Beginner and professional photographers who have developed a deep fascination for lightning photography understand the joys and struggles of conquering this thrilling yet challenging genre. Taking a great picture of a lightning strike is an accomplishment for any photographer, and Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela offers one of the most extraordinary locations for lightning photography.
Why do photographers love photographing lightning?
Lightning is an unpredictable subject and its unpredictability provides opportunities to capture unique images. However, the same uncertainty also presents obstacles that can only be overcome with preparation, having the right camera equipment, and most importantly, luck.
Most importantly, lightning photographers have to find the perfect locations where they can discover lightning events for great photo opportunities. Identifying these places require good research and patience. Chasing these lightning storms also needs careful planning and attention to weather reports and the know-how to read storm maps and other lightning guide maps.
Luckily for photographers living or vacationing in Venezuela, they know exactly where to go: Lake Maracaibo.
Venezuelan photographers and even international adventure photographers who know very well about Venezuela’s lightning storms are probably some of the luckiest lightning photographers out there!
Why is Lake Maracaibo a favorite setting for lightning photographers?
Located in the northwestern part of Venezuela, Lake Maracaibo is one of the city’s most important seaports. Its nearby metropolitan area is occupied by over 3,7000 million inhabitants.
While the region has a lot to offer in terms of culture and traditions, its main attraction is actually one of the most unique in the world: its weather.
Maracaibo is most popular for its lightning thunderstorms. Its nighttime thunderstorms offer a spectacular view, with 28 lightning strikes per minute, and 230 lightning strikes painting the night sky every 0.3 square miles, for 160 storm nights a year! In fact, the lightning hotspot is a Guinness World Record holder as the Lightning Capital of the World for the highest concentration of lightning strikes.
Lake Maracaibo Catatumbo lightning photography experts and enthusiasts are witnesses to the region’s perpetual lightning displays. While the view is a source of wonder and mystery for some, there is a scientific explanation for this nightly event.
How are bolts of lightning created in Maracaibo?
According to meteorologists, these exhibitions of lights are only possible because of the region’s unique geography in combination with its climate. Additionally, these displays only form at night because of the drop in temperature.
When the cool air from the nearby Andes Mountain meets Maracaibo Lake’s warm and moist air accumulated during the day, the clash in temperature triggers the formation of lightning strikes and electrical discharges.
The lightning display is so outstanding and constant that sailors from as far back as 1826 have used the location to navigate the seas. It is so popular that it even got special titles, such as “The Lighthouse,” “The Beacon of Maracaibo,” and “The Everlasting Storm.”
The center of this magical light show is where Lake Maracaibo meets the Catatumbo River. This river is a favorite lightning photography spot and Catatumbo River Lightning images are some of the most popular and unique ones among the high-speed photography community.
What makes Catatumbo lightning different from other lightning events?
So what’s the big deal? Why are lightning images from Maracaibo and its neighbor river Catatumbo so different from other lightning photos taken in other locations? Make makes the Catatumbo lightning special? Why should photographing these lightning strikes be on your bucket list as a photographer?
For one, how these lightning strikes are created seems to be caused by a grand, pre-determined design. The factors are perfectly placed as if they were meant to be there. But we know how unpredictable nature is that there’s a one-in-a-million chance that the same thing can happen in other parts of the world.
There are several factors that make these mesmerizing events take place in Catatumbo and Maracaibo. These include the local climate and the season, geographical and topographical characteristics of the region, and lastly, the levels of moisture and air in the area.
1. Local Climate and Seasonal Change
During the long summer days, the heat of the sun allows the water from the lake to evaporate. This moisture is boosted by the Caribbean sea’s eternally warm waters. Just the presence of moisture in the air triggers constant storms around the area.
2. Geographic and Topographic Features
As mentioned earlier, the nearby Anders Mountain Range contributes to the unique formation of lighting above Catatumbo and Maracaibo. The mountain range runs across the river and covers three sides of the lake. This setup restricts the warm air from escaping northwards.
3. Imbalances of Cool Air and Warm Moisture
Then, the cool air from these ridges, especially at night when the temperature drops even lower, is blown to meet the rising warm air. This clash forms a dance that allows a beautiful formation of cumulonimbus clouds that will eventually serve as the birthplace of the much-awaited evening spectacle.
The resulting storm cloud forms a thick and towering structure of air and moisture in the sky, providing an ideal venue for lightning formation. The imbalance of hot air and cold air, in the form of colliding warm water droplets and ice crystals, finally creates static charges.
These static charges are so strong that they have enough power to light up hundreds of millions of lightbulbs. The same power fuels the seemingly perpetual lightning display that made this location so famous all over the world.
Remember that these factors are so specific that these conditions are only met during specific months of the year. This leads us to the next question:
When is the best time to photograph lightning in Catatumbo and Maracaibo?
According to meteorologists and experienced lightning photographers who successfully made the journey to the region, the best time to visit the location is during Venezuela’s wet season, from April to November, lasting for 140 to 160 nights annually. However, locals suggest that the best month is October.
October is the best month to visit Catatumbo since it is when the region produces the highest concentrations and frequencies of lightning. According to records, you can observe 28 lightning events per minute during the same month.
How can MIOPS Smart+ help you capture the best photos of the Maracaibo and Catatumbo lightning strikes?
Take impossible photos by turning your camera into a high-speed capture device!
MIOPS SMART+
The MIOPS is a great camera trigger for both beginner and professional photographers. Smart devices add much more value to the user experience, enabling automation of detailed processes and freeing you to focus on the creative aspects of your shoot. The MIOPS Smart+ camera trigger is controlled with a user interface and has a variety of modes.
The Lightning Mode uses a light sensor to detect split-second lightning strikes and trigger the shutter automatically, so there’s no need to rely on luck for a perfectly timed shot. Using the intuitive dedicated app, you can control the MIOPS Smart+ settings from a safe distance and easily make adjustments to the light sensor’s sensitivity.
How Does MIOPS Smart+ Camera Trigger Work as Remote Trigger for Lightning Photography?
Like other smart connected devices, the MIOPS Smart+ can be controlled remotely via Bluetooth. Although the MIOPS Smart+ can also be operated as a standalone device, the MIOPS mobile app will allow you to configure your camera’s ISO, exposure value, and aperture. After reviewing each image, making adjustments to your camera settings will be quick and easy!
What are the Camera Settings for Lightning Photography?
Typically, the best camera setting to use when photographing lightning is to shoot through Manual Mode. As mentioned earlier, you can use a lightning camera trigger like MIOPS Smart+ on cameras with a manual mode, so you can easily adjust your main camera settings.
There are no fixed camera settings for events as unpredictable as lightning strikes, so make sure you know your camera well. Knowing your photography basics can help you make the right adjustments that fit your subject, background, foreground, and overall location. Trust your experience!
1. ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed
For capturing lightning photos, start with an aperture of f/5.6 and an ISO of 100. Since you’re using a remote trigger to activate your camera’s shutter, you don’t have to worry about adjusting your shutter speed.
Your camera settings when taking photos of lightning should depend on the available light source in the area. Remember that you are photographing the Venezuela lightning storms in Maracaibo and Catatumbo. The lightning events are consistent and endless! It means that the night sky will be as bright as day. This can present a challenge.
When photographing lightning strikes in Lake Maracaibo and Catatumbo River, expect an extremely bright night sky. Your ISO and aperture should be adjusted to let in just enough light to capture the lightning strikes but should have the right value to not overexpose the shot.
2. Remote Trigger Automatic Camera Settings
However, if you’re using MIOPS Smart+ camera trigger, you don’t have to worry about starting from scratch. You don’t also have to rely on a trial-and-error method just to get the settings right. MIOPS’ intuitive sensors can help you.
The remote camera trigger, through the MIOPS Smart+ mobile application, automatically suggests and adjusts your camera’s aperture, ISO, and exposure values, on top of other necessary settings to capture lightning events as specific as Catatumbo lightning strikes.
3. Composition and Framing
The shutter speed should also be fast enough to capture the lightning strikes that you can focus on. While you have an infinite number of chances to capture lightning photos, don’t just point your camera everywhere!
Study the photo opportunities in front of you and find a good way to compose your shot. Add context and don’t just focus on the streaks of light. Add a portion of the storm clouds as the lightning’s point of origin. Include an area where the river or the lake meets the strike.
How Can You Prepare for a Lightning Photo Shoot Catatumbo Lightning in Venezuela?
Just like any other lightning photography session, you have to make the necessary preparations, especially if you’re going to a location known for its extreme lightning events. Typical lightning storms are dangerous enough, so imagine the level of risks that you might face in the world-famous lightning capital.
If you want to have the best time and capture the best lightning photos, you have to fully prepare. So what are the things that you need to do before setting out on a journey to the great Catatumbo and Maracaibo?
Here is a three-point list that might help you get ready.
1. Plan and research the setting and weather.
Whether you’re coming from Venezuela or another part of the world, you have to carefully plan your trip to the tiniest details. The most important part, of course, is to read everything you can about the country, and most specifically, Catatumbo and Maracaibo.
Aside from planning the trip according to the months we suggested earlier, which is from April to November, know the logistics of the trip. From transportation, accommodation, and how to get there, to local ordinances and environmental rules that you must adhere to, make sure to check them out before booking your flight.
2. Ask the right questions from the right people.
One of the best pieces of advice that you can get from professional photographers is this: ask questions. Not just any question, though - ask the right questions. Additionally, make sure that you’re asking the right people.
Ask photographers who have already been to the region. They might have some pro tips that can make things easier even for beginners.
You can also go to online forums where you can find questions and answers to the most specific questions about Catatumbo lightning photography.
You can also rely on books and news articles that talk about the region.
3. Complete your camera equipment.
Earlier, we discussed the needed camera settings and camera accessories, like a remote camera trigger that you need to photograph lightning.
Aside from these essentials, make sure you have a trusty tripod with you, extra batteries in case you’ll be outdoors for hours, a zoom lens and other applicable lenses, and most importantly, weather-proofing equipment to protect your camera gear.
Having reliable camera equipment and extras will help you have the time and resources to make your trip a success. Faulty equipment and low-quality gears can restrict and limit your chances of getting that once-in-a-lifetime and award-winning image.
With your complete camera equipment and MIOPS Smart+ camera trigger’s smart and intuitive technology, trust that your preparation and everything you’ve been through to get to this record-breaking lightning hotspot will be all worth it.
Good luck and have fun!
Blog Credit: Charm Villalon
Charm is a writer and a visual artist. Her drive to share ideas and stories is evident in her background in communication arts and language studies. Years of professional experience in content creation have given her a broad proficiency with the process of engaging online communities. An appreciation for multiple languages and cultures drives her to seek out experiences and capture these moments through her writing, digital art, and photography.
