The northern lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, are beautiful light displays that occur in the skies of the Arctic Circle when solar winds from the sun come into contact with the earth’s magnetic field. To capture the display on camera, you’ll need a camera that has a manual mode. Plan to take your photographs during the winter, in a location with little light pollution and clear skies. Take the time to set your camera to the right settings before your photo shoot so you're able to capture the northern lights' vivid colors.
Steps
Part 1
Part 1 of 3:
Shooting in the Right Conditions
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Plan a trip to the Arctic Circle sometime between November and March. You’ll need to be in the Arctic Circle to see the northern lights, and the winter months between November and March are the best time to see them because of how dark it gets. Some places you can go to photograph the northern lights are Iceland, northern Canada, northern Alaska, and the northern region of Sweden, Norway, and Finland. [1] X Research source
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Choose a spot with minimal light pollution. Light from nearby buildings will make it harder to capture the northern lights on camera. Once you pick a country to photograph the northern lights in, find a place there that’s far away from human activity. If you need help finding a good spot that doesn't have a lot of light pollution, check out the Blue Marble Light Pollution Map at https://blue-marble.de/nightlights/2012 . [2] X Research source
- Abisko National Park in Sweden is a spot in the path of the northern lights that’s far away from light pollution.
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Pick a night when the forecast calls for clear skies. You won’t be able to photograph the northern lights if there is a lot of cloud cover. Try to go out shooting on a night when there’s 0-10 percent cloud cover. If the cloud cover is 20-30 percent, you may still be able to take some photos of the northern lights, but they won’t be as clear. Check the local weather forecast to find out what nights during your trip will have the clearest skies for your photo shoot. [3] X Research source
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Check the Kp-index before your photo shoot. The Kp-index measures the amount of auroral activity there will be on any given night. The more auroral activity on the night of your photo shoot, the more likely you are to see the northern lights. To check the Kp-index, visit http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/planetary-k-index . You should be able to see the auroral activity for that day and the day after. Auroral activity is measured on a scale of 0-9, with 0 being no activity and 9 being a significant amount of activity. [4] X Research source
- If the Kp-index is 4 or higher for a particular day, you should be able to see the northern lights.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:
Packing for Your Photo Shoot
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Bring a camera that has a manual mode. Since you’ll be shooting the northern lights at night, you’ll need a camera that allows you to manually adjust the different settings. An automatic camera won’t be able to adjust in the dark, so make sure your camera has a manual setting or your photos won’t turn out. [5] X Research source
- If you’re not sure if your camera has manual mode, check the settings wheel on the outside of the camera. If one of the settings is a letter “M,” then your camera has manual mode. If you’re still not sure, check the owner’s manual that came with your camera.
- Don't forget to bring extra batteries for your camera. [6] X Research source
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Take a wide-angle camera lens with you. Wide-angle camera lenses let you capture a wider view of what you’re photographing. The northern lights take up a large portion of the sky, so if you want to capture the surrounding landscape in your photos, you’ll need a wide-angle lens on your camera. [7] X Research source
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Pack a tripod to mount your camera on. Because you’ll need a longer shutter time to take photos of the northern lights, your camera will need to stay perfectly still or the photos will turn out blurry. A tripod will prevent your camera from shaking during your photo shoot. Any tripod will work, as long as it’s steady and tall enough for you to work with. [8] X Research source
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Bring warm clothes. You’ll be photographing the northern lights at night when there are freezing temperatures. Wear multiple layers under your jacket, thermal underwear and socks, a scarf, and a winter hat. Pack a pair of thin gloves to wear for when you’re adjusting your camera settings, and a thick pair of gloves to wear over them when you’re not working with your camera. [9] X Research sourceAdvertisement
Part 3
Part 3 of 3:
Taking Your Photos
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Turn on manual mode on your camera. Locate the settings wheel on the outside of your camera and rotate it until the “M” symbol is lined up with the white line on your camera. Once manual mode is turned on, you’ll be able to adjust the other settings on your camera. [10] X Research source
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Set your camera’s focus to “infinity.” This will let your camera focus on things that are far off in the distance, like the stars and the northern lights. Don’t use autofocus when you’re photographing the northern lights or your camera won’t be able to focus. To set your camera’s focus to infinity, rotate the lens until the large white line on the side of the lens is lined up with the small infinity symbol (it looks like a sideways “8”). [11] X Research source
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Set your camera’s aperture to the lowest possible setting. The aperture, also known as the f-stop, is how open the lens on your camera is. The lower the aperture, the more open your lens will be. You want the lens on your camera to be as open as possible when you’re photographing the northern lights. To set the aperture on your camera, press and hold the plus and minus button. Then, rotate the command dial on your camera to the left to lower the aperture. [12] X Research source
- If you’re having a hard time adjusting the aperture on your camera, reference the owner’s manual for help.
- An aperture setting of f/2.8 will work for photographing the northern lights.
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Keep your camera’s shutter speed between 5-25 seconds. The shutter speed is how long your lens is open when you take a picture. If the northern lights are moving quickly, set the shutter speed to 5-7 seconds. If the northern lights are moving slowly, set the shutter speed to 10-25 seconds. If you’re not sure how to adjust the shutter speed on your camera, reference the owner’s manual. [13] X Research source
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Set your camera’s ISO between 400-800 and adjust as needed. The ISO is how much light your camera needs to capture a photo. The higher the ISO, the less light your camera needs. Take a practice shot of the northern lights with your camera’s ISO set between 400-800. If the shot looks too dark, increase the ISO to 1200 and take another photo. If your photo still looks too dark, raise the ISO by another 400. Continue doing this until your photos look bright enough. [14] X Research source
- If you’re not sure how to adjust the ISO on your camera, check the owner’s manual that came with it.
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Mount your camera on a tripod. Make sure the tripod is on steady ground so it doesn’t move at all when you’re taking your photos. Once your camera is mounted, angle it toward the northern lights and the landscape you want to photograph.
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Take your photos. Use a remote release to take your photos so you don’t have to touch the camera every time. If you don’t have a remote release, set a 3-5 second delay on your camera so that the shaking you cause when you press the shutter release button doesn’t interfere with the photos. After you take a photo, view it on your camera screen and make adjustments to your camera settings as needed.Advertisement
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QuestionWhere are the northern lights?DonaganTop AnswererNorthern (and southern) lights are visible in high-latitude locations near the Arctic and Antarctic regions.
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Things You’ll Need
- Camera with manual mode
- Wide-angle lens
- Tripod
- Warm clothes
References
- ↑ https://www.space.com/32601-where-to-see-northern-lights.html
- ↑ https://iso.500px.com/northern-lights-photo-tutorial/
- ↑ https://iso.500px.com/northern-lights-photo-tutorial/
- ↑ https://iso.500px.com/northern-lights-photo-tutorial/
- ↑ https://www.fodors.com/news/photos/10-tips-for-photographing-the-northern-lights
- ↑ https://iso.500px.com/northern-lights-photo-tutorial/
- ↑ https://www.fodors.com/news/photos/10-tips-for-photographing-the-northern-lights
- ↑ https://www.fodors.com/news/photos/10-tips-for-photographing-the-northern-lights
- ↑ https://www.fodors.com/news/photos/10-tips-for-photographing-the-northern-lights
- ↑ https://iso.500px.com/northern-lights-photo-tutorial/
- ↑ https://www.fodors.com/news/photos/10-tips-for-photographing-the-northern-lights
- ↑ https://iso.500px.com/northern-lights-photo-tutorial/
- ↑ https://iso.500px.com/northern-lights-photo-tutorial/
- ↑ https://iso.500px.com/northern-lights-photo-tutorial/
About this article
Article Summary
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To photograph the northern lights, start by turning on the manual mode of your camera and setting the focus to “infinity.” Next, lower your aperture to the lowest possible setting to open up your lens. Then, keep your shutter speed between 5-25 seconds, and adjust based on how fast the northern lights are moving. Additionally, set your camera’s ISO between 400-800. Finally, mount your camera on a tripod and you’re ready to shoot! For more tips, including how to find the right shooting conditions, keep reading!
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