A 10 year aurora cycle is at its peak which means the northern lights may be visible outside their usual locations this winter. Whether you are a total beginner to aurora photography, or you have tried it out and want to get better, this guide will increase your knowledge and confidence to help you get better at taking photos of the northern lights.
My northern lights photography journey started in 2018 during my first trip to Iceland.ย
I spent a ton of time figuring out how to tell if the auroras would be visible and the best locations for aurora hunting.
I even made an aurora photography camera setting cheat sheet โ join the email list to grab a copy you can save to your smartphone, for easy reference!ย
Since that first time taking photos of the northern lights, Iโve tweaked my process and invested in better gear thatโs helped me improve my photography skills.
Now, Iโm sharing my best tips so that you can get ready to take photos of the aurora borealis, in case the northern lights are visible where you live!
Where to see the northern lights and when?
Generally the auroras are visible from September to March in northern latitudes, such as Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Canada, Alaska, and northern U.S. states like Michigan or Vermont.ย
Please note, this does not mean they are guaranteed to be seen just because itโs the right time of year.
Here are some general rules for when the northern lights can be seen. The next section explains how you can check the aurora forecast, which measures geomagnetic activity.
The auroras are not visible during daylight โ though you may be able to see them at dusk!
The auroras are not visible through thick cloud cover. A clear night sky is best.
With scattered clouds, you can often see the northern lights peeking through.
Light pollution impacts your ability to see the northern lights.
Light pollution can make it difficult to see the auroras. So itโs best if you have a car and can get to somewhere dark.
It doesnโt need to be a dark sky park though those are wonderful.
If you are near a reservoir, a state park, a beach or other area with low to no lights at night and a wide view of the sky, your odds are better.
It helps to look north.
Lastly, itโs a myth that you need to wait until the middle of the night to see the auroras.
You can see them as early as sunset (in some cases).
Iโve been dazzled by the light show as early as 9 p.m.
How to check if the northern lights will be visible
There are two ways I check if the northern lights will be visible near me, using an app and checking the space weather forecast from NOAA, the North American Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
NOAAโs space weather forecast tracks the potential for aurora activity over North America. If you are outside North America, you can find something similar.
My favorite aurora app is My Aurora Forecast (iOS link).
It calculates my odds of seeing the northern lights from my location and tells me the cloud coverage, short-term and long-term forecasts.
But my favorite feature is the alert. I can set it to let me know when Iโm likely to see the aurora โ for instance, when there is a geomagnetic storm or when the Kp index is high.
My phone alerts me to let me know to get ready.
Iโve had plenty of false alarms. It sucks to get a notification at noon that the Kp is super high when I know I wonโt be able to see anything.
But the app has also helped me take advantage of those strong geomagnetic storms to see the aurora in New York twice in the last week alone!
As I said earlier, there is stronger than usual geomagnetic activity this year because the solar cycle is nearing its peak.
This means the northern lights will be visible outside their usual location, in places like the Hudson Valley and northern California.ย ย
Tracking the space weather and downloading an aurora app will help you understand when the northern lights may be visible in your location.
There are lots of space weather variables like Bt and Bz for auroras. The simplest metric to trap is the planetary K index, which is abbreviated Kp.
The K index is a 0-9 scale of geomagnetic activity.
Anything 5 or above indicates a geomagnetic storm, and the potential to see the northern lights in lower latitudes. This is aurora bingo if you live outside the locations where the northern lights are usually found!
Here is a photo I took during the recent geomagnetic storm, showing the northern lights over the Hudson River.
It was my first time seeing red auroras.
It was incredible to see the auroras in my town. I never expected to see them so vividly!
A Kp in the 3 to 5 range means the auroras will be clearly visible, bright and fast moving in their preferred range.
Outside these locations, you may be able to see the auroras at a 4 or 5, but a 3 isnโt likely. And they may be visible with a camera but not the naked eye.
Here is a photo of the northern lights I took outside Myvatn, in north Iceland, when the Kp was in the 3 to 5 range.ย
Bright green lights dancing across the sky.
Here is a photo I took of the northern lights in New York, with a Kp in the 3 to 5 range.
The green and purple lights you see in the photo were not visible to the naked eye. Only the faintest gray-green light was detected over the hill, where in the photo you can see it spreading across the sky.
A Kp of 2 means dim auroras in the auroral oval and no shot at seeing them outside their usual range.
A Kp of 0 to 1 means no to low auroral activity, so donโt bother!
How to Find a Good Spot to Photograph The Auroras?
Now that you know when the northern lights are active, you can think about where to photograph them.
The best location will have dark skies and unobstructed views.
Since the auroras move around a lot, you want to be able to change your angle while still getting a great shot of the sky.
Parks, wide open fields, lakes and rivers, and beaches are a few examples of places that tend to offer dark skies and open vistas.
It helps to have an object in the foreground of your photos โ to show the beautiful lights against a building or a natural feature. This could be a mountain, a lake, a large tree, or a building.
When the northern lights appeared over my farm hotel in Iceland. I used the farm fields and buildings as a background.
I strongly recommend thinking about the best locations to photograph the northern lights in advance. Ideally, go there during the day so you know how far of a walk it is from the parking lot to your chosen location.
This way, if geomagnetic activity is strong, you already know what to expect when you get to your chosen location.
During the geomagnetic storm in New York, I went to a reservoir in the Catskills.ย
Iโd been there countless times in the day so I knew the terrain. I knew it offered clear skies and mountain views to use as a backdrop. I knew the walk from my car to the pedestrian promenade would be short.ย
Even with a high Kp and strong solar winds, you might not see the auroras.
They might be dim, invisible to the naked eye, or just not as active as you would like.
If you are taking a vacation to see the northern lights, itโs a good idea to bracket in a couple of extra days. This way, you have multiple chances to photograph the auroras, in case of bad weather or a low geomagnetic activity.
If youโre watching the skies near home, be patient.
You never know when the auroras will go from dim and not moving to lighting up the skies.
After spending 90 minutes waiting for the auroras to dance, I started driving home from the reservoir. I stopped by the Kingston waterfront on my way, and saw red and green pillars lighting up the sky.ย
Can you take photos of the northern lights with a smartphone?
I used to think you could not take photos of the northern lights with a smartphone. But smartphones have gotten better โ which means itโs possible to use just your smartphone and get photos.
If you have an older model phone like me, you wonโt capture much if anything. Smartphones with Night Mode and adjustable exposure times work best.
To get great photos of the northern lights with your smartphone:
- Use a tripod
- Hold your phone horizontally rather than vertically
- Turn on night mode
- Set your exposure for 10 seconds
These general settings will improve your smartphone night photography skills. But if you want to take better aurora photos, it helps to invest in the right camera gear.ย
What camera gear do you need to photograph the northern lights?
While I was proud of the northern lights photos I took on that first Iceland Ring Road trip, I got much better photos the second time I went to Iceland by getting a wide angle lens with a low f-stop, or aperture.ย
Hereโs a brief technical explanation:
Wide angle lenses capture more of the sky, which is the focus when youโre shooting the aurora borealis. They perform well in low light conditions, like night.
The f-stop or aperture controls how much light passes through the camera. The lower the number (like f-1.4 or f-2.8), the more light can pass through. This means you can use a lower ISO to shoot.
Lower ISO = less noise in the image, which means crisper photos.
Here – see the difference for yourself!
Camera lenses are expensive, so buy the best lens for astrophotography you can afford. Hereโs what I recommend:
- Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art: This lens is compatible with major brands including Sony, Canon and Nikon, and the 1.4 f-stop pulls in a lot of light even on the darkest nights. This means crisper aurora photos for you!
- Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II a: This lens is pricey, but many consider it one of the best lenses for astrophotography.
- Nikkor Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S: Iโm saving up for this lightweight Nikon lens, since I hate carrying heavy gear around in the dark. I currently use a prime lens so Iโm curious to see how the ability to zoom in and out changes the experience!
- Rokinon/Samyang 14mm f/2.8: This beginner friendly lens is compatible with major brands like Nikon and Canon. It only has a manual focus, but since you set it to infinity and then forget it, this wasnโt a dealbreaker for me. See for yourself how it performs โ I shot most of the photos in this post using this lens and my Nikon Z50!
- Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8: This fits the major brands, adjusts to different focal lengths, and costs less than the Sony, Canon or Nikon lenses. There is a built-in image stabilization, which helps keep the images crisp.
These lenses are expensive, but in my opinion theyโre worth it to improve your photography skills. Figure out which lens fits your budget and your camera. Then you can always wait for your favorite gear to go on sale, or shop secondhand โ I like B&H for that.
Looking to upgrade your camera?
I made the switch from DSLR to mirrorless, and helped my mother-in-law buy a mirrorless point and shoot. These are the beginner friendly cameras I recommend for Nikon, Canon and Sony.
Sony Alpha a7S III: Another travel blogger recommended this one to me. Itโs expensive, but it handles low light environments really well and shoots 4K video. If you do a lot of video (I donโt), this deserves a spot on your short list!
Sony Alpha a6000: On a budget? The Sony Alpha a6000 takes sharp photos, works well in low light (like night sky photography), and is compact and lightweight enough to haul around without cursing it out. Plus itโs around half the cost of the a7S III.
Canon EOS R6: Canon fans say this is the best camera for night sky photography, with one caveat โ the kit lenses arenโt great, so you need a separate lens (I recommend the LENS). The EOS R6 is lightweight with a fast shutter, which means you can keep up with fast-moving auroras.
Nikon Z6II: I prefer the older Z6II to the Z7II for astrophotography. The Z6II has less noise, which results in a less grainy image. Youโll get sharp photos with clear, vivid detail and full spectrum aurora colors. Plus, itโs cheaper than the Z7II. Hereโs a post comparing the Z7II to the Z6II if youโre on the fence about which of these is better for night sky photography.
Nikon Z50: I hemmed and hawed over whether to buy the Z6II or the Z50 and in the end chose the Z50. I knew Iโd end up buying lenses for night sky photography and wildlife photography, and wanted to save some money for that. Iโm happy with my Z50 and its kit lenses for most purposes, and I love having custom gear for those special occasions โ like watching the auroras!
Here’s a sample of my aurora photos over the year so you can compare the new ones taken with the Nikon Z50 and Samyang lens with the old ones using my Olympus DSLR and kit lens.
Everything You Need For Aurora Photography (Packing List)
Iโve started keeping a go bag, so when the aurora forecast is strong, I can head out without leaving something behind (been there, done that!).
Hereโs everything I take with me for photographing the auroras with a brief explanation why it’s needed:ย
- Tripod to keep my camera stable
- Remote shutter release, since pressing the shutter manually could make the camera shake (you can also use a built-in camera timer for this)
- Backup batteries since they will drain faster in coldย
- Headlamp with red light mode so you can see your way in the dark
- Water bottle and thermos of hot tea (itโs chilly out there!)
- Extra layers so I can stay warm
- Hat, fingerless gloves, scarf
- Jacket
- Snack just in case you get hungry
- Fully charged phone for GPS wayfinding and text updates
What camera settings to use for northern lights (downloadable guide)
When you finally find the auroras, knowing the right camera settings to use will help you get top-notch photos.
Having it all written down in advance prevents you from frantic Googling (the light of your phone will blind you and piss off others.
My basic procedure helps you set up your camera in advance, test out the baseline light settings from your location, and make calculated tweaks to get the best image possible.
This beginner guide to northern lights photography covered how to tell when the northern lights are active, the best places to take photos of the northern lights, and the best camera settings for smartphones and digital cameras. It also shared my recommendations on the best lenses for astrophotography, beginner friendly cameras, and other essential gear. I hope this post helps you get out there and hunt for auroras the next time there is a geomagnetic storm. Donโt forget to grab your aurora camera settings cheat sheet by signing up for my email list!ย
