Northern Lights

[Foxx]

I was going out with a friend to retake a photo I posted here the other day. Looked out of the football field and saw this. Cried a bit and managed to get out a few long-exposures before it faded away. :')

 

[Stobber]

Excellent job man! I have only seen the northern lights in person a few times, always breathtaking. Great photos!

 

[StringThing]

I've only seen them once with my own eyes. I keep an eye on solar storm reports in the hopes that I get to see them again.

Beautiful shots!

 

[Compaq]

Nice, man. Yours are better than mine ( ) It looks like it were more intense, or you managed to capture it very well. What's your exif info? I'd be interested to know!

 

[Foxx]

Model: Canon EOS Rebel T3
Lens EF-S18-55mm f/3.5

#1

Exposure: 44.0 sec at f/8.0
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO: 800

#2

Exposure: 32.0 sec at f/8.0
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO: 800

#3

Exposure: 45.0 sec at f/8.0
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO: 800

I was basically just firing away. Had focus set to infinity, IS off. I was just trying to get as many shots in as I could Got so lucky goddamn still can't believe it

 

[Compaq]

How awesome is it to think that we were out at the same time shooting exactly the same thing at each side of the pond?

 

[Foxx]

Nuts! And actually I was contacted by another norwegian(on my other OTHER photo website..DA..) who had some shots of the lights as well. Photographers unite!

EDIT: From what I can gather Sweden(the Varlmland perhaps?) must have been directly under the storm since the colors were so intense here.

 

[Compaq]

Ahh, you're in Sweden, I remember your thread! Nice, I'm not far from the border. This is the first time I've ever seen northern lights!

edit: looking up Varmland, it seems we're equally close to the border and equally far north.

 

[Foxx]

Excellent! I'd suggest you find a dark spot away from light pollution tomorrow night(or the rest of the week). Looks like there may be high solar activity for the next week -- Aurora Alert for September 26 and 27!

 

[RainyDay]

Awesome work, I'd love to go to Scandinavia some day to take some sweet North Light photos!

 

[TNRVER]

I've just purchased my T3i and it is my first DSL camera. Would you, or someone else on this forum, instruct me as to how to set the focal length, exposure and I noted that you later said you had set to infinity. I'm looking through the manual...but cannot find this information.

Thank you.

Model: Canon EOS Rebel T3
Lens EF-S18-55mm f/3.5

#1

Exposure: 44.0 sec at f/8.0
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO: 800

#2

Exposure: 32.0 sec at f/8.0
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO: 800

#3

Exposure: 45.0 sec at f/8.0
Focal Length: 18mm
ISO: 800

I was basically just firing away. Had focus set to infinity, IS off. I was just trying to get as many shots in as I could Got so lucky goddamn still can't believe it

 

[IceCanAm]

I've just purchased my T3i and it is my first DSL camera. Would you, or someone else on this forum, instruct me as to how to set the focal length, exposure and I noted that you later said you had set to infinity. I'm looking through the manual...but cannot find this information.

For night or Northern light capture.
First set your camera to manual.
Then set the iso your camera can handle at night, i have 650D/T4i and i use 400 or 800 more will be to noisy.
Then just focus on the moon or some light if you have at least few meters away, I sometimes use a friend and let him walk the distance with a flash light and focus on that, then just turn off the autofocus and you have now infinity,
Just remember not to touch the focus ring when done.
then set how many seconds you want the shutter to be open.
Use remote trigger or timer to count down to get rid of shake when touching the button.
Use a tripod.
Shoot raw at standard picture style and auto white balance - then when processing you can fix the WB
Choose a good foreground and remember practice a lot.

Oh and always remember to use the maximum aperture the lens has, if you're lens have F2.8 use that
Best aurora pics are the ones with snow on the ground a moonlight in the back and a lot of aurora,

Good luck.