Photographing lightning is one of those moments in an amateur photographer’s career that seem nearly impossible. There are so many factors to consider that one might think, “Why bother trying in the first place?”

First of all, you need to have the right background. Lightning comes over my house nearly everyday in the summer, but I’d never try to photograph it. There are too many trees, houses and streetlights that block the view of the sky, rendering any photograph I take useless.