A few weeks ago I showed a picture (sorry, it’s at the bottom of the post if you want to go look) and said it was my second-ever lightning shot. It was my first intentional one, actually. But earlier, the same storm produced the scene for the shot below. I did not know I had captured lightning until I uploaded and viewed the photos. I like this picture better than the other one, but I am into orange and gold skies.
click photo to enlarge (I think it's worth it.)
Were it not for the signs of civilization, I almost think this could pass for Mars.
To see LOTS more terrific sky pictures or to find out how to participate in this meme, head to the SkyWatch blog.
Potted Frog 
August 13, 2009 at 11:42 am
Outstanding capture. The colors are so yummy and that lightning is so neat.
http://www.calrat.blogspot.com
August 13, 2009 at 11:56 am
What an outstanding capture. I think lightning is just a lucky catch.
August 13, 2009 at 12:13 pm
wow. prize-winning, I would think.
August 13, 2009 at 12:14 pm
What a beautiful capture!! I love the textures in the clouds as well as the colors. The lightening makes it perfect!
August 13, 2009 at 12:28 pm
I loved your idea for this picture, it’s absolutely wonderful, congratulations dear Louise!
Léia
August 13, 2009 at 12:38 pm
Amazing! The colors are so beautiful!
August 13, 2009 at 2:18 pm
Wow, you never know ’till you review the pics. Have a friend that specialized on lightning pics for a awhile–he got a system down where he’d see a storm coming up the valley, set up the camera/tripod/remote, and then count 7 seconds (as I recall) before clicking the shutter for a time exposure. A bit complex for me, but it sure worked.
August 13, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Superb capture of the lightning. I love colorful skies too.:)
August 13, 2009 at 4:25 pm
What absolutely amazing sky, I’ve never seen anything like it! Absolutely fantastic shot :o)
August 13, 2009 at 4:33 pm
WOW! This is one marvelous capture and you’re right … it DOES look like Mars. I’ve never been successful with lightning shots though I keep trying and one of these days HOPE for success ;–)
Hugs and blessings,
August 13, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Way to go!! How in the world did you capture that amazing lighting shot and with such terrific colors too…
August 13, 2009 at 4:45 pm
I totally agree! Perhaps this is where the alien on my skywatch post today might have come from, ey? 😀 Beautiful shot!!!
August 13, 2009 at 6:19 pm
A totally awesome photo, Louise! Wow – well done! The colors in the sky are amazing too.
August 13, 2009 at 6:35 pm
This is really beautiful !!!
What a surprise !!
August 13, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Wow, gloriously awesome.
August 13, 2009 at 6:43 pm
I have not managed to capture lightning by camera, though I have often thought about it. I like the way there is the streak of lightning even though the rest of the sky is filled with sun-lit clouds and setting-sun colours. I believe that for me, the colours make the picture and the lightning is an added bonus.
August 13, 2009 at 7:17 pm
wonderful picture.
August 13, 2009 at 7:48 pm
Very cool photo there!
August 13, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Wow!. Red planet!
You have a super quick reflex to capture this amazing shot.
August 13, 2009 at 7:55 pm
That is so cool! If I took that picture I’d be smiling for a week. 🙂
August 13, 2009 at 7:58 pm
That’s an amazing capture and it does look like it could be mars. Incredible.
August 13, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Wow!. Red planet!
You have a super quick reflex to capture this amazing shot. We have been invaded! 😉
August 13, 2009 at 9:05 pm
That single bolt of lightning just makes this photo! Awesome!
August 13, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Thank you for your kind words on my Sky Watch post, especially as its a shot I’m not entirely happy with (sky too light, foreground too dark).
This shot is amazing. I am yet to try lightning.
August 13, 2009 at 10:59 pm
Gorgeous! The single lightning strike is great and I love the way the clouds are bubbled underneath.
August 13, 2009 at 11:39 pm
Oh my gosh, that is so gorgeous! Beautiful colors and that lightening bolt right in the center is perfect. Excellent capture!
August 14, 2009 at 12:22 am
Very cool photo Louise. I especially like the point of view. It’s nice to see the details of the clouds in large. Very dramatic ripples there.
I still have to get my first lightning photo 🙂
August 14, 2009 at 12:25 am
Quite incredible. I never see anything like that. Enjoy the stormy season out there and all that it may bring.
August 14, 2009 at 2:35 am
What a great photo. Lightning is very difficult to catch.
I was driving through a storm last Sunday and was balancing my camera on the steering wheel, and without looking through the view finder (I didn’t want to cause a wreck on the highway) tried to get a shot of lightning through the windshield —but missed it every time. In fact, after shooting about 50 photos, I erased all but three. I think my camera has video capabilities, but I haven’t figured that out yet. Maybe that’s the way to go to catch the lightning.
August 14, 2009 at 5:06 am
This is absolutely an amazing shot.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen such colors in a storm. The lightning makes the shot complete!
Enjoy your weekend.
August 14, 2009 at 5:41 am
A beautiful photo Louise, and I would have been so excited to discover the lightning bolt. A great capture!
August 14, 2009 at 6:23 am
This photo is amazing. A lightning shot is very very difficult to get. Its great and yes it reminds me of Mars too.
August 14, 2009 at 6:31 am
Yep, that definitely looks like Mars to me…
Really dry out here in the west — we probably won’t get any rain until December…
August 14, 2009 at 6:50 am
Louise: That is a wonderful photo and certainly shows off your excellant timing.
August 14, 2009 at 6:51 am
wow! lucky you to have captured this! it does look like Mars but i guess this one is more interesting than the red planet! 🙂
August 14, 2009 at 7:15 am
Congrats on your fabulous lightning strike!!! What an adrenalin rush, huh? Gorgeous cloud structure on the underbelly of the storm. Be safe out there.
August 14, 2009 at 9:18 am
Awesome sight!
August 14, 2009 at 9:49 am
Wow, I just love the color. Outstanding capture of the lightning.
August 14, 2009 at 12:49 pm
I love it! That’s so awesome that you captured it without even knowing the lightning had struck! Sooo cool!
August 14, 2009 at 3:51 pm
I clicked. It’s worth it.
August 14, 2009 at 5:27 pm
Awesome shot Louise! Quiet stunning, and you’re right it does look like Mars.
August 14, 2009 at 5:38 pm
If you had cropped out the house, the sky would not have been so spectacular. Excellent capture of the lightning and the colors are definitely Martian.
August 14, 2009 at 6:00 pm
This is so beautiful! Wow. I love your pictures.
August 14, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Holy crap… AWESOME photo!!! We had a real big lightning storm last night; but I stayed in bed for once instead of getting up to watch 😉
August 14, 2009 at 9:24 pm
This reminds me of Close Encounters. I can almost see the mashed potatoes.
August 14, 2009 at 9:45 pm
Louise, this image is spectacular. The sky, the lightning, the golden tone, are so beautiful.
About life on Mars, certainly it could be possible. But I think it’s highly improbable the simultaneous existence of lives in different planets: we must remember that the age of the universe is about 15 milliards years!
August 15, 2009 at 12:06 am
Spectacular shot. The reddish yellow tint in the sky is very nice.
August 15, 2009 at 2:25 am
worth it, definitely!
August 15, 2009 at 2:40 am
Wow!!
So, you’re back and said nothing… 😉
Have a great weekend!!
August 15, 2009 at 6:42 am
Hi Louise!
I’m jealous of you!!
I haven’t seen such a beautiful sky.
when I see lightning, the sky was really dark.
In US, when lightnings happen, does sky have such a light color?
(Is this a little bit strange expression?)
August 15, 2009 at 9:24 am
fantastic capture!!
August 15, 2009 at 12:21 pm
You got the lightning on the photo VERY GOOD!!!! And all the lovly colors, Like it a lot, MB
August 16, 2009 at 1:40 pm
It is beautiful! You can be very proud of that shot. I still haven’t ever got one, not much lightning up here in Maine, Maybe I will do better after we get to New Mexico.
August 16, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Louise, about your question you can find all the information about the Garda Lake at this address of Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Garda
Have a nice day!
August 17, 2009 at 12:31 pm
I am pretty sure there are red houses on Mars
August 18, 2009 at 10:20 am
Amazing sky, Louise.
And you got an extra bonus with the lightning. How exciting it must have been when you downloaded that picture.
August 18, 2009 at 11:03 am
What a beautiful shot. I love all the pretty color as well as the lightening. thanks for fixing my link. I wasn’t sure whether to put USA or Ireland.
August 18, 2009 at 5:35 pm
Wow, this is an awesome photo. What a great surprise it must have been to see that you captured the lightning like that. I haven’t ever been able to even -intentionally- capture lightning!
August 19, 2009 at 10:06 am
That’s a breathtaking and sigh-evoking photos. Just beautiful.
August 20, 2009 at 4:59 pm
I like this photo a lot. The tree in the foreground and the blue blue sky, the canyon below, it is classic.
spirithelpers
August 20, 2009 at 6:37 pm
What a great shot. I bet it was a beautiful place to visit. =)
August 20, 2009 at 6:59 pm
This is pure perfection…
August 20, 2009 at 9:29 pm
It’s a mood setter and I can see whay you like it! Absolutly lovely..these scenes are my favorite.
August 21, 2009 at 1:22 am
this is indeed a brilliant capture!
August 21, 2009 at 3:17 am
Very nice capture, like the silhouette of the tree against the glorious sky. Looking forward to see more pictures from the canyon.
August 21, 2009 at 11:05 am
I am happy that you stopped by again, please send me an email with your address – you won the drawing and I will send you the blue neckless.
/MB
alltkangronska@gmail.com
August 21, 2009 at 3:28 pm
You have one busy site!!!! Fabulous photo…look forward to the others.
Only someone who watched Gilligan’s Island would know about the 3 hour tour. By the way, it was GREAT. Thanks for visiting.
August 21, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Bryce Canyon is really beautiful. One of my most favorite places.
August 22, 2009 at 2:13 am
Right place, right time, and a great shot is yours! Congrats. 😀
August 24, 2009 at 2:32 am
That pretty enough for me! Enjoy Bryce while you are there. I have yet to visit that place! Can’t wait to see more!