Northern Lights

[Alex_B]

I live in Fairbanks, Alaska. I see northern lights all the time and I can say that those are pretty spectacular. Picture #2 is my favorite. I can't wait to try some Aurora shots with my OM-1. Any tips on exposure?

Well, if the NL are not extremely strong, you will need some high ISO and probably noise reduction afterwards.
Use a wide aperture.

My shots were f/4-ish and exposures were between 15 and 30 seconds and ISO 400 and 800. You have to experiments as not all NL have the same brightness. I could have gotten out an f/1,4 lens, but wider apertures would not have helped much since that would have blurred the foreground even more. 30 seconds is about the limit at wide and normal focal lengths not to see stars as trails. Of course if you see my images as originals, you will see they already are trails, but not pronounced.

Of course sometimes you might want star trails, then it is OK, but keep in mind that Aurora is not static but changes alot, so exposures which are too long, will also blur the Aurora.

One problem is focussing as it is very dark. try to focus manually on something just below infinity.

I was 400 km North of Fairbanks (OK, and on the other side of the globe ), so the further North you get, the larger the lights get in the sky and the better you can work with wide angles. Wide angles are just easier regarding focussing, the star trail problem, camera shake (which you even get on strong tripods in stormy nights) and all that.

Also of course September is pretty early since darkness is not really that good yet to see them nicely, but you will know that.

 

[matt-l]

Really like #2 with the reflections on the little bit of water. great series!

 

[Alex_B]

Thanks matt. I guess you see them too where you live?

 

[250Gimp]

Awesome shots Alex!!!

 

[Alex_B]

Oh, more feedback Thanks!

So, any advice what is not good in these? Probably composition is poor, but I did not have much choice.

 

[BoblyBill]

These are beautiful Alex! #2 is by far my favorite.

 

[Alex_B]

Thanks mine too actually ....

 

[Big Bully]

Wow Alex, these shots are amazing! Simply amazing. I love the sillouettes and how you can see the stars as well as the perfect lights.
Great job!

 

[Arch]

Now thats something i gotta see... you did a good job under the conditions, i like 2 the most i think. :thumbup:

 

[Alex_B]

Thank you

As stated, they look more intense in the images, than in reality. Still in reality they are impressive. In particular since the change all the time.

 

[Parkerman]

Very awesome.. #2 is also my favorite.

 

[Alex_B]

Thanks, so I will declare #2 the official winner.

 

[matt-l]

Thanks matt. I guess you see them too where you live?

sadly no. they are much more northern..Labrador can see them though.

 

[photo28]

Very Nice! I love #2, I'd love to see them myself!

 

[Alex_B]

Very Nice! I love #2, I'd love to see them myself!

Actually, on very clear nights they can be seen thousands of miles south even. But even in the clearest nights they are very faint and much less spectacular of course.

From time to time you can even see them in northern Germany.