At the edge of the storm: a lone figure watches a storm engulf the night sky. Sanibel, Florida.
The air was heavy, still, and full of tension as I stood on a small stretch of sand, watching a thunderstorm build over the Sanibel Causeway in southwest Florida. Clouds mushroomed until they towered like mountains, darkening as they swallowed the last rays of the day.
Out on the causeway, surrounded by open water, it was both beautiful and unnerving. The sky felt alive; every instinct told me to watch, but also to respect the storm awakening before me. I'd made sure to park the hire car as close as I could, ready for a quick exit if needed.
No Tripods, No Special Gear; Just An iPhone, And A Bit Of Patience.
Most people think you need specialised equipment to photograph lightning, and they’re not wrong. Long exposures, lightning triggers, and sturdy tripods are part of the traditional toolkit. But there’s another way to catch that split-second magic that relies less on gear and more on instinct. One of the iPhone’s simplest built-in features, Live Photos, can do the job surprisingly well. Creativity isn’t always about having more equipment, but about knowing how to make the most of what’s already in your pocket.
When you take a photo with Live Photos enabled, your iPhone records 1.5 seconds of video before and after you press the shutter, creating a short three-second clip that could easily include the perfect lightning strike. Instead of relying on luck and a single exposure, you can scroll through that brief timeline and choose the exact frame where the bolt appears; a small but powerful advantage. It's exactly how I captured the images in this article.
In Photos, open your image: tap Live, scrub through the timeline, pause on the strike, tap Make Key Photo, tap Done.
Step-by-Step: Choosing a Live Photos Key Frame
1. Open the Camera app.
2. In Photo mode, tap the Live Photo icon at the top to switch it on.
3. Point toward the most active part of the storm, keep steady, and tap the shutter whenever lightning flickers.
4. In Photos, open your image → tap Live → scrub through the timeline → pause on the strike → tap Make Key Photo → tap Done.
5. Edit using the iPhone’s Photos tools or apps like Photomator or Snapseed. Drop highlights slightly and deepen shadows to bring out the drama.
Storm over the Polynesian Resort, Walt Disney World, Florida.
Stay Safe
Safety comes first. Lightning is one of nature’s most dangerous forces, and storms can change quickly. Always keep your distance; it’s better to stay on the edge of the storm than in the middle of it. You’ll capture the power without the risk, and often find better light and cleaner compositions too.
The Mindset
Photographing lightning takes anticipation, patience, and a bit of luck. Live Photos simplifies the process. The frame you choose might not be perfect, but it’s often enough to capture the energy and intensity of the moment.
An iPhone lets you shoot in all sorts of ways, whether you stick with the native camera or explore creative apps. Live Photos is one of the simplest tools of all; a quick, natural way to catch nature at its most spontaneous.
Live Photos is great for capturing fireworks too.
Let Live Photos Capture Fireworks
The same approach works brilliantly for fireworks too. Each burst of colour is as unpredictable as lightning, and Live Photos captures that split-second burst in all its energy and glow. With Guy Fawkes celebrations just around the corner in the UK, it’s the perfect opportunity to head out to a local display, feel the crackle in the air, and experiment. Point your phone to the sky, trust your timing, and let Live Photos turn those fleeting explosions of light into lasting memories.