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.
Resources for Photographing the Canadian Rockies
Each week I get emails or messages from fellow photographers asking where they should photograph in Banff National Park and the Canadian Rockies. Others ask me where to go hiking or scrambling so that they can get off the beaten track. I love getting these questions and seeing people’s enthusiasm for shooting these beautiful mountain landscapes.
Each week I get emails or messages from fellow photographers asking where they should photograph in Banff National Park and the Canadian Rockies. Others ask me where to go hiking or scrambling so that they can get off the beaten track. I love getting these questions and seeing people’s enthusiasm for shooting these beautiful mountain landscapes.
To provide you with some direction, I thought I’d compile a list of resources that will help you photograph the Canadian Rockies – books, websites and apps you can leaf through for yourself to identify your next photo sweet spots.
Mt. Rundle, Banff National Park. Photo by Paul Zizka Photography.
Books About Hiking, Scrambling and Mountaineering
Canadian Rockies Trail Guide, by Brian Patton and Bart Robinson
The definitive and comprehensive Canadian Rockies hiking guide book.
Classic Hikes in the Canadian Rockies, by Graeme Pole
An experienced hiker/author compiles his list of classic hikes in the Rockies.
Scrambles in the Canadian Rockies, by Alan Kane
The best resource for beginner to advanced scrambles in the Canadian Rockies.
11,000ers of the Canadian Rockies, by Bill Corbett
All the big peaks of the Rockies in one comprehensive guidebook.
Canadian Rockies Photography Facebook Group
Join our Facebook Group dedicated to exploration and creativity through photography in the Canadian Rockies!
E-Book: Photography in the Canadian Rockies
For my opinionated guide on 60+ locations between Banff and Lake Louise, check out Paul Zizka’s Guide to Photography in the Canadian Rockies.
* Features 60+ locations organized into regions:
1. In and Around Banff Town
2. Lake Minnewanka
3. Bow Valley Parkway
4. Banff to Lake Louise via HWY1
5. Lake Louise and Area
* The best spots to shoot aurora borealis, wildflowers and fall colours.
* Easy-to-use symbols to guide you through each location, as well as access to online map.
* Suggested itineraries for 1 or 3 days in summer and winter.
Get your copy of Paul Zizka’s Guide to Photography in the Canadian Rockies.
Some locations in the Canadian Rockies are obscure, require good fitness and navigational skills. If you’re really keen to venture off the beaten track, I highly recommend you invest some time in finessing these skills. Coleman Lake, backcountry of Banff National Park. Photo by Paul Zizka.
Apps for Photography + Tracking Weather and Skies
I’ve been an iPhone user for years, and rely on a number of apps to help me make the most of my photos and “read the skies” in the Canadian Rockies.
Photo Apps
PhotoPills: Sort of a Swiss Army knife for photographers and great for planning shoots precisely.
The Photographer’s Ephemeris: Another great photo planning app.
Weather/Sky Apps
SpotWx: precise, thorough weather info.
StarWalk: A stargazing app, great for identification of constellations and celestial features.
ClearDarkSky: for cloud cover
Webcams
It’s easy to overlook this one, but webcams give you an instant look at conditions from higher elevations and in distant areas.
Aurora Watching Web Resources
Perhaps the biggest question of all is where people can shoot the auroras in the Canadian Rockies. Thanks to our dark skies, you have a good chance of seeing them if they’re out, so long as there is no cloud cover.
One of the best resources for tracking them in Alberta is the Facebook group called Alberta Aurora Chasers. You can request to join here: AlbertaAuroraChasers.
I have also compiled my personal favourites in another blog post. You’ll need to learn to read the data, but you’ll find the full collection in 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.