before...Exactly like the town square in Back to the Future.
#8 my hometown - awesome!!
it's a highlight!
Before I even got to the comments I had a list of Back to the Future comments going through my mind, but you all beat me to them, LOL!! I love this town!
Amazing pictures too!
...and #7 my hometown! La hermosa rambla de Montevideo. Thank you Globe for including it among such wonderful pictures. Te extraño, Uruguay.
awesome series of pictures.....
#23 was taken near where i stay.....
Am I the only one who put ' AC/DC - Thunderstruck' on before viewing these pictures? Amazing pictures, lightning is awesome!
Thanks for continuing to do such a great job with this wonderful feature. Other than Sox coverage, the best part of Boston.com!
Lightning of Japan
http://www.sakamoto-co-ltd.jp/blog2/alohafox/cat20/
I see I'm not the only one who thought of Back to the Future with reference to #6!
#31, Do you have any idea how infantile that comment is?
SWEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!!!!!
GOLLY...GOLLY. THOSE BEAUTIFUL PICTURES OF NATURE'S BEST SCENES.
WONDER IF THE TEMPERATURE OF LIGHTENINGS ARE THE SAME AS OUR SUN?
Did #1 Remind anybody else of Back to the Future?
#1 Back to the Future. #11 Blade Runner.
et l'homme n'y est pour rien !
Pic 26 is awesme.... !!
awesome!
Fabulous pictures from all-over, Nature can be scary stuff!
AWESOME PICS ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Interesting....Africa has the highest lightning strikes per sq km than anyway else in the world - yet features not once!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HRFC_AnnualFlashRate_0.5.png
doh, I should post mine too !
http://www.flickr.com/photos/darxmurf/sets/72157621598511384/
Awesome as always!
pic n°18 looks awesome
...is it ightning bugs?
Spettacolari!!!
#19 is awesome!
amazing !!
Awesome pictures indeed......i wouldn´t dare be there in some of those places at that time !
Comment on #21 is wrong. If the planes were illuminated by the lighting, the ones in the back would not be any darker than those in front. The planes are reflecting decks lights (this is a long exposure shot).
Great pictures! But I must comment on #18:
The image has had far too much "unsharp masking" applied to it. Unsharp masking is a way to make an image appear more in focus by darkening the dark side of image feature edges (hence the dark borders around the lightning) and lightening the light side of image features (the light border along the treeline at the bottom of the image).
Even a casual user of Photoshop knows not to apply unsharp masking so much that it becomes obvious. I'm surprised that the AP put this one out there, it pushes the envelope for photojournalistic manipulation of an image. Photographs of lightning always have a slight halo or haze around them and trying to unsharp mask it away was a mistake.
Some really cool photos. Thanks for the post.
Absolutely incredible!
Really would love to use one of these as a desktop wallpaper.
Can you guys provide bigger sizes?
excellent shots, i am impressed!
Here is one hitting the Eiffel Tower and a timelapse movie showing this storm with multiple bolts:
Picture:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RGo_2A96FW4/SmDFTrJG4NI/AAAAAAAADC8/usYwQhxDyiI/s1600-h/IMG_9020.JPG
Time-lapse Video:
http://vimeo.com/5644019
Enjoy
nice pictures!
I love lightning and thunderstorms. I actually took two images very similar to #3 (the lightning and the Energy Plant)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tbrentmar/964908752/sizes/o/
&
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tbrentmar/3402775590/sizes/o/
Thanks for the pictures!
#31
That´s what I thought!
No science-bashing this time :)
Beautiful. I wanna make my own in the future
Thanks!
awsome
amazing
beautifull
What a wonderful display of lightning. I was thoroughly delighted. Thank you so much. Best pictures of the year!!
We had some rain with thunder and lightning a couple of nights ago that woke me up, but it was nothing compared to a storm a few years ago that was so close and loud that I thought the lightning would hit the house (I was standing on the front porch watching the spectacle).
Great photos, amazing. As always a great collection. I must put up a link to a shot made by a friend of mine, and worthy of this list I think. Right place at the right time....
http://wvs.topleftpixel.com/08/08/18/
Beautiful shots! A pretty crazy lightning storm took place here in Vancouver last Saturday July 25... it happened on an amazing night... an amazing RED SKY sunset, with Rainbows... cued out by a CRAZY lightning storm. On the same nght of our annual worldwide FIrework competition. Celebration of Light... we knew the next morning there would be a flood of photography online of fireworks with lightning.... here are a couple shots of that night:
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=107857048385&h=zGywW&u=JHJcv&ref=mf
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29785170@N06/3763593468/sizes/o/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/treygeiger/3756632793/sizes/o/
Amazing cap cloud in #9!! Paired with the lightning you got one amazing meteorological picture!
Touched By The Hand Of God.
Simply love #26! Great pictures!
It's so lightning
Striking...sorry, that was lame.
these are the signs of presence of God!
I have been to the pier in Flager Beach Florida. It is really something to see the lighting storms, out to sea, on the east coast of Florida. Flager Beach is really close to Daytona Beach Florida known for Bike Week aroung the end of Feburary. Fantastic pictures from all over the world !!
Nearly all of these terrific photos taken in 2009! Is there more than an electrical imbalance going on over this planet?
Awesome captures!
Amazing. Gives me a lot of confidence as far as becoming a professional photographer
Beautiful images !!
We often experience lightning at our observatories as they are situated on mountain tops. Here's an event for your enjoyment.
http://www.noao.edu/image_gallery/html/im0426.html
We had a direct hit on our 0.9mtr telescope dome in 2006 but I cannot see a way to upload it to you ... Thanx for the excellent content in all your work.
#25 is sweet!
Really some amazing pictures!
And this is what happens when a storm meets a volcano:
http://megagalerias.terra.cl/galerias/index.cfm?id_galeria=30734
I noticed, that most pics are dated 2009 July, regardless of their locations. Is that a coincident, or July had been a month of unusual weather? I have experienced bad storms, they are scary and I like to close my eyes, when lightning strikes, waiting for the awsome sound, that follows.! Certainly I would not be able to take photoes during a storm. Makes me feel very small...
sobhana allah nice photos
the lightening in kansas is the realest
Awesome !!
Lightning in San Juan :D
http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/9364/islaverdekg5.jpg
Fireworks and lighting storm in Vancouver, BC on 25th of July:
http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/9044849_VEi4c#601998276_f6z6d
http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/9044849_VEi4c#601998210_LbWL9
beautiful thank you so much again :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
lightning is so wonderful in reminding us of the fact that the optimal ath isn't the straight line :)
Here is one,
http://img187.imageshack.us/img187/2016/belgrade.jpg
Studio B building, Belgrade
Some years ago, a very large church in San Diego topped off their new building with a gold statue. No sooner than they had it up, lightening struck it (In San Diego!), and they had to take it down for repairs. They didn't find this nearly as amusing as I did.
Para Rafa q le gustará ver rayos, para que sea Feliz. Buena estancia en Valencia
My favorite is 8. The light "involves" gently the tower.
Just awesome pictures!
#23 was probably taken from the condominium beside my college! woww.
Nicely done, however as others have noted #18 has been manipulated too much, not with unsharp mask but likely using other sharpening techniques.
What's with the phony "moon surface" sky in number 12? That's not a real life photo at all.
#1 is in my hometown. Such a treat to see! Clean cut separation from downtown Athens to the clear sky and lightning...STUNNING! I simply love the way it lights up the picture! GREAT!
#3 looks very dangerous
"What's with the phony "moon surface" sky in number 12? That's not a real life photo at all"
Think this are water droplets on the outside of the camera lens, or the water resistant camera container. Only slighty a bit out of focus because of the shallow depth of field from the wide open lens.
The picturs ae just beautiful. god sure works miracles in nature. Lee
Trying to harness that power of nature, has been on scientists minds for many years now. The fact remains that electricity cannot be contained. It has to be generated and given off. Even if you would tie all of the submarine batteries in the world together... a lightning strike will fry all of them.
Kinda strange to think that without lightning, live in earth wouldn't be possible.
scary things!..this is the only creation of God that makes me scary so much.
The set poster #34 linked to is really cool. What's the chances of two people taking a picture of the same lightning bolt? Has to be astronomical!
I agree with the consensus on #18 - photoshop was involved. Hopefully just in sharpening, but as soon as I looked it, my brain screamed "Fake! Aeeeiiyyyiii".
Anyone know why the buildings in Bankok in #14 are so blue tinted? Do we think that's just an effect of the lighting from the storm?
omg what a cool pics
I don't have time to read all the comments but I saw no references to our
massive debt to lightning. We owe our existence to beautiful but dangerous
lightning! Every bolt creates from hundreds to thousands of pounds of nitrous
oxide which filters down and makes ALL agriculture possible. And that makes
you and me and these pics possible. Where are the Lightning Worshippers?
Too much ! A bright example of ''augmented reality'' made possible by Photoshop...
Beautiful. Her's lightning over the Marine Corps Memorial (Iwo Jima flag raising) near DC.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallacefamily/3767375095/sizes/l/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallacefamily/3768174428/sizes/l/in/set-72157621755011963/
Fantastic pictures!!! Thank you for sharing.
Great pic
Photo #1: "1.21 gigawatts!!!"
These were all taken outside of Richmond, VA. There are several in this set. This is a link to one. http://www.flickr.com/photos/aujm/3663888077/in/set-72157606340808343/
#2 = Metal
#5, #18 and #26 - WOW
Behind my house, Summer 08
http://picasaweb.google.com/bo.kohut/RiverWeather#
I have this one framed:
http://picasaweb.google.com/bo.kohut/RiverWeather#5226068566370437954
A M A Z I N G
Thank you! You often write very interesting articles. You improved my mood.
In truth, immediately i didn't understand the essence. But after re-reading all at once became clear.
amazing pictures though frighting
Amazing! I loved how you picked pictures of lightning from all over the world! thanks!
Yes, I met such big lightnings on I -70 at KS.
downtown Miami
http://www.iocphoto.com/#a=0&at=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=4&p=0
Absolutely stunning collection!!
This deserves a mention in this context:
http://wvs.topleftpixel.com/09/08/10/
Seems like there were a ton of thunderstorms around the world lately!
Aguanteee Uruguay Montevideoooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lightening shots ftw ! :D
Espetacular!
very very fantastic.
Absolutely gorgeous!!
Espetacular . Very fantastic.
nossa!!!!!!! é muito espetacular!!!! um momento unico!!!!!
Wow
fotos incriveis
The first and last pictures are incredible! Wow, good job. 18 is amazing too (partly because it's a county from where I live)!
wow wow wow wow...amazing
Great shots of these marvellous weather events; we are seeing much more lightning in my country than before...
How could something so beautiful be so deadly
Amazing! I like lighting!
Shanghai, 2009.8.27
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gropius/3861158109/sizes/o/
very gooddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd
Ulitmate!!
Realy nice!!!
Realy nice!!!!
In Texas we get quite a few ops each year for storms like this - these rolled through on 9/3 http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallacefamily/3885469273/in/set-72157622234156266/
Enjoy!
wow!!!!!!!!!
wow its look nice i like lighting at night it look like the sky will be cutin in half !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
wow!!!!!
another amazing work of art by God & Mother Nature.
If i'm sure those lightning strikes came from other country right? It was pretty nice! My child saw lightning strikes in america she shouted very very worse now she never go out on a rainy day!
it was awesome....i enjoyed watchin all the pics..........
WoW amazings pics !!!!!!!!!
the pictures are awsome and it would be scary if that happened where i lived
These pictures look cool!!
these pictures are really cool
Ciao mi chiamo Mattia Fotografia ed ho studiato e mi sono impegnato diplomata.
COME Voi anchio adoro i fulmi e Tutto cio 'Che riguarda i Fenomeni atmosferici SONO Secondo me la Cosa piu' bella ANCHE SE Pericoloso.
Le foto di Che Ho Visto SONO Davvero belle complimenti anchio adoro i fulmi e Tutto cio 'Che riguarda i Fenomeni atmosferici SONO Secondo me la Cosa piu' bella ANCHE SE Pericoloso.
Le foto di Che Ho Visto SONO Davvero belle complimenti.
Anchio ne ho fatte Un po '! pero 'a mano e non Libera SONO perfortuna venute maschi!
nice lighning
subhanallah, petir sedang bertasbih pada rab-Nya
cool pics think that its prity scary
Crazy
nice
This is totaly awsome, beautiiful, and so picture purfect!
maravilhoso para ser visto,jamais sentido.adorei ver estas obras divinas