Digital Photographer - UK (2019-12)

In astrophotography, the aurora borealis or

northern lights are almost certainly on your

bucket list. Also known as the ‘green lady’

because of the green colour (although reds

and blues can also sometimes be seen), this

phenomenon is caused by charged particles

from the sun striking atoms in the atmosphere,

which release photons as they lose energy.

Although during strong geomagnetic storms

(when the solar wind brings more charged

particles from the sun than usual) the aurora

borealis can be seen in the UK, photographers

typically have to travel to the Arctic Circle. The

‘aurora zone’, is up at around 64°-70° north

latitudes and includes Iceland, southern

Greenland, the northern parts of Norway,

Sweden and Finland, northern Russia, Alaska

and northern Canada.

Most people who travel to see the northern

lights do so with just a smartphone, and for

the most part they are out of luck when it

comes to capturing the phenomena. However,

photographing them is not particularly

difficult. All you need is a camera with a

Manual mode, and if it’s an interchangeable

model, the widest angle of lens you can find.

The only difference from regular nightscape

photography is timing; both in terms of

waiting for a display (often in the bitter cold),

and the exposure time. With the aperture as

open as possible and the focus on infinity,

experiment with the exposure and ISO

according to what you see; for bright and fast-

moving lights, go for around ISO 800 and five

seconds, and for dim and slow lights consider

ISO 3200 or ISO 6400 and up to 25 seconds.

Just don’t forget to stay warm.

Although your first glimpse of the aurora borealis is likely to be a

slow-moving green haze on the horizon (referred to as the ‘forest

fire’ effect), an incoming geomagnetic storm can result in fast-

moving rippling and pulsing above you. You may need to cope with

dramatically different subject matter. Don’t forget to compose your

shot in an interesting way – some green in the sky is not enough.

Coping with extremes From a green glow to fast-moving shapes, you need to be ready

THINK ABOUT COMPOSITION

A green sky is boring, so find something interesting

the aurora can frame or form a backdrop to.

DON’T OVEREXPOSE

It’s easy to overexpose; this five-second exposure of

the corona at ISO 6400 has a centre with no detail.

CAPTURE THE CORONA

If the aurora’s directly above you, orient your camera

up to photograph the corona (crown).

5

Right

Circle of life

A star trail shows

the motion not of

the stars, but of

Earth as its spins

on its tilted axis

Left

Northern

exposure

This image of

auroral curtain

from west

Iceland was

taken soon

before a raging

geomagnetic

storm; exposure

times varied

dramatically

over just a

few minutes

Hunt the

aurora

4

secs

You’ll probably have

to travel to see the

northern lights,

but they’re worth it

x3 © Jamie Carter

© Gettyimages

TECHNIQUES

Inastrophotography,theauroraborealisor

northernlightsarealmostcertainlyonyour

bucketlist.Alsoknownasthe‘greenlady’

becauseofthegreencolour(althoughreds

andbluescanalsosometimesbeseen),this

phenomenoniscausedbychargedparticles

fromthesunstrikingatomsintheatmosphere,

whichreleasephotonsastheyloseenergy.

Althoughduringstronggeomagneticstorms

(whenthesolarwindbringsmorecharged

particlesfromthesunthanusual)theaurora

borealiscanbeseenintheUK,photographers

typicallyhavetotraveltotheArcticCircle.The

‘aurorazone’,isupataround64°-70°north

latitudesandincludesIceland,southern

Greenland,thenorthernpartsofNorway,

SwedenandFinland,northernRussia,Alaska

andnorthernCanada.

Mostpeoplewhotraveltoseethenorthern

lightsdosowithjusta smartphone,andfor

themostparttheyareoutofluckwhenit

comestocapturingthephenomena.However,

photographingthemisnotparticularly

difficult.Allyouneedisa camerawitha

Manualmode,andif it’saninterchangeable

model,thewidestangleoflensyoucanfind.

Theonlydifferencefromregularnightscape

photographyistiming;bothintermsof

waitingfora display(ofteninthebittercold),

andtheexposuretime.Withtheapertureas

openaspossibleandthefocusoninfinity,

experimentwiththeexposureandISO

accordingtowhatyousee;forbrightandfast-

movinglights,goforaroundISO 800 andfive

seconds,andfordimandslowlightsconsider

ISO 3200 orISO 6400 andupto 25 seconds.

Justdon’tforgettostaywarm.

Althoughyourfirstglimpseoftheauroraborealisislikelytobea

slow-movinggreenhazeonthehorizon(referredtoasthe‘forest

fire’effect),anincominggeomagneticstormcanresultinfast-

movingripplingandpulsingaboveyou.Youmayneedtocopewith

dramaticallydifferentsubjectmatter.Don’tforgettocomposeyour

shotinaninterestingway– somegreenintheskyisnotenough.

Coping withextremes Froma greenglowtofast-movingshapes,youneedtobeready

THINKABOUTCOMPOSITION

A greenskyis boring,sofindsomethinginteresting

theauroracanframeorforma backdropto.

DON’TOVEREXPOSE

It’seasytooverexpose;thisfive-secondexposureof

thecoronaatISO 6400 hasa centrewithnodetail.

CAPTURETHECORONA

If theaurora’sdirectlyaboveyou,orientyourcamera

uptophotographthecorona(crown).

5

Right

Circleoflife

A startrailshows

themotionnotof

thestars,butof

Earthasitsspins

onitstiltedaxis

Left

Northern

exposure

Thisimageof

auroralcurtain

fromwest

Icelandwas

takensoon

beforea raging

geomagnetic

storm;exposure

timesvaried

dramatically

overjusta

fewminutes

Hunt the

aurora

4

secs

You’ll probably have

to travel to see the

northern lights,

but they’re worth it

x3 © Jamie Carter

© Gettyimages

TECHNIQUES