Pictures of Alaska’s magical aurora borealis, or northern lights.
Rustic Cabin and the Aurora I have a cabin in the Alaska Range mountains, which is nestled amongst spruce trees and beautifully flanked by snow covered mountains. I made my first trip to this area when I was 18 years old and am so grateful to still make such ventures 34 years later! Abundant snow…
If you have been on a venture to photograph the northern lights, then you have encountered the challenge of photographing in the dark while still being able to control your camera settings. A headlamp with a red filter can help provide the necessary light to assist with camera adjustments. However, that light can easily find its way into the picture if you are not careful. In order to avoid headlamp light pollution in your aurora photos, see headlamp etiquette practices on my blog article here.
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you may be aware that every October I co-guide photo tours to Alaska’s Arctic in search of all things “Alaska Special,” with a focus on the northern lights, polar bears and Arctic wildlife. I just returned from the first trip and leave tomorrow for the next one.…
If you live in Alaska, or have visited this March in pursuit of photographing the northern lights, then your opportunities have been abundant. With record warm temperatures, combined with clear skies and tons of electromagnetic activity in the atmosphere, it has been a banger month for aurora photography. And for anyone who has spent time…
I’m often asked what the correct camera exposure is for the northern lights. And, like many answers to broad questions, the answer could be equally broad due to the many variables involved. However, there are some basic starting points, and I’m including an excerpt here from my eBook on How to Photograph the Northern Lights,…
The two Arctic Alaska photo tours that I co-guide with Hugh Rose were full of weather adventure and logistical challenges this year. They were also filled with some fantastic photo opportunities. We always proclaim that the trips are different every year, and this held true once again. The first October, trip was slammed with a blizzard for three…
I recently returned from guiding two photo adventures in Alaska’s Arctic, seeking the northern lights, polar bears and all the other magic that the great north delivers. The trips were wonderful adventures, full of the drama that Alaska is known for, including weather, wind, snow and wild sights. I’ll have a gallery of images to…
Here is a selection of images taken during the March Northern Lights photo tours that I guide with Hugh Rose. We had quite a show of color and activity in the sky this year. I took most of the images with either the Rokinon 24mm f/1.4 or the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8. The combo of those…
On my recent aurora photo tours, I captured a few panoramas of the northern lights. They are relatively easy to make but a few considerations should be employed in preparation and in post production. I’m going to add a section on this in version #3 of my eBook on How to Photograph the Northern Lights,…
The aurora danced in the night sky repeatedly over the past two weeks during the photo tours I co guided with Hugh Rose in Alaska’s Arctic. We guided two groups of happy aurora photographers who left much more experienced in this technical endeavor than when they arrived. The photos captured by all on both trips…