5 Tips for Viewing and Photographing the Northern Lights
In my mind, few natural phenomena match the magic or grandeur of the aurora borealis. I’ve been actively chasing this natural wonder, also known as the Northern Lights, for over a decade. Based on my experience chasing the lights, here are my top 5 tips for increasing your chances of viewing and/or photographing the northern lights.
In my mind, few natural phenomena match the magic or grandeur of the aurora borealis. I’ve been actively chasing this natural wonder, also known as the Northern Lights, for over a decade. I’ve witnessed the lights materialize in an array of colours—green, purple, pink, reddish, and white—in a variety of patterns and effects, from flashing and pulsing shapes to softly flowing ribbons of light.
How does the aurora borealis occur? Here’s the oversimplified version: when charged particles from the sun strike atoms in Earth’s atmosphere, they cause electrons in the atoms to move to a higher-energy state. When the electrons drop back to a lower energy state, they release photons (light). The wavelength of the photon determines the colour we will see, and the wavelength of the photon depends on the gas that’s being excited. Oxygen will emit green/yellow or red, ionized nitrogen will emit purple, nitrogen will emit light blue, and the other colours are caused by a blending of the two, among other factors.
Understanding the science behind the northern lights doesn’t guarantee that you will be able to see or photograph them. Based on my experience chasing the lights, here are my top 5 tips for increasing your chances of viewing and/or photographing the northern lights.
For a deeper look including tips for reading data, post-processing tips, and a thorough list of resources, check out my eBook: Guide to Viewing and Photographing the Northern Lights (use checkout code AURORAWATCH15 to save 15%!)
1. Understand Your Chances
Your chances of catching the northern lights depend on four factors aligning:
Northern lights activity
Clear skies
Unobstructed views north
Little light pollution.
Put simply, you need the lights to be active, but you also need to be able to see them.
Vermilion Lakes and Mount Rundle, Banff National Park. Photo by Paul Zizka.
2. Get the Right Tools for the Job
Set yourself up for success with the tools and gear that will help you achieve your goal. It doesn’t necessarily need to be the latest or most expensive gear either.
For viewing the northern lights, you’ll need:
A headlamp to help you navigate in the dark.
Access to aurora data or experts (find a list in my eBook!)
Don’t leave without gear and clothing to keep you comfortable including warm layers, warm footwear (cold feet are the beginning of the end!), and hand warmers or heating packs.
For photographing the northern lights:
A DSLR or mirrorless camera that can handle low-light situations
A lens with a fast aperture (ideally 2.8) and wide field of view (ie. 14-18 mm on a full-frame camera)
A sturdy tripod that you can adjust efficiently
For self-portraits or time-lapse: An intervalometer that enables you to program exposures ahead of time (some cameras have this built-in)
A bright headlamp (ideally 200 lumens+ with various beam shapes and power levels plus a red light setting) is useful for focusing images or illuminating subjects. Extra light sources like a Lume Cube can also be handy.
Use code PAULZIZKAPHOTO to save 10% on Lume Cube products.
Self-portrait, Banff National Park. Photo by Paul Zizka.
3. Plan Ahead
Preparation is key, especially when you want to savour every moment the lights are dancing above you.
Scout north-facing locations in the daytime to get a lay of the land and keep a few of these locations in your back pocket. Photographers may even wish to create a visual inventory of compositions in each bookmarked location.
Have a safety plan in place, particularly if you’re going to a remote location on a cold night. This includes packing a first-aid kit, means of communication, and bear spray as well as letting someone at home know what your plans are.
It’s best to be ready for the northern lights at a moment’s notice. Keep your devices and batteries fully charged so they are ready to grab and go at a moment’s notice. It’s also helpful to store spare batteries in warm pockets while in the field.
Ice climber under the aurora. Photo by Paul Zizka.
4. Take Technical Considerations
Photographers chasing the northern lights should keep in mind that night photography can be challenging and time-consuming. Here are some tips that have helped me come away with better images:
Shoot raw to give yourself as much data to work with in the editing room.
Rely on your histogram rather than your LCD to avoid going home with overly dark images.
Turn off auto ISO and shoot in manual mode. I’ve found that taking full control of the settings works better in night photography situations.
Use your lens hood to block stray light.
Use a two-second timer or trigger the shot with an intervalometer as the act of pressing the shutter button can be enough to introduce camera shake.
Download my eBook: Guide to Viewing and Photographing the Northern Lights where I provide my starting settings to help to you get off on the right foot. (Use checkout code AURORAWATCH15 to save 15%!)
A curtain of lights in Greenland. Photo by Paul Zizka.
5. Commit the Time
Remember that catching the aurora borealis requires patience and persistence. There are so many factors that need to align to catch a good show, so don’t be discouraged if it takes multiple tries. Enjoy the thrill of the chase and stick with it!
Walking away from a northern lights show with strong photographs takes time too. The “spray and pray” technique that is often employed during the day simply doesn’t work at night due to the time-consuming nature of long exposures and astrophotography. Don’t be afraid to commit as much as 30 minutes to a single frame. The more you practice, the more efficient you will be when Mother Nature shows off her beauty.
And whatever the results, I hope you’ll put your experience in nature ahead of the images.
Daughter’s first aurora. Self-portrait by Paul Zizka.
For a deeper look including tips for reading data, post-processing tips, and a thorough list of resources, check out my eBook: Guide to Viewing and Photographing the Northern Lights (use checkout code AURORAWATCH15 to save 15%!)
Learn more:
Take a peek at my gear list to see what I rely on in the field.
Learn astrophotography techniques in-person at my Banff at Night workshop or online through my Shooting Stars: The Art of Astrophotography course.
Check out my 10 Favourite Places to Shoot the Northern Lights.
NEOWISE in the Skies over Banff, Canada
It has been a once in a lifetime – more like millennia – event. The comet NEOWISE has been visible in the dark skies over my home town of Banff, Alberta, and it’s been a highlight of my career to photograph it. Knowing it’s such a rare event has added an exhilarating element to the creative task of capturing it, and to see it converge with such celestial wonders as the aurora borealis has been an unforgettable experience.
It has been a once in a lifetime – more like millennia – event. The comet NEOWISE has been visible in the dark skies over my home town of Banff, Alberta, and it’s been a highlight of my career to photograph it. Knowing it’s such a rare event has added an exhilarating element to the creative task of capturing it, and to see it converge with such celestial wonders as the aurora borealis has been an unforgettable experience. You can find my favourite images below!
According to NASA: “Discovered on March 27, 2020, by NASA’s Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (NEOWISE) mission, Comet NEOWISE is putting on a dazzling display for skywatchers before it disappears, not to be seen again for another 6,800 years.”
→ All of these images are available as limited edition prints in our online print shop.
Comet NEOWISE over Banff, Canada. Photo: Paul Zizka.
Comet NEOWISE, noctilucent clouds, northern lights and mountains all join forces to create the most amazing celestial display over Banff, Canada. Photo: Paul Zizka.
Comet NEOWISE above Bow Falls, Banff National Park. Photo: Paul Zizka.
NEOWISE cruises over Cascade Mountain and the Town of Banff, Canada. Photo: Paul Zizka.
A climber descends by headlamp with NEOWISE looking on in Banff National Park. Photo: Paul Zizka.
Comet NEOWISE travelling over the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and the Spray River, Banff, Canada.
→ All of these images are available as limited edition prints in our online print shop.
Behind the Image: Audience of One
This time around, play time meant finding ourselves camping on the Greenland ice sheet for three nights, about 50 kilometres away from the closest settlement, Kangerlussuaq. Our main purpose over those few days was to document supraglacial lakes, these surreal, turquoise bodies of water that have proliferated along the edge of the ice cap recently.
Earlier this month, I was fortunate to return to beautiful Greenland to lead a group with fellow photographers Stephen DesRoches and Curtis Jones. Through OFFBEAT, the company I co-founded with my friend Dave Brosha, we do a number of these epic photography trips every year. They are always rewarding journeys; it is such a privilege to be able to introduce fellow photographers to these wild corners of the planet, and to help guide them along their creative journey. Between the demands on the logistical side, and the fact that our priority is to assist participants with their own photographs, there really isn't much time for leaders to create images of their own. That's why we always make a point to add a few days to any international trip we do for pure creative time. "Play time," as we call it.
This time around, play time meant finding ourselves camping on the Greenland ice sheet for three nights, about 50 kilometres away from the closest settlement, Kangerlussuaq. Our main purpose over those few days was to document supraglacial lakes, these surreal, turquoise bodies of water that have proliferated along the edge of the ice cap recently. Unfortunately, shortly after setting foot on the ice and sending up a reconnaissance drone, we realized we were too late. Winter had arrived early in Greenland and once up on the ice, there was barely any open water to be found. We reluctantly reset our objectives, set up a base camp and focused on finding some other features to photograph. As an avid astrophotographer, my main concern during the day was locating compositions that could be recreated under the stars and, hopefully, the aurora. All of the forecasts agreed that our first two nights would be overcast, but our very last night in the area looked hopeful.
This image is available as a limited-edition print in a variety of sizes and format. See our online store for details!
Despite the blizzard that set in shortly after setting up camp, we made good use of the next 48 hours by locating stunning ice caves and canyons within a kilometre of our tents. By the time the clear night came around, I had 4 or 5 shots I was after. I had a plan and a vision. Nightfall came cloudy, however, and we started getting concerned that our astrophotography plans would fall through. At midnight, we were still fighting the cloud cover despite all forecasts still calling for crystal clear conditions (I had re-checked with the InReach). Behind the veil, one could tell that the aurora was dancing. It was one of those situations where the images still looked great on the back of the cameras (due to the ice features being so photogenic), but every time we'd meet in the dark, one of us would say "Oh man, can you imagine if the clouds weren't there?!" Eventually, Stephen and Curtis decided to make their way back to camp and would shoot there if the skies cleared up. I opted to stick it out a little longer. After all, sunlight wouldn't come for another five hours and I had come all this way. Finally, at around 1 a.m., the cloud cover started dissipating quickly, revealing a bright ribbon of green.
I frantically ran around, crampons on, to re-create the four compositions I had scouted, and was able to frame the aurora borealis in all four. I've always felt I've had more than my share of luck with the aurora over the years. But that night was something else. This particular image was shot from the middle of a bend at the bottom of an ice canyon. The cold may have meant our blue lakes were gone, but it had enabled us to travel along the bottom of such canyons, thus opening up incredible compositions. I set up the tripod, went with settings of f/2.8, ISO 1600 and 10 seconds, manually focus on the rim of the canyon (where I would be standing), got the 5DIV to shoot continuously and then proceeded up the canyon, to a less steep section nearby and then up to the rim for the self-portrait. I placed my Lupine headlamp on the ground behind me to cast a bit of rim light on myself. I took about eight similar images and selected this one because it's the one where the aurora looked best.
Aurora and ice on the Greenland ice sheet. Photo by Paul Zizka Photography.
I hope you like the stories behind the images! I very much look forward to sharing a few more shots from that incredible night!
This image is available as a limited-edition print in a variety of sizes and format. See our online store for details!
Join me on Patreon for more “Behind the Image” video posts, which go into more detail and feature behind-the-scenes footage and my editing process from raw to final.
Photo Tips for Capturing the Northern Lights
I frequently get asked for tips on how to photograph the aurora borealis. Capturing the dancing lights is a fine science of checking the data, ensuring you have optimal conditions, knowing your gear, and being ready to wait... and wait... and wait. It takes patience to capture that green glow and come home with images you're happy with. Here are some of my best tips.
I frequently get asked for tips on how to photograph the aurora borealis. I’ve written a whole eBook about it (check out Paul Zizka’s Guide to Viewing and Photographing Northern Lights), but here’s a little snippet for you! Capturing the dancing lights is a fine science of checking the data, ensuring you have optimal conditions, knowing your gear, and being ready to wait... and wait... and wait. It takes patience to capture that green glow and come home with images you're happy with.
Here are some of my best tips:
1. Don’t forget everything else you know about photography.
The first time you shoot the lights, you’ll probably be thrilled with any image that shows a touch of green. Focusing, composing, etc. are afterthoughts. With time, though, try to reintegrate all of the other photographic skills you’ve acquired on your journey. Shoot the way you would anything else: compose with intention, pay attention to flow and weight in your composition, get to know your subject, simplify, see if you can tie in that aurora with a foreground. A well-executed image of a weak aurora showing is more powerful than a clunky shot with a powerful display.
→ Save 25% off my online astrophotography course:
Shooting Stars: The Art of Astrophotography (just $36.75 CAD)
2. Be adaptable.
The aurora is a fickle phenomenon. Not only does it constantly appear and disappear, but it can also move around in the sky. And sometimes it doesn’t show up at all! Whatever hand you are dealt out there, make the most of it. If the lights don’t appear, strive to create and go home with the memories of a beautiful night out. If the lights move outside of your frame by the time you’re ready to shoot, take it as a great test on your way to become a versatile, quick-thinking photographer.
3. Don’t go home with overly dark images.
This is a very common pitfall for most aurora photographers. Because we are surrounded by darkness, the image that first pops up on our LCD can look much brighter than it actually is. In fact, it may be severely underexposed, a fact you might only realize too late once you’re sitting at home. An easy way to avoid that issue is to rely on the histogram to get a true representation of how bright your image really is. Often I find people are quite surprised to find that they need to at least double their shutter speed or ISO.
Coming to the Rockies this year? The ebook contains an index of the best places to shoot the aurora borealis between Banff and Lake Louise (save 10% with the code AURORA). You might find some helpful tips in there!
Photo by Paul Zizka.
Did You Know?
The word "aurora" comes from the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, who would travel east to west announcing the sun's arrival.
The cause is not 100% understood, but the Aurora Borealis (and Australis in the Southern Hemisphere) appear when solar wind (gas emitted by the Sun) interacts with the Earth's magnetosphere.
The colours are caused by various factors, such a whether electrons collide with oxygen or nitrogen and at what intensity. Oxygen will emit green/yellow or red; nitrogen will emit blue and the other colours are caused by a blending of the two.
Facts from Wiki.
More Reading
→ Check out my 10 Favourite Places to Shoot the Northern Lights
→ Check out these Aurora Watching Web Resources
Aurora Watching Web Resources
The big "FAQ" for me has always been "which northern lights prediction websites do you recommend?" No matter how much one monitors the data available, viewing the aurora always involves an element of unpredictability. Familiarizing yourself with the following resources should improve your chances.
The big "FAQ" for me has always been "which northern lights prediction websites do you recommend?" No matter how much one monitors the data available, viewing the aurora always involves an element of unpredictability. Familiarizing yourself with the following resources should improve your chances.
→ Alberta Aurora Chasers - Facebook Group
reports from aurora chasers on the ground
reporting auroras from the ground up
Alberta aurora status
Continued below…
More great resources to help you track, view and photograph the Northern Lights:
eBook: Paul Zizka's Guide to Viewing and Photographing Northern Lights
Astrophotographer Paul Zizka gives his best tips, tools, and resources for both viewing and photographing the northern lights. From tracking the data to camera settings and editing tips, this comprehensive guide is all you need to get started! This eBook is suitable for non-photographers and photographers of all levels of experience.
aurora borealis forecast
→ SolarHam
the latest space weather news and updates
→ Space Weather Prediction Centre
current space weather conditions
news and information about the sun/earth environment
→ University of Alaska Geophysical Institute
Alaska aurora forecasts
Tromsø LIVE northern lights solar activity, prediction and forecast
If you like northern lights photos, check out The Canadian Rockies: Rediscovered, by Paul Zizka.