Edit: I have been asked about the option of taking videos of northern lights. Most of the user-end cameras are not able to do so, since the settings are out of the regular capabilities of the camera. Even if it may be possible to record northern lights with professional video cameras, it is quite safe to say that the chances of actually doing it are quite low for user-level budgets. And, if your equipment is good enough for this purpose, but you are not sure if you can do it, just write a comment, send me an e-mail or contact me via Facebook and I will try to help you.
The tripod: We need a steady place to rest our camera. Hand shake, vibrations and other movements should be avoided. A sturdy tripod will work better than cheap ones, since they will vibrate less. But a tripod is a must.
Remote shutter: pressing the shutter in the camera is a critical issue: most of the trepidations in the long exposure photography are due to shake on the moment where you press the button. Therefore, a remote shutter is very important. If you cannot use it, the delayed shooting is also a good alternative: press the button (2 seconds delay is usually enough) and step back.
Mirror lock: The internal movement of the SLR mirror is another factor that creates internal movements and leads to shaking in the picture. Applying the mirror lock (check the manual on your camera, or use the live view function.
F-number: The F number is the diapraghm aperture. The lower the number, the higher the aperture and, therefore, the more light will enter into the camera. Even if we see the F number as a normal number, the real meaning is that the aperture is 1 divided by the number we see (e.g. and F number of 3.5 is an aperture of 1/3.5 of the maximum possible aperture)
Manual focus to infinity: the autofocus (AF) system of the camera do not work properly with night photography; the engine only sees black background, and does not know where to focus. On the other hand, if you focus manually, you will be able to fix the focus at the infinity, where the northern light happens.
Image stabilizer: it should not be on, since the vibration reduction systems generate vibrations with long exposure times
Long exposure time: the northern lights require long exposure times. Depending on your equipment and your requirements for the image quality (e.g. noise)
Mid-range ISO: this is a matter of knowing your gear. Low ISO values mean more image definition, but require longer exposure time and/or lower F number. Higher ISO values, on the other hand, mean that shorter exposure times or higher F numbers can be used. The cost of using higher ISO is that the picture will have more grainy appearance (noise), which is not usually desired.
No flash: the northern lights happen up in the sky, far away from the effect of the flash. If you use flash in night photography, it is most likely that the effect will be the opposite: diffuse light will interfere with the picture. Furthermore, you may disturb people around you that want to enjoy the northern lights in the darkness and their picture.
Patience: this is one of the most important factors. Even the most proffesional photographers have to try several configurations before finding the best way of shooting something. Think twice, shoot once.
F-number: The F number is the diapraghm aperture. The lower the number, the higher the aperture and, therefore, the more light will enter into the camera. Even if we see the F number as a normal number, the real meaning is that the aperture is 1 divided by the number we see (e.g. and F number of 3.5 is an aperture of 1/3.5 of the maximum possible aperture)
Manual focus to infinity: the autofocus (AF) system of the camera do not work properly with night photography; the engine only sees black background, and does not know where to focus. On the other hand, if you focus manually, you will be able to fix the focus at the infinity, where the northern light happens.
Image stabilizer: it should not be on, since the vibration reduction systems generate vibrations with long exposure times
Long exposure time: the northern lights require long exposure times. Depending on your equipment and your requirements for the image quality (e.g. noise)
Mid-range ISO: this is a matter of knowing your gear. Low ISO values mean more image definition, but require longer exposure time and/or lower F number. Higher ISO values, on the other hand, mean that shorter exposure times or higher F numbers can be used. The cost of using higher ISO is that the picture will have more grainy appearance (noise), which is not usually desired.
No flash: the northern lights happen up in the sky, far away from the effect of the flash. If you use flash in night photography, it is most likely that the effect will be the opposite: diffuse light will interfere with the picture. Furthermore, you may disturb people around you that want to enjoy the northern lights in the darkness and their picture.
Patience: this is one of the most important factors. Even the most proffesional photographers have to try several configurations before finding the best way of shooting something. Think twice, shoot once.
Great post and thanks for sharing this information. To see colorful northern lights then Alaska northern lights tours is best.
ReplyDelete