Nikon 3100D and Lightning?

[Bec2002]

So there is some storms off in the distance (far from me) and no matter what I set the camera on it's not taking a photo and just flashing 'Subject is too dark' can anyone shed some light please?

[ricktas]

Take it off auto mode. Set the ISO to 100. Set the f-stop to around f14. Set the shutter speed to several seconds. Place the camera on a tripod, use mirror-up mode and then take a photo. If the resultant image is still to dark, make the shutter speed slower (without a remote shutter release you can go to 30 seconds). If that is not giving you a reasonable exposure, increase the ISO, go to 200 and test a shot, if it still needs to allow more light to the sensor, go to ISO 400.

Do not use the pop-up flash.

Taking lightning photos generally requires a shutter speed of a few seconds, up to several minutes, so without a remote release you have to juggle the settings to get a good exposure. Use of a tripod is paramount as well, the camera needs to be extremely stable and not move at all during the exposures.

[arthurking83]

You should be able to bypass the 30sec shutter speed limit.

If you don't have a remote release that allows you to use bulb mode, you set the camera to [A]perture priority mode.
Best result are usually obtained if you set metering to spot, and make sure you set the camera to Long exposure Noise Reduction too if there's a chance that exposure is going to exceed 1 min.