Too close for comfort

I enjoy photographing lightning, even though it is a bit scary.  From a distance the beauty and power of it are just too beautiful to pass up.

So tonight I was on the front porch as usual, but this storm's electrical fireworks were primarily in the clouds.  Beautiful, but not the lightning bolt photos that I want.


The depth of the clouds is really nice, though.  This was my favorite from that part of the storm.

A cell of the storm was moving from the left (behind my house and a line of trees) we could tell that some cloud-to-ground strikes were getting closer.  One struck close enough to hear the sizzle, and I had my hopes up.

And then the sky exploded.  A bolt (lightning really surges several times during the course of a strike and makes lots of pops and booms) hit directly across the street, I believe striking the basketball goal in my neighbors driveway.  And I picked up my camera mid-exposure to come inside.  That is way too close for comfort.


Lighting is not safe, folks.. do not try this at home.

UPDATE..
After wrapping up the post, I couldn't help but notice some nice (and more distant) lightning happening out the window.

I liked this one..


Have a great weekend,

Don J.