Lightning and Rainbows

[Binkrin]

So I have had my Nikon D60 for a little over a week. On Saturday night there was a rainbow over my house so I ran out with the camera and caputred this amazing picture, totally by accident!

Now my question to you all is, how could I have made this better? How could I have made the rainbow more vivid? I am still learning and would love to know what you guys think. Thanks!

 

[ElizK]

I have no answer to your question, but... what an AWESOME shot!!!

 

[Code]

My 2 minute Photoshop.. killing time at work

Used color range selection tool to select the sky, then levels to darken and add contrast. Also used color range selection to up the saturation just a bit on the rainbow.

Trees on the right look funky, would need to do a proper masking if I had more than 2 min

 

[Frantasmic]

Rainbows come and go, but they last a long time. You'll be able to capture better rainbows in the future.

You have a REALLY good lightning bolt shot. Congrats. Even if it was by accident, you got it and it's yours.

See, here's my wimpy lightning picture:

And a better rainbow one. I'll trade your lightning picture for my rainbow picture?

As for your question. I assume you mean how to take a better rainbow picture rather than fix that one? One, your light got messed up with the bolt. Two, it looks like the rainbow formed over you. Rainbows look better at a distance. I like taking rainbow shots when they first form; they seem to be more vivid and against a darker background.

 

[Binkrin]

My 2 minute Photoshop.. killing time at work

Used color range selection tool to select the sky, then levels to darken and add contrast. Also used color range selection to up the saturation just a bit on the rainbow.

Trees on the right look funky, would need to do a proper masking if I had more than 2 min

I took it in photoshop and did the exact same thing, I just didn't want to post it because I wanted to know how I could have taken a better one of the rainbow with settings on the camera. Thank you, your time is greatly appreciated!

 

[Code]

I took it in photoshop and did the exact same thing, I just didn't want to post it because I wanted to know how I could have taken a better one of the rainbow with settings on the camera. Thank you, your time is greatly appreciated!

My bad! Like Frantasmic said, not much to be done in camera for that shot.. the lightning killed all the background contrast.

Cool lightning shot though!

 

[boBQuincy]

Polarizers can really help a rainbow "pop" out. Because of the angle to the sun sometimes only one end of the rainbow can be optimized but it still really helps.

Great photo!