Thunder is impressive; but it is lightning that does the work.

Samuel Clemens said that. At least I think he did...I'm not entirely sure.

I've found myself fascinated with random photography. Simply grabbing my Nikon D50 to snap a picture at the most obscure time. It may go without saying however, that I have a massive interest in nature photography. There's nothing more beautiful than catching mother nature in action, or at rest for that matter. My good friend Smitty seems to share this same love of nature photography. But, see, he has mountains. I don't have that. I have small hills and a smog-ridden city. Color me green with envy.

So, sometimes, I have to improvise.

A few weeks ago, for instance, a storm started brewing southeast of my apartment. It was quite a spectacle. 50 mi/h winds, unremitting lightning, and the obligatory booming thunder that immediately follows it. Don't you love my use of consonance? Too bad this isn't poetry, eh?

Anyway, in an impromptu effort to capture lightning with my camera, I set up my tripod just inside my balcony's sliding door. I had to position the legs just right so I could get as close to the opened door as possible. Those three legs, though simple in design, can be quite tricky. Once the camera was positioned for optimal through-the-door viewing, I had to get my settings right. I figured I'd set the camera on aperture priority and let it decide how long to leave the shutter open. It did a pretty good job, in my opinion.

So, I submit for your approval two of the best pictures taken that fateful eve.