WITNESS THE MAGIC OF LIGHT
To experience the unbelievable colours that move across the Arctic sky is on many travellers’ bucket list, and few places on earth offer more ways to witness the northern lights than Norway.
Between late September and late March, Northern Norway is dark from early afternoon until late morning, and the northern lights frequently soar across the sky. It’s a bold and rightful claim is that this part of Norway, with its multiple islands, deep fjords and steep mountains, is among the most beautiful and interesting places to see the northern lights.
As hundreds of thousands of people live in this huge geographical area, the region of Northern Norway has everything from cities with a lively night scene and great museums to small, cosy fishing villages and vast, tranquil spaces without any kind of light pollution.
This means that in addition to hunting for the northern lights, you can go winter fishing, hiking, skiing, and dog sledding, experience the Sami culture, or join a whale or wildlife safari. Afterwards, you can relax in top-notch hotels and eat incredible local food. Or maybe you’ve joined a northern lights safari and get to eat your meal in a traditional lavvo?
So, what are the northern lights? On a very basic level, the phenomenon is quite simple to explain. It is created from a collision between electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the atmosphere of the earth.
The lights, which are also called aurora borealis, show up at night when the sky is dark. It’s like a celestial ballet of light dancing across the night sky, with a colour palette of green, blue, pink, and violet. When the particles meet the Earth’s magnetic shield, they are led towards an oval around the magnetic North Pole where they interact with the upper parts of the atmosphere, the layers of ozone, oxygen, and other stuff that protect the earth. The energy which is then released is sent to us as northern lights.
But even though you can’t take the lights for granted – it is, after all, a natural phenomenon, just like the weather – you are still guaranteed to experience magical light in Northern Norway all through the polar night. On clear days, you can see beautiful sunset colours in the south while the sky to the north is a deep midnight blue. In “the blue hour” at twilight, the landscape is bathed in a glassy deep blue colour.
The aurora borealis has its climax when the weather is cold and dry. Install the NorwayLights app for iPhone, Android or Windows – a northern light forecast that helps you find the best time and place to see the northern lights.
With mountain tops that soar above charming coastal towns and deep blue fjords, the landscape itself is a perfect co-star for your aurora photos. But how do you capture the light show on camera?
The mesmerising colours of the northern lights that flicker across the Arctic sky is a special sight to witness. Watch it from a mountainside or the seashore, through the glass roof of a warm and comfy igloo, or get a front-row seat at the observation deck on one of the Norwegian coastal express Hurtigruten’s ships as it sails under the auroral oval.
Learn how to take pictures of the northern lights
When the light show brightens up the sky, the moment is definitely worth freezing.
Here’s his northern lights photography guide for beginners.
1. Get away from the lights
No, not the northern lights, but the city lights. If you stand too close to them, your photos won’t be that good. Find a good spot away from the city centre. Your chances of getting the perfect Instagram pic can increase considerably if you join a local northern lights guide who knows the best lookout spots. In any case, don’t use a flash when you take your pictures.
2. Pay attention to forecasts
Remember to check the weather forecast (you want clear skies) and the aurora forecast (so you know when she’ll be dancing). Imagine sitting by a bonfire with a warm cup of coffee, ready to witness the greatest light show on earth – and then it starts to rain. Not your idea of a perfect evening, right? Again, it might be wise to join a guided northern lights trip – the guides always have first-hand knowledge of the local weather conditions.
3. You’re in the Arctic – wear warm clothes
The winter in Northern Norway is cold. Shaky hands and frozen fingers are no use when you want to get a good picture, so wrap up in many layers of clothing. It doesn’t matter if it makes you look like the Michelin man’s chubbier cousin – aurora will be the star of your photo anyway.
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4. Keep the camera steady
You might call blurry images artistic, but I guess that is not what you want here? Use a tripod, and your photos are less likely to look like they were taken after a few too many craft beers. If you don’t have a tripod, find a big rock, the hood of a car or something else to keep the camera still. A remote trigger or cable release can also come in handy.
5. Use manual settings if you have them
Yes, automatic settings make life easier, but they are not your friend when it is dark. Worst case scenario, aurora won’t be in your photo at all!
The right camera settings for photographing northern lights vary with time and place, and from camera to camera. Still, manual settings are always the best. They allow you to adjust focus, shutter speed, ISO, and aperture. A great advice is to familiarise yourself with your camera’s settings before you travel to increase your chances of getting that perfect aurora shot. Read more about camera settings in the fact box on the side.
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6. If you only have a phone, find the right app
Wondering how to take pictures of the northern lights with a smartphone? The results will not be the same, but don’t worry. You can still get a decent shot if you download an app to help you change the shutter speed on your camera. Or maybe your phone has artificial intelligence to help you get good images at night?
The best conditions for photographing the northern lights with your phone is a bright moon and an aurora with colours so strong that she almost knocks you off your feet.
7. Make aurora a part of your image, not the only thing in it
People often aim their camera towards the sky. Aurora is a beauty, so that is understandable. But you need more to create the right feeling in your image.
The picturesque landscape in Northern Norway is perfect! Place a mountain in the background. Add a beach or a bonfire in the foreground. Then last, but not least, leave room for aurora in the top – and wait patiently for her show. Hence, the best lens to use when photographing the northern lights is a wide-angle lens. Then – voilà – you have your winning shot!
For more information on the best places to se the Northern Lights in Norway, follow the click here.