Hey Folks,
From my last summer/fall camping trip in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, for this year – well, so far, anyway. If you think sleeping in the big city is hard, with all those big city lights, try sleeping in a tent under this kind of light. 🙂
What a treat it is to see the aurora borealis (or ‘northern lights’). Nothing quite touches that experience for a little slice of magic. It’s mystical, each and every time.
Fall is a great time to photograph the aurora – the skies are dark, often clear, and it’s not yet 40 below zero, like it can be in the dead of winter.
The Photo Tip
For shooting the northern lights,
- I crank up the ISO of the camera,
- open the lens to its widest aperture, and
- shoot with as high a shutter speed as I can.
- Fast lenses, like a 1.8 or even a 2.8 make a big difference.
They’re also heavier than smaller aperture lenses, which makes it a trade-off for a backpacking trip. Sometimes though, such as when the aurora borealis is out, that trade-off becomes moot. The extra weight is well worth the effort. A small headlamp to light up the tent, set up the tripod, and click the shutter. Good night folks.
Wanna learn even more about photographing the northern lights? Study this guide.
Cheers
Carl
