Practical Tips for Aurora Photography

Note: I’ve put together some practical tips for DSLR, mirrorless, and smartphone users to help you better understand the process of shooting the Northern Lights. In addition, I’ve included some useful forecasting tools to help you track aurora activity, so you know when the best viewing opportunities will occur. You’ll also find some pro tips (marked in red) that have helped me when I’m scrambling to set up in the dark to shoot the night sky.

Practical Tips for Aurora Photography By John Bulmer, John Bulmer Photography 

There’s something truly magical about witnessing the Northern Lights. It’s one of those bucket-list moments—watching the sky dance with vibrant green, purple, and red streaks. If you're lucky enough to see the aurora, you'll want to capture that memory forever. However, photographing the Northern Lights isn’t as simple as pointing your camera at the sky and snapping a picture. But don’t worry, this guide will help you turn that awe-inspiring experience into beautiful, frame-worthy photos.

Whether you’re using a DSLR, a mirrorless camera, or even your smartphone, this step-by-step guide will walk you through everything you need to know—from forecasting the aurora to camera settings and even tips on focusing in the dark.

➡️ How to Predict the Northern Lights: Forecasting Tools

First things first—seeing the Northern Lights requires a bit of luck and some good timing. Fortunately, there are a few tools to help you know when and where you might catch them.

➡️ Best Tools for Northern Lights Forecasting:

Aurora Forecast App (iOS & Android): This app provides real-time updates and a KP index that indicates the likelihood of aurora activity. If the KP index is 4 or higher, you're in for a good chance!

NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center: This site gives accurate, real-time geomagnetic activity data. If you’re planning a night out, check their 30-minute and 3-day aurora forecasts.

SpaceWeatherLive: This website monitors solar wind and geomagnetic data to predict auroras. It's a more detailed tool for those who want to dig into the science behind the lights.

🔴 Pro Tip:
Clear skies matter just as much as aurora activity. Even with a high KP index, you won’t see anything through heavy cloud cover. So, always check a weather app for clear skies before you go.

Camera Settings for Perfect Northern Lights Photos

Now let’s dive into camera settings. The key to photographing the Northern Lights is allowing enough light into your camera's sensor without overexposing the image. Night photography takes some experimentation, but here are some go-to settings to get you started:

Basic Camera Settings:

Mode: Switch your camera to Manual Mode (M). This gives you complete control over the aperture, shutter speed, and ISO, which are all critical for night photography.

Aperture (f-stop): Set your aperture to the widest possible setting, like /2.8 or lower. The lower the f-stop, the more light your camera can collect. If your lens doesn't go that low, set it as low as possible.

Shutter Speed: This will vary depending on how active the aurora is. Start with a shutter speed of 5 to 25 seconds. A longer exposure will capture more light, but if the aurora is moving fast, shorter exposures will help you freeze that motion. Remember, longer exposures will blur sky motion and any movement in the frame, like trees.

ISO: Set your ISO between 800 to 3200. Higher ISOs allow your camera to capture more light but watch out for noise (graininess). Test different ISOs and adjust based on how bright the aurora is. For list night's images, I shot ISO 400 and was just fine.

White Balance: Use a white balance of around 3500K. This gives your image a more natural color, but feel free to experiment if you want different results. If you're shooting in RAW format, you can easily adjust this later.

Why Shoot in RAW?

Shooting in RAW preserves a ton of detail that would otherwise be lost in JPEG. This gives you more flexibility when you edit later, especially when it comes to adjusting exposure, contrast, and color balance.

🔴 Pro Tip:
Use a sturdy tripod. The long exposure times mean any movement (even slight hand shakes) will blur the image. A tripod ensures that your camera stays steady during the exposure.

Focusing in the Dark: The Infinity Focus Trick

One of the most frustrating parts of night photography is getting your camera to focus. In the darkness, autofocus often hunts around or misses the target completely, leaving your photos blurry. Here’s a pro tip that will make things a whole lot easier:

How to Pre-Focus Your Camera to Infinity:

1. Do it during the day. In daylight, switch your camera to manual focus.
2. Focus on something really far away—like a mountain, a distant building, or even a cloud on the horizon.
3. Adjust your focus ring until the distant object is as sharp as possible. This is your infinity focus.
4. Lock in your focus: Mark this spot on your lens using a small piece of tape or a pencil mark. This way, when it’s dark, you can turn your focus ring to that exact point and be ready to shoot. I have even locked the focus ring with blue painter's tape. It saves so much time on-site.
5. Once night falls, manually set your lens to this spot, and don’t touch the focus again. This will ensure that your stars and aurora are crisp and sharp.

🔴 Pro Tip:
If you're out in the field and haven’t pre-focused your lens, you can use the moon, a bright star, or a distant streetlight to help manually focus at night.

Capturing the Northern Lights with Your Smartphone

If you don’t have a DSLR or mirrorless camera, don’t fret—you can still capture decent images of the Northern Lights with a smartphone! The key is maximizing your phone’s low-light capabilities.

Smartphone Tips:

Use a Tripod: Just like with a camera, keeping your smartphone steady is crucial for long exposures. Even a mini-tripod or phone holder can make a big difference.

Night Mode: Many newer smartphones (iPhone, Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy) come with a built-in Night Mode. This automatically extends your phone’s exposure time, allowing you to capture more light.

Download a Manual Camera App: Apps like ProCamera (iOS) or Camera FV-5 (Android) give you manual control over your camera settings. Here’s what to adjust:

• Set your ISO to around 800–1600.
• Shutter speed to 5–15 seconds.
• Manually focus your camera to infinity if your app allows it.

Self-Timer: Use the self-timer (2-5 seconds) to avoid shaking the phone when you press the shutter button.

Shoot in RAW: If your phone allows it, shoot in RAW format. This will give you more options for editing the photo afterward, just like on a DSLR.

🔴 Pro Tip:
Try taking a video in time-lapse mode. Some smartphones have this feature, which can beautifully capture the movement of the Northern Lights over a longer period of time.

Practical Tips for Northern Lights Photographers

Photographing the Northern Lights isn’t just about gear and settings. Here are some practical (and often overlooked) tips to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience:

Scout Your Location During the Day: If you’re heading to a remote area, check it out during daylight. Find a spot with a clear, unobstructed view of the sky, far away from city lights.

Dress for the Weather: It’s cold out there! The best places to see the Northern Lights are often freezing, especially if you’re out at night. Dress in layers, wear insulated boots and bring gloves that allow you to operate your camera. Hand warmers are your best friend.

Pack Extra Batteries: Cold weather drains batteries faster than usual. Bring fully charged spares and keep them warm in your jacket or pockets. Bring phone batteries and charging cables.

Stay Patient: Aurora activity can be unpredictable. You might need to wait for hours before you see any lights. Make it fun—bring hot drinks, and snacks, and enjoy the moment. If the lights don’t show, you still get to enjoy a peaceful night under the stars. If you are better prepared, you're likely to stay out longer.

By preparing ahead of time and knowing how to work your camera (or smartphone!), you’ll be able to capture the stunning beauty of the Northern Lights, or the night sky, like a pro. With the right settings, and a little patience, you’re sure to walk away with some unforgettable photos—and an even better experience.

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