Lightning is the most spectacular element of a thunderstorm. Lightning is a giant spark. A single stroke of lightning can heat the air around it to 30,000 degrees Celsius (54,000 degrees Fahrenheit)! This extreme heating causes the air to expand at an explosive rate. The expansion creates a shock wave that turns into a booming sound wave, better known as thunder. This explains why it has the name thunderstorm.

Thunder and lightning occur at roughly the same time, although you see the flash of lightning before you hear the thunder. This is because light travels much faster than sound. Lightning is one of the most difficult subjects to photograph. It is brief and unpredictable and often rain, wind and severe weather conditions go along with it, making it not only difficult to photograph but also dangerous. In order to get a decent shot an element of luck is involved! Enjoy this fantastic examples of lightning photography…