Some Useful Tips

Lifestyles

Late fall to early spring marks the perfect season for photographing the aurora borealis, a natural phenomenon that is considered an advanced form of travel photography. To capture a good shot of this breathtaking sight, one must be well-equipped with the right gear.

The aurora borealis is a stunning display of lights that appears at night over the high magnetic latitudes near the north and south poles of the Earth. It's one of the most awe-inspiring landscapes in nature, with beautiful and colorful appearances that are difficult to describe in words. Many nature enthusiasts hope to witness the beauty of the aurora in their lifetime.

For centuries, this atmospheric luminescence unique to the North and South Poles has been a celestial mystery of speculation and exploration. With the advancements in modern science, we now have a scientific explanation for it.

Auroras are produced by the excitation or ionization of molecules or atoms in the upper atmosphere due to a stream of high-energy charged particles from the Earth's magnetosphere and the Sun. Depending on the geographical location, auroras are classified as the Southern Lights and the Northern Lights.

More and more photographers are traveling to Northern Europe and North America to capture the aurora borealis. However, it's not uncommon to witness the beautiful aurora borealis with the eye, yet the photos you take to end up pitch black.

Choosing the right shooting location is extremely important. The aurora borealis appears in two belt-like areas near 67 degrees north and south latitude. To observe the aurora borealis, you should select a location near the Arctic Circle and the Antarctic Circle. However, the closer you get to the pole, the aurora's intensity doesn't necessarily increase.

The best observation point is within the auroral circle of the region. The aurora australis mainly appears in Antarctica, although there are also opportunities to observe it in New Zealand's South Island and Australia's Tasmania. However, the intensity of the aurora is low, and the chance of its occurrence is not high.

Due to the difficulty of observing the Southern Lights, the aurora borealis can usually be taken to mean the Northern Lights by default. The Northern Lights are concentrated in Alaska, Northern Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Finland, and Sweden in Northern Europe.

The observation time is also crucial. Although the aurora borealis can occur at any time, the prime viewing time is usually between 9 pm and 2 am.

To photograph the aurora, you need to check the aurora index (KP), which is divided into 10 levels. KP=9 when the aurora is strongest and covers the largest area, and KP=0 when the aurora is weakest and covers the smallest area. The general rule is that auroras at level 3 and above are clearly visible to the eye.

Next is the shooting equipment, which needs to be emphasized because the camera power consumption is fast in low-temperature environments, resulting in shorter battery life. Therefore, having spare batteries is crucial.

Imagine missing the chance to capture the aurora in its full glory because your camera ran out of power. Wearing warm clothing is also essential to ensure you remain comfortable in an extremely cold environment.

Finally, the shooting technique. There is no fixed combination of parameters for shooting the aurora, which is closely related to the ambient light and the aurora index.

The basic combination is a high ISO, a large aperture, and a shutter speed ranging from 1 to 30 seconds, depending on the aurora. Usually, it's within 10 seconds to capture the shape of the aurora. The general rule is that when the aurora index is below KP3, the change is slow.