Lightning at LAX

[William Reid]

I was in the right place at the right time last night ---- at work at Los Angeles International Airport!

http://stormbruiser.com/chase/

William Reid
Westlake Village, CA

 

[Richard Dickson]

Bill, very nice work with good color, but I'm curious about what I am seeing in the fourth shot. Are the lines with the lights a departing flight?

 

[William Reid]

Hi Richard,

Yes, that fourth image shows a departing flight out of LAX, towards the storm. The jets were taking off towards the west, which is typical, and then turning sharply to avoid the cell.

That image was actually a much longer exposure than I had intended. While adjusting the aperture setting, I had just inadvertently set the shutter speed to 30 seconds (instead of leaving it on "bulb"). The CG occurred a few seconds after I had opened the shutter, and I tried to end the exposure, but my camera would not allow that until the 30 seconds had elapsed! The image wound up very overexposed, but I made it look somewhat decent with Photoshop. It was lucky that the aircraft was taking off into the frame at the time. Most of the LAX CG shots were 4 to 8 second exposures at about f6.1 to f8 (ISO 100), and I estimate that the lightning activity was four to eight miles away.

Bill

 

[Paul Austin]

I like the "string of pearls" from the plane's flashers of #4 and the big X in the sky of #8. Nice work.

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

Damn Bill, those are rather amazing! And that is with the location aside. Add in the location and they are exceptional! Those should be a hair marketable if one wanted. Congrats.

 

[Susan Strom]

Very cool! Lightning at airports is difficult, there is so much light pollution. Not to mention, how many thunderstorm nights occur near the PCH =) Nice work!