How to Capture the Northern Lights: a Complete Photography Guide
January 07
6 min. to read
The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are one of nature's most beautiful spectacles, showcasing amazing colours like green, pink, purple and red dancing across the skies. Unlike any other landscape, the Northern Lights are dynamic, with ever-changing patterns, colours and intensity.
They are a challenge for any photographer to capture as they are rare and unpredictable. Follow this guide to learn more about the Northern Lights and how to capture them.
1. Understanding the Northern Lights
Northern Lights are like a giant, colourful light show created by the Sun and Earth working together. To understand this further, here is a simple explanation of this natural marvel.
It Starts With the Sun
The Sun constantly sends out a stream of charged particles, called the solar wind, into space. Sometimes, the Sun has big bursts of energy called solar flares or coronal mass ejections. These send even more charged particles toward Earth.
Earth's Magnetic Field Protects Us
Earth has a magnetic field, like an invisible shield, that protects us from these charged particles. When the solar wind reaches Earth, most of these particles are deflected. But near the poles, the magnetic field is weaker, so some particles sneak through.
The Atmosphere Creates the Glow
The charged particles from the Sun collide with gases in Earth's atmosphere, like oxygen and nitrogen. These collisions release energy, and the gases start to glow—just like a neon sign!
The Colors Depend on the Gas
Green is the most common colour and happens when charged particles hit oxygen at lower altitudes. Red comes from oxygen too, but at higher altitudes. Purple, pink, or blue happens when the particles collide with nitrogen.
Why They Dance
The patterns and movement of the lights are caused by changes in the solar wind and how it interacts with Earth's magnetic field.
2. Best Locations and Time
Where are they visible?
1. Northern Hemisphere (Aurora Borealis)
Norway: Especially in Tromsø and the Lofoten Islands.
Sweden: Abisko National Park is a popular spot.
Finland: Lapland offers stunning viewing opportunities.
Iceland: A favourite for photographers due to its dramatic landscapes.
Canada: Yukon, Northwest Territories, and northern Alberta are excellent locations.
Alaska: Fairbanks is a hotspot for aurora viewing.
2. Southern Hemisphere (Aurora Australis)
Less accessible due to limited landmass, but visible in:
Antarctica (for researchers and adventurers).
Southern parts of Australia and New Zealand, like Tasmania or South Island.
3. Farther From the Poles
During periods of high solar activity, the Northern Lights can occasionally be seen farther south, even in places like Scotland, northern US states, or central Europe.
Best Times to Photograph Them
1. Season
The best months are September to March in the Northern Hemisphere, which offers longer nights and more opportunities to see and photograph the aurora. April can also offer good chances, especially near the equinox.
2. Time of Night
The best time to spot the Northern Lights is between 10 PM and 2 AM when the skies are darkest. However, auroras can appear as early as dusk or linger into the early morning.
3. Weather Conditions
Clear skies are essential for a good view. Cloud cover can obstruct even the brightest auroras. Remote locations far from city lights (to avoid light pollution) are ideal.
4. Solar Activity
Aurora activity depends on the Sun. Keep an eye on aurora forecasts, which measure geomagnetic activity using the Kp Index (higher numbers mean stronger displays).
3. Essential Equipment for Northern Lights Photography
Cameras
When selecting a camera to capture the Northern Lights, look for these key features to ensure success in low-light conditions:
Manual Controls: A camera that lets you adjust settings such as shutter speed, ISO, and aperture is essential for fine-tuning exposure.
High ISO Performance: Choose a camera that performs well at ISO 1600–3200 or higher, with minimal noise, to handle low-light conditions.
RAW Shooting Capability: This allows for maximum flexibility in post-processing, capturing all the details and colours of the aurora.
Full-Frame or Large Sensor: Cameras with larger sensors excel in low-light photography by capturing more light and detail. However, some crop-sensor cameras can also deliver great results if paired with the right lens.
Long Exposure Support: A camera that enables exposures of several seconds or more is crucial for capturing the movement and vibrancy of the auroras.
Weather-Sealing: In cold, snowy, or windy environments, a weather-sealed camera is highly recommended.
Battery Performance: Cold conditions can drain batteries quickly, so look for a camera with good battery life or carry spares.
Lenses
The right lens is just as critical as the camera for capturing the Northern Lights. Here's what to look for:
Wide Aperture: A lens with an aperture of f/2.8 or faster allows more light into the camera, essential for low-light photography. Faster apertures like f/1.8 or f/1.4 are even better for brighter, sharper images.
Wide-Angle Focal Length: To capture both the auroras and the landscape, a wide-angle lens with a focal length between 14mm and 35mm (on a full-frame sensor) is ideal. A wide field of view emphasises the expansive beauty of the auroras while including foreground elements like mountains or water for added context.
Sharpness and Image Quality: Look for lenses known for sharpness across the frame, especially in the corners, which is important for capturing stars and fine aurora details.
Manual Focus Capability: Precise manual focus is crucial in low-light settings to ensure your images are sharp. Lenses with a smooth focus ring are ideal for this.
Weather Resistance: A weather-sealed lens is helpful when shooting in cold, snowy, or damp conditions commonly encountered in aurora photography locations.
Tripod
A sturdy tripod is non-negotiable for capturing the Northern Lights, as Long exposure photography requires absolute stability to avoid blur caused by camera movement.
Key Features to Look For:
Stability: A solid build to withstand wind and uneven surfaces.
Height Adjustability: To match your shooting conditions and perspective.
Lightweight Materials: Carbon fibre tripods are strong yet easy to carry.
Cold-Weather Grip: Foam or rubber-coated legs help in freezing temperatures.
Remote Shutter Release
Remote shutter release helps avoid camera shake when taking long exposures. You can choose between wireless and wired, knowing the wireless options are best to move freely, but wired options are more reliable in extreme cold.
Extra Batteries
Cold weather drains batteries faster than usual, so bringing spares is essential. Keep spare batteries in an inner pocket close to your body to keep them warm. Rotate batteries as needed to ensure you always have a charged one ready.
Memory cards
Aurora photography involves shooting many long-exposure shots, often in RAW format, which requires significant storage space. Look for weather-resistant cards with 64GB or more and high write speeds to handle RAW files and continuous shooting.
4. Camera Settings for Capturing the Northern Lightsї
ISO Settings
For the Northern Lights, you'll typically use a low to medium ISO to avoid noise, but you'll need enough sensitivity to capture the lights in dark conditions.
ISO 1600 to 3200: This range is ideal for most Northern Lights photography. It provides enough sensitivity to capture the auroras while keeping noise at manageable levels.
ISO 800 to 1600: In darker, more remote locations, or if the aurora is particularly bright, you may be able to use a lower ISO for a cleaner image.
ISO 3200 to 6400: If the Northern Lights are faint or you're using a slower lens (f/2.8 or slower), you may need to increase the ISO. However, higher ISOs will introduce more noise, so it's best to adjust based on your camera's performance at higher settings.
Aperture
For Northern Lights photography, you want a wide aperture to let in as much light as possible, especially in low-light conditions. The Ideal Aperture is f/2.8 or f/1.4 (or as wide as your lens allows).
A wide aperture helps capture more light, which is crucial when shooting in the dark, especially during the nighttime auroras.
If your lens has a maximum aperture of f/2.8, that's a great starting point. If your lens can go as wide as f/1.4, it will allow even more light to hit the sensor, enabling faster shutter speeds and cleaner images at lower ISOs.
Shutter Speed
When photographing the Northern Lights, the goal is to capture both the aurora's movement and the surrounding landscape, without introducing unwanted blur or overexposure.
10–20 Seconds: This is the most common shutter speed range for photographing the Northern Lights. A 10- to 20-second exposure will allow enough time for the aurora to be captured while preventing it from becoming overly blurred or washed out. This is particularly good for active auroras with fast-moving bands of light.
20–30 Seconds: For a more dramatic look, if the auroras are faint and slow-moving, you can extend the exposure up to 30 seconds. However, this may result in star trails, so it's important to consider whether you want the stars to be sharp or allow some motion blur to create a sense of movement in the auroras.
White Balance
Auto White Balance (AWB) is a good starting point, but can be unpredictable.
Tungsten (Incandescent) is ideal for capturing the true colours of the Northern Lights.
Custom White Balance offers the most control, especially in dynamic lighting conditions.
For RAW images, post-processing allows for precise adjustments to white balance to perfect the colours of the auroras.
Focus
Manual focus is the best way to ensure sharp images when photographing the Northern Lights.
Focus on a distant light or stars to get a sharp focal point.
Use live view and zoom in to fine-tune focus.
Once focused, avoid adjusting the focus ring to prevent accidental changes.
For wide-angle shots, consider using the hyperfocal distance for maximum depth of field.
Exposure Settings for Different Aurora Strengths
When photographing the Northern Lights, the strength of the aurora will vary, and you'll need to adjust your exposure settings accordingly.
1. Weak Aurora (Faint and Subtle Displays)
When the aurora is weak, it will appear as a faint glow or light streaks in the sky, making it harder to photograph without overexposing the sky or losing detail.
Recommended Exposure Settings:
ISO: 800–1600
Aperture: f/2.8 to f/4
Shutter Speed: 10–20 seconds
2. Moderate Aurora (Bright but Steady Displays)
When the aurora is moderate, you'll see more defined shapes and movement, but the brightness is still not overpowering. You'll need a balance of exposure time to capture the detail without blurring the aurora.
Recommended Exposure Settings:
ISO: 800–1600
Aperture: f/2.8 to f/4
Shutter Speed: 5–15 seconds
3. Strong Aurora (Bright and Fast-Moving Displays)
When the aurora is strong and vibrant, it will appear brighter in the sky, often with rapid movements and vivid colours. With brighter auroras, you'll need to adjust your exposure to avoid overexposure, while still capturing the details.
Recommended Exposure Settings:
ISO: 400–800
Aperture: f/2.8 to f/4
Shutter Speed: 2–8 seconds
4. Very Strong Aurora (Intense, Dynamic, and Fast-Moving Displays)
When the Northern Lights are at their most powerful, with intense activity and fast-moving auroras, you'll need quick shutter speeds to capture the intensity without overexposing the lights or introducing motion blur.
Recommended Exposure Settings:
ISO: 200–400
Aperture: f/2.8
Shutter Speed: 1–3 seconds
5. Composition Tips for Stunning Northern Lights Photos
Framing Your Shot
To add depth and context to your photos, try to include interesting foreground elements such as mountains, trees or lakes. This will create a sense of scale and improve the composition of your image, as a strong foreground can serve as a leading line or focal point.
Wide-Angle Shots
Wide-angle lenses are essential for capturing more of the landscape surrounding you. They will allow you to enhance the scale of the Northern Lights and create a greater depth of field.
Including the Horizon
The horizon is an essential element in photography composition as it helps balance the image. Positioning the horizon correctly will allow you to control how much of the sky and foreground is featured in the photo and enhance the symmetry and depth. Place the horizon low on your photo to emphasise the vastness of the aurora, or place it higher to highlight the landscape.
Avoiding Clutter
Try to keep your frame clutter-free to simplify the scene and highlight the aurora. This will also help minimise the noise as small, indistinct details may blend together or become grainy, making the photo appear messy.
6. Shooting Techniques for the Northern Lights
Long Exposure Photography
Long exposure is an excellent technique for capturing the Northern Lights because it enhances their visibility, movements and vibrant colours. Also, as you will photograph the northern light during nighttime, low light will be a challenge. Long exposures allow the sensor to collect enough light to properly expose the scene so the aurora and any foreground elements are visible and balanced.
Burst Mode
Burst mode allows your camera to take a rapid series of photos in quick succession, and it is a good technique as the aurora can change intensity or pattern quickly. With several images taken in a short span, you can choose the sharpest and best-composed shot later during editing. For fast-moving auroras, burst mode can capture details and shapes in separate frames, preserving the dynamic nature of the display.
7. Common Mistakes to Avoid
Overexposing the Image
The colours of the Northern Lights, such as greens, purples, and reds, are delicate and often faint. When the exposure is too long or the ISO is too high, the excess light makes the colours appear pale or even white in the final image. Therefore, ensure that your camera's settings are correct to capture the aurora's details accurately.
Not Using a Sturdy Tripod
A camera shake can ruin a long-exposure shot when the camera moves slightly during the exposure, causing the image to blur. This issue is especially problematic when photographing the Northern Lights, as the sharpness of both the aurora and the stars is crucial for a stunning image. If you want clear photos, ensure that you use a sturdy tripod to stabilise your camera.
Failing to Adjust for Changing Conditions
The aurora's brightness, speed, and movement patterns can shift quickly, so ensure that you stay reactive to these changes to capture high-quality images and not miss any opportunities.
Conclusion
Capturing the Northern Lights is a rewarding experience. By understanding the science behind the lights, choosing the right location and time, and mastering your equipment and techniques, you'll be well on your way to creating stunning images.
