Summer Storm

DECEMBER?!?!?! WHAT??!?!?! WHERE DID YOU SPRING FROM?!?!

With the arrival of December came the powerful and beautiful summer storms I love.
When the lightning started, I rushed outside with my camera and an umbrella, promptly returned inside to get rid of the umbrella to avoid dying, rushed back outside, and found the darkest place nearby to get some photos. I've never before been successful in capturing lightning. 50 minutes standing in an (ever so slightly creepy) alleyway, drenched to the bone. The alleyway was dry as a bone before the rain hit, which was all of 20 minutes before I dashed out.
Stunning forked lightning. Absolutely gorgeous.
But, in my typical manner, I failed once again to capture anything other than sheet lightning. One measly photo with lightning, and it's sheet.
Grrrrr.

But, you can see just how bright the lightning was, and might get an idea of how beautiful the forked lightning was. Neither half of this image has been edited or touched up. The two photos were taken 8 seconds apart. No change in any settings.
Just nature giving me some light in the creepy, "I'mgonnadie" alleyway.