In my Beginner’s Guide to Photographing the Northern Lights you’ll learn about why the Aurora Borealis occurs, the best times to witness auroras, ideal locations, camera modes, and gear.

The Aurora Borealis (also called the Northern Lights) are best seen in Alaska, Iceland, Finland, Norway, and Northern Canada. Winter is the ideal time to see and photograph the auroras because the sky is at its darkest. It varies by location but, in general, the best months are September to March.

The Northern Lights start off as electrically charged particles leaving the sun’s atmosphere. These particles are pulled into Earth’s atmosphere and collide with oxygen and nitrogen. An aurora’s color depends on which gas molecule is struck and the altitude at which it happens. Green is the most common color, produced by oxygen molecules about 60 miles above Earth. Oxygen also creates red auroras at high altitudes (up to 200 miles above Earth). Nitrogen produces blue and purplish auroras.

Northern lights twisting in the sky

Four things are needed for your best chance to see the Aurora Borealis – high aurora activity, a clear sky, darkness, and a certain amount of luck. Aurora strength is measured by a Kp indicator from 0 to 9: 0 is very weak and 9 would be a major magnetic storm. The higher the Kp number, the better your chance of seeing spectacular auroras. Even if these factors are not on your side, check every night. You can still see the Lights with a low Kp, a full moon, or partly cloudy skies.

Predicting the Aurora

You should look for clear skies. Moonlight can make it slightly more difficult to see very faint auroras, but it can also help to capture more detail in the foreground of your photos.

There are websites and apps that predict aurora activity. While they are not always 100 percent accurate, they can aid with planning. Two that are recommended often are Space Weather Live and My Aurora Forecast app.

You can ask you accommodation. Our hotel in Iceland had an ‘aurora wake-up call’ service where they checked every hour and woke you if auroras were spotted.

You can also look for local Facebook groups where others discuss the probability and worthwhile locations.

Northern lights above Hotel Hamar
Northern Lights above Hotel Hamar

Find Locations Far from Large Cities

The best places to watch for auroras are areas with little to no light pollution. Artificial light from buildings and streets creates a “skyglow” which brightens the sky and makes it more difficult to see faint objects. The more remote your location, the better your chances are to spot the Northern Lights among the stars and clouds.

Aurora borealis moving over Borgarnes

Scout the Location in Advance if Possible

If you have the opportunity, scout the location during the day. Look for areas to set up and create your composition and angles. Reflective surfaces like water, snow, and ice really pop in photos.

If you can’t visit ahead of time, don’t worry. I didn’t have the option and still was able to get some incredible shots.

Use a Camera with Manual Mode

It is best to use a camera with the option of manual mode, allowing you to control the settings. Cameras set to automatic have a very difficult time properly distinguishing and photographing auroras due to how dark it is at night. Below are my recommendations for manual settings.

Aperture

Use wide apertures to let in the most light. Look for an aperture of f/2.8 to f/4 – the lower the F-stop the more light is let in. The lowest aperture number varies by lens.

Shutter Speed

Start at 15 seconds – which holds the shutter open for 15 seconds, allowing light in. Increase up to 30 seconds or decrease down to 5 seconds as needed. Longer exposures have the risk of “star trailing” because stars (and the Earth) move all the time. An active aurora may also smear the longer you leave the shutter open.

ISO

Start with 1600 – increased ISO makes the camera more sensitive to the limited light. If the photo isn’t bright enough, increase the ISO. A higher ISO leads to “noise” (grainy photos), so don’t go too high. Keep your ISO between 800 to 3200 for best results.

Northern Lights stretching into the sky above Borgarnes

Gear

Lenses – use a shorter lens like an 18-55mm kit lens or even a wide-angle lens (like a 14-24mm lens) to let in more light.

Tripod – during long exposure shots the camera has to be still for extended durations (up to 30 seconds or even a minute). This is almost impossible handheld so a tripod is a necessity.

Delay timer – set the timer for a 2- or 10-second delay for less camera shake from pressing the shutter button.

Wireless remote – a wireless remote avoids shaking the camera when pushing the shutter button.

Spare batteries – cold environments lower battery capacity and longer exposure times drain batteries faster.

Northern Lights peeking over the horizon

Cell Phone Photography

If you do not have a camera, there are apps you can use on your cell phone. Some are specifically made for photographing and locating the Aurora Borealis.

Many newer phone cameras allow you to make manual mode modifications similar to DSLR cameras. Some come with a built-in Night Mode feature that compensates for low light.

Why Your Eyes See the Lights Differently

Our eyes have cones and rods to sense light. Cones detect color in bright light. Rods can detect light at night but only see in black, white, and shades of gray. Therefore, when you are trying to view the Northern Lights at night, the light is too faint for your eyes to pick up color and the auroras appear white or gray.

A camera picks up more color because the shutter can stay open longer and collect more light. With this extra time and light, the auroras and their colors are more visible.

Northern Lights moving over our hotel

I hope you found this Beginner’s Guide to Photographing the Northern Lights helpful! Where is your dream location to capture the Aurora Borealis?

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