My First Lightning Photo: An Unforgettable Night at Crazy Horse Monument

This week, I thought I’d share a story that’s very special to me — the night I captured my very first lightning photograph. Looking back, it was one of those magical moments where luck, timing, and persistence all came together.

A Faithful Companion: My First Digital Camera

The date was July 24, 2005, and I was traveling with my first digital camera — a Sony Cybershot that had already seen better days. By then, it was limping along. The camera had no optical viewfinder, which meant I had to compose every photo using the digital screen.

To make matters worse, in the weeks before the trip the red channel completely failed. I could only see the world in blue and green tones when composing shots. Thankfully, the camera still captured full-color images, but you can imagine how challenging it was to photograph without seeing the reds.

Then, as if it knew this trip was important, the red channel suddenly came back to life right before I left. That little camera gave me everything it had left — one last chance to capture something extraordinary.

Returning to Where It All Began

This trip retraced much of a journey I had taken years earlier to Yellowstone National Park, the trip that first ignited my lifelong love of photography. Along the way, I stopped again at the Crazy Horse Monument in South Dakota.

On my first visit, I had seen the monument during the day, but this time I wanted to experience the nighttime laser light show. I had no idea what was waiting for me behind the monument that evening.

Storms, Lightning, and Lasers

I positioned myself on a small service road away from the main crowds, hoping for a clear view of the monument. As the sun began to set, dark storm clouds gathered on the horizon. By the time it was nearly showtime, lightning started flashing across the sky.

Over the loudspeakers, officials warned that they were monitoring the weather and might have to cancel the show. My heart sank — I had been thinking about this opportunity for four years, and now nature might cut it short.

But then came the announcement: the lasers would fire up, and the show would go on.

Chasing the Shot

I fired off dozens of photos, trying desperately to capture a single frame where the monument, lasers, and lightning all came together. And finally — I got it.

The photo wasn’t perfect by today’s standards, but for me it was everything. You can see the laser beams cutting across the monument if you look closely, and in the background, lightning bolts streak across the night sky. The drama of the storm and the brilliance of the show collided in one frame.

It was one of the most incredible opportunities of my early photography journey. And just as the show ended, the skies opened up and the rain poured down — sparing both me and my fragile little camera until the very last moment.

A Night I’ll Never Forget

That night taught me something important: lightning photography isn’t just about skill or gear — it’s about being in the right place, at the right time, and being ready to press the shutter.

Both my old Sony Cybershot and the weather gave me one unforgettable gift — my very first lightning photo.