Lifestyle / Society

Capturing the Northern Lights: How to take the perfect photo

By Ása Steinars
northern lights perfect photo finland iceland scandinavia

Photo: Getty

Expert tips to help you get the ideal Northern Lights photograph

The aurora borealis are one of the most spectacular sights of the natural world — and one that has captivated audiences for centuries.

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One Norse legend suggests that the lights are reflections of the shields and armour of the female Valkyrie warriors, who chose who would live and die in battle. The slightly less poetic scientific explanation is that when solar winds reach the magnetic field of the Earth and collide with particles in the atmosphere, light is created.

Whichever account you prefer, the instantly recognisable streaks of green, red, violet and blue that stretch across the sky make for jaw-dropping viewing. But how do you get photographs to match?

1 | Time it right

The Northern Lights are best seen between 60-74 degrees north of the Earth's equator, with the Arctic Circle in Iceland and northern Finland being ideal locations. It has to be very dark for the true glory of the Northern Lights to be seen, making the region's summer nights far too bright. Instead, the best time of year is the dead of winter — "Northern Lights season" typically runs from September to May, when the nights are at their darkest and conditions are perfect.

2 | Check the forecast

Not every day has enough solar activity to create strong Northern Lights suitable enough for photographing. Take a look at the Aurora Forecast and learn to read the KP Index. It goes from 0-9, with the best chance to see Northern Lights in Iceland being KP 3 or higher. We suggest downloading the Aurora app for the latest and most up-to-date information.

Ása Steinars.

3 | Get the right location

When the forecast is right you need to find your ideal location. Stay away from cities or other light polluted areas, the darker the better. Also be careful with cloud cover, as this will hide the lights — again, the weather forecast is your friend here. Find a location where you can see the stars and you should be on the right track.

4 | Be patient

When you have the perfect combination of all of the above, you’re in for a real show. If the lights are really strong they can be captured on an iPhone, however most nights you’ll need a good DSLR camera and a sturdy tripod. You want to use a long shutter speed to get as much light as possible into the picture — up to 30s is good. Shoot with a timer or remote control so that there’s absolutely no movement of the camera when the shutter goes off. Experiment with high ISO and low aperture for the best results.

And, of course, remember to take your time and enjoy the celestial ballet dancing across the night sky.