Hello from England.

[Andy K]

Hope you're ok there Leon!

Will you be out with some b+w then? Cars making their way through floods, people being rescued by firemen in dinghys... aah photographic heaven!

Andy

 

[Graeme Hird]

It's a good thing I'm not a cow then, eh?

Seriously, I have a couple of vantage points planned, both of which have high structures which are more likely to take a strike than me!

Andy.

Andy,

Don't stand too close to those structures. When they get hit, the charge usually spreads out through the ground and can electrocute people standing nearby. There have been many instances where animals (and people) sheltering under trees have died en masse because the ground was charged when the tree was struck.

Stay at least 30 metres from them, but better still, pack up when the first drops of rain start to fall on you. Lightning prefers to strike where the column of rain is. Stay near your car (that's the safest place to be because it is a faraday cage) and get in if you smell ozone, your hair starts to rise or you hear humming objects around you. Don't fool yourself into thinking those objects will take the strike - if you are out in a storm, you're in danger.

Cheers,
Graeme

 

[Andy K]

Thanks Graeme, but we rarely get electrical storms on the scale you do!
The two places I have in mind are a beachfront cafe, just around the corner from me (it has a covered walkway all round) and a ruined castle on a hilltop about 5 miles from me. The cafe would be safer but the castle would make for better shots, the downside of the castle is you have to park about 400 yards from it and it is completely open to the elements.

 

[philldresser]

Thanks Graeme, but we rarely get electrical storms on the scale you do!
The two places I have in mind are a beachfront cafe, just around the corner from me (it has a covered walkway all round) and a ruined castle on a hilltop about 5 miles from me. The cafe would be safer but the castle would make for better shots, the downside of the castle is you have to park about 400 yards from it and it is completely open to the elements.

Andy

Would that be hadleigh castle ?

Phill

 

[Andy K]

It would indeed be Hadleigh Castle Phil! You know it then? Great views across the Estuary and Kent!

 

[philldresser]

It would indeed be Hadleigh Castle Phil! You know it then? Great views across the Estuary and Kent!

Andy

Yes I am an Essex boy from Laindon and spent many days walking the marshes and woods on the hills 'twitching' (Birding). Haven't been there in 20 years but have some good shots from my youth. Crumbling Castle, Thunder clouds etc. Unfortunately all the negs are in South Africa. But thats another story.

I used to work in Ffordes Cameras , Southend during my Youth

Phill

 

[Andy K]

There is still a 'Ffordes Photographic Ltd' in the London Road. Would that be the same place?

 

[philldresser]

There is still a 'Ffordes Photographic Ltd' in the London Road. Would that be the same place?

I dont think so. I believe he closed shop and went to Scotland as Mail Order only but another shop (his ex staff) started up. NOt called ffordes anymore.

Phill

Their link is now : http://www.ffordes.com

 

[Dave Miller]

Now Westcliffe Photographic.

Dead Link Removed

 

[Andy K]

I was going by this link which lists Ffordes Photographic Ltd, as seperate from Westliff Photographic. Maybe the link is out of date.

http://www.locallife.co.uk/southend/photographysup3.asp