Need help from experts on lightning!

So I tried lightning photography for the first time, and I know there is a tree in the way, but the lightning is still clear, and I think I might have captured something unusual.
Here is the photo:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/68505053@N0…

The bolt seems so come up from the ground instead of the cloud, which I know is considered extremely rare, but the image still doesn't look like those photos. The few images of upward lightning I've seen look more like electric trees.

I don't know if this is just a trick of perspective, or if I caught something really unique, but I can't find any other pictures of lightning on the web that look like this. Please give me your expertise!

There are three main types of lightning, CG(cloud to ground), CC(cloud to cloud aka sheet), and GC(ground to cloud). What you photographed is GC lightning. Basically, a leader bolt comes from the ground or an object on the ground. This connects a path started from a cloud.

Very nice photo btw!

*Oh look, the "meteorologist" commented. It must be fun to play "When I grow up" huh TQ?

If indeed you captured the initial illumination of a lightning bolt's 'channel' as the ground-based 'streamer' connected with the cloud's 'step leader'...it's not at all 'extremely rare' b/c that's how it happens each and every time there's cloud-to-ground lightning. Illumination of the channel starts at the ground and goes up.

A 'step leader' DESCENDs from the base of the storm cloud.
'Streamers' ASCEND from the ground.
When the streamer connects with the step-leader...LIGHTNING!

Only in the spotted storm chaser-land of sockpuppets do step-leaders ASCEND from the ground.