The Northern Lights are visible in the sky. If it is cloudless and dark, it is easier to see. The weather is often the biggest obstacle to being able to see the phenomenon.

If you are in a city, or experience various other light pollution, this can also be an obstacle to visibility. Therefore, try to get as far up in the heights as possible, if you are close to a city.

The same goes for the moon, in fact. If there is a full moon, the moon will be able to light up too much so that it obstructs the view a bit. Still, the moon can illuminate the surroundings around you so that it is easier to get a sharper image. Try it out.

Some simple photo tips:

Taking pictures of the Northern Lights is incredibly fun – especially if you can!

My very first tip is to wear enough clothes. It can be cold to stand outside for too long. Also bring gloves / mittens, to take them off just when you are going to take a picture. It is a small killer of joy to be cold on the hands. There may be some waiting when you take a picture of the northern lights, depending on the strength (CP index)

When it comes to equipment, I would recommend digital camera. Whether you have replaceable lenses is really up to you. You can get good pictures without, but it can be an advantage.

Camera tripod – definitely a must. If necessary, use something else that can keep the camera completely still. If you are going to take a picture without a tripod or similar, your picture will most likely be a bit blurry. Then a bit of the point of taking a picture of the northern lights is gone.

Fully charge the batteries. Feel free to bring an extra battery as well. Remember that if you are out in the cold, this affects the life of the batteries. If possible, put the batteries in your pocket so that they get some body heat – not in the pocket of outerwear.

Flash: No.

Automatic settings on the camera: No.

Lens: Manual focus. Also set it to “infinity”, a character that should be shaped like a horizontal 8.

You can set the ISO setting somewhere between 100 and 400. Try it out.

Shutter speed: Use a long shutter speed. Short shutter speed gives a darker image. I would recommend 20-30 seconds. Maybe more.

Aperture: F / 2.8. The aperture is located in the lens / lens. The larger the aperture, the more light you thus let into the image chip. During the day we need a small opening. For northern lights images, we need to let as much light as possible into the camera – so the lower the number, the higher the aperture. Low numbers give a high aperture, ie.

Set the camera settings to take raw images (RAW) and jpg, if possible. With raw photos, you have the opportunity to edit the photos a lot afterwards, possibly also being able to copy large sizes of your photos. Living room maybe?

My last tip is to be patient. Patience pays off when taking Northern Lights photos, especially if the conditions are good. You can get really great pictures, which will be worth all the effort.

Good luck!