There are few natural wonders more inspiring than the Northern Lights, The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis as it’s properly known if you wish to be smart about things are the kind of glowing curtains that drift backward and forward across the night sky like a dream — not only for many viewers but also one that we see them through. However, snapping the aurora is as much about getting oneself in mind of game plan and method to be successful on a retrieval when armed with an appropriate camera.
This guide will tell you everything you need to know about shooting the spectacular Northern Lights in all its glory. Are you a pro photographer or beginner here are the things photo you should do to be an expert in chasing Aurora.
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What is an Aurora Borealis?
In the night sky, one of the most spectacular natural spectacles is that of The Aurora Borealis- or as it is more commonly known in this part of the world –The Northern Lights. However, in order to be able to best capture this stunning display of light you will need a basic understanding of its science and the factors that play a part in wether or not it is visible.
Question: What is the Northern Lights?
The Northern Lights are charged particles that come from the Sun (solar wind) interacting with Earth’s magnetic field. The sparkling sky is a result of these particles smashing into gases in the Earth’s atmosphere and causing them to light up. This generally ends up as the colorful display of auroras showing in different forms from arcs to drapes and spirals.
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The aurora are colored based on what gases in the atmosphere are being excited:
- Green: Normally occurs at ~60 miles (96 km) altitude where the sun lights up oxygen molecules.
- Red: Rare and occurs at altitudes up to 150 mile or more, again created by oxygen molecules.
- Blue and Purple: these colors arise when solar particles interact with molecules of nitrogen in the atmosphere.
How and Where to See the Northern Lights
Though the aurora is visible year-round, it tends to be most commonly seen during the winter months (September through March) near Earth’s magnetic poles. This is because the nights are longer and clearer skies, which would make sense to higher chances of seeing them.
Key Factors of Aurora Visibility:
- Latitude: The Northern Lights are best seen inside the so-called auroral oval (region around magnetic poles). In this category are places like Norway, Iceland, Canada, Finland and even parts of Alaska. The closer to this zone you are, the more likely you will have a chance at seeing the aurora.
- The KP Index: Measures geomagnetic activity which affects how far south the aurora can be seen from the poles KP Index of 3-4: Northern Lights may be visible near the poles. KP Index of 5-7: The aurora could show in a more southern latitude.
- Solar Activity: A spectrum that is even more directly linked to solar activity than light! Stronger auroral displays can also be caused by higher solar winds and/or coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the Sun. This is where following solar activity comes in handy: the aurora borealis will be most prominent on a clear, dark night after we’ve been hit by enough of that good stuff from out there.
Best Places to go for Aurora Photos
These breathtaking displays of natural beauty can be seen and photographed at various locations across the globe with just a little luck. These areas are devoid of light pollution and their skies tend to be clear, all located within the auroral oval.
- Iceland : Located near the Arctic Circle and famous for its natural wonders, it is a hot spot among aurora chasers. Epic settings for aurora photography include the pingvellir National Park and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
- Norway (Tromsø): Tromsø, a city in northern Norway that is known as the gateway to the Arctic and one of Europe’s top spots for viewing Northern Lights.
- Finland (Lapland): Even in areas like Rovaniemi, Lapland’s remoteness and dark Arctic skies make it possible to see the northern lights with relatively little light pollution.
- Canada (Yukon and Northwest Territories): Providing some of the best spots to capture images of the aurora surrounded by unimpeded open skies with no light pollution.
- Alaska (Fairbanks): Fairbanks is hands down one of the best places you can visit to see the Northern Lights in North America, especially during its winter peak season.
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Timing the Aurora
The Northern Lights are best seen in the long winter nights (from September to March). When these last for months on end, there are longer periods of time when the sky is dark and so suitable for seeing aurora. Furthermore, the best weather for viewing is a clear, moonless night and cloud cover or light from the moon can greatly diminish/obscure them.
Wait and be patient: The aurora take hours to manifest even on peak nights of solar activity. Being patient until the moment is right and things build up because of real-time aurora forecasts.
With this knowledge of the science behind aurora borealis and with information about when & where to photograph, you ought to be more ready now! If you know what to watch out for in auroras, it means a better chance of catching those ephemeral displays forever captured on camera.
Planning your Aurora Journey
1. What You Need for Northern Lights Photography
The right equipment is essential to be able to film the Northern Lights properly.
- Camera: DSLR or mirrorless with manual capabilities is best.
- Wide-Angle Lens: This lens should be a fast one (f/2.8 or lower) with at focal length that can cover as much of the sky without emphasizing distortion to its edges, from 14-24mm is generally ideal but wider works in some contexts
- Tripod: A good tripod is one of the most important things for long exposure shots.
- Remote Shutter Release: This prevents camera shake while shooting long exposures.
- Extra Batteries: Batteries die quickly in cold weather, so add extra ones.
- Headlamp: with a red light, to maintain night and camera settings adapted vision.
2. Dressing for the Cold
When it comes to shooting the aurora, you may find yourself standing around in freezing cold temperatures for extended periods of time. Bundle up in warm layers, including thermal gloves and hats under high-insulated boots. Auroras can appear quite suddenly, so you should be prepared to shoot while being comfortable.
Setting Up Your Camera
Aurora Exposure Settings Once you get into place and are prepared to shoot the aurora, here is how to set your camera. Notoriously difficult to shoot in, if you understand these settings your low light photos will be sharp and vibrant.
1. Aperture
The first option is to use the widest aperture your lens allows (f/2.8 or lower) for maximum light capture The Northern Lights may be relatively dim, so you will need a large aperture to capture them at all.
2. ISO
Begin by setting the ISO dial between 1600 and 3200. This may be subject to change based on how much the aurora lights up and captures by your lens. This will make noise levels higher so you may consider that in post processing too.
3. Shutter Speed
This is the room for trial and error. With a shutter speed of 5-10 seconds, even more powerful auroras will look brighter. You may have to do a 15-25 second exposure for dimmer displays. Try to vary the exposures, snapping images of equal intensity colors with lights moving around.
4. Focus
Before shooting, change the lens to manual focus and adjust it so that you can target your camera on an object that is far away like a star or horizon. Focus can be refined using live view as well. Tips for Keeping the Stars in Focus A nice clear night sky image requires getting those stars sharp.
5. White Balance
Use a white balance of 3500K to 4000K as your starting point, you may want it cooler or warmer depending on the specific colors you are after but often this range will give both an organic look from soft aurora toning and slight blue hue in the sky.
Shooting the Northern Lights
1. Compose Your Shot
Things like trees, mountains and even a frozen lake in the foreground help with scale and reference when capturing auroras. With a beautiful landscape in your aurora photo we can really make it pop.
2. Remote Shutter or Release Timer
Use a remote shutter release or the camera self-timer to prevent any sort of shake. This makes sure the long exposures are as stable as possible.
3. Shoot in RAW Format
When in doubt shoot RAW so you can save as much detail as possible. This will also provide you more room when post-processing your photos later.
4. Take Multiple Shots
Different shots with different settings because the aurora is so variable. This will give you more opportunities to get photographs under better lights and even if necessary, exposure blend.
Post-Processing Your Aurora Photos
After capturing the Northern Lights, the next step is editing your photos to bring out their full potential. It is an excellent way to punch up your shots, and programs like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop can provide a great tool for it.
Basic Editing Steps
- Exposure: Adjust the exposure to get a balance in light and properly show details on bush of the aurora it self++ landscape as well.
- Increase Contrast and Dehaze: Increase the contrast so that it pop up against dark sky. If you want to avoid over-sharpening, increase the clarity slider instead.
- Noise reduction to reduce the graininess of shots taken at high ISO settings.
- White Balance: Correct the color temperature to make those aurora colors pop while not introducing unnatural tints.
- Sharpening: Add a little sharpen to enhance the fine details in the stars and aurora.
Troubleshotting Common Problems
1. Blurry Stars or Aurora
If stars or aurora is coming out blurry check your focus and decrease exposure time. Luminous constellations of high-altitude auroras change so quickly, long exposures up to 3 or more seconds will cause movement blur.
2. Too Much Noise
If your image is too noisy, adjust the ISO downward or perform some noise reduction in post-processing. Watch out — over-processing can blur the image.
3. Foreground Too Dark
Expose for a slightly longer period, or take multiple exposures and blend them to obtain the right ratio in the sky against that with foreground.
Conclusion
Shooting the aurora can be very exciting and is basically a combination of technical skills, patience — plus some luck. With the right preparation, camera settings mastered and flexibility in situational changes you can come back with breathtaking images that capture the beauty of this natural wonder.
So grab your camera, wrap up warm and head out in search of the Northern Lights! Armed with the information in this step-by-step guide, you can begin to transform those ephemeral moments of magic again and again into beautiful visual memories. Happy shooting!