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Lightning Over the Badlands

I’ve just returned from a family road trip that took us from Chicago to San Francisco. The idea was to enjoy the days with family and spend the nights doing astrophotography.

 

That plan worked out... eventually. But the first leg of the trip, especially in Badlands National Park, had other ideas. A dramatic 45°F (25°C) temperature drop brought intense thunderstorms and heavy rain, completely washing out any chance of night photography.

 

Still, nature had its own show in store, and capturing this powerful lightning storm over the rugged Badlands landscape made up for it in its own way.

 

EXIF

Canon EOS-R7 in RAW Burst/Pre-shooting mode

Canon RF-S 18-150mm @ 24mm f/6.3

Panorama of 3 panels, each a stack of 5x 1/80s @ ISO250

 

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Uploaded on August 8, 2025
Taken on July 15, 2025