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THE LIGHT FANTASTIC Your camera can reveal more colours in shots of the Northern Lights than the naked eye can see, especially if you follow these simple instructions Guided by the lights Top tips for capturing compelling images of the aurora borealis
images you’re happy with, even in low- light conditions. You should feel confident that it’s robust enough to be out in the wild with you, capturing the action. Get protected Photographing the Northern Lights is a lesson in enjoying the process. When you are dealing with nature, sometimes things go to plan and you get the perfect shot first time, but other times there’s a lot of waiting around in bad light or weather with nothing to show for it. It’s all about being in the right place at the right time. You also have to feel comfortable taking your equipment out and about. However careful and well prepared you are, it would be reassuring to know that, if the unexpected were to happen, you have solid insurance in place to provide complete peace of mind. The Insurance Emporium has two policies: Amateur & Semi-Professional and Professional. Both cover your camera equipment for theft, loss or accidental damage, new for old, worldwide cover and personal accident as standard, with a range of optional benefits to tweak further. Join many happy snappers with a 25% Introductory Discount on new camera insurance policies.
Composition Think about where your focal point is. Is it a hill, tree or lake? You could use the rule of thirds when thinking about where it’s going to be and, remember, less is more.
The aurora borealis is a natural phenomenon on pretty much everyone’s bucket list. These beautiful, swirling Northern Lights that dance across the sky occur when charged particles emitted by the sun – like a big sneeze – come into contact with the Earth’s atmosphere. In general, the closer you are to the North Pole, the better your chances are of seeing the Northern Lights. Places such as Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Finland and Canada are popular with aurora chasers, particularly between September and April. Unless, of course, you’re in the Southern Hemisphere, in which case you’ll see the Southern Lights, or aurora australis, between May and October. But over the last year or two, we’ve been treated to this amazing spectacle without having to leave the UK or even our back gardens. The Northern Lights have been visible as far south as Cornwall. This is because the sun is at the peak of its 11- year cycle, which means it’s experiencing strong geomagnetic storms. One in May 2024 was the strongest in over 20 years, and the current peak is expected to last until the middle of 2026. Capturing the Northern Lights is every photographer’s dream – particularly because, while they’re visible to the naked eye, cameras can utilise longer exposure times to capture more light than the human eye, so the result is often more
intense. On the other hand, as anyone who has ever tried to get a decent photo of the moon knows, taking photographs in low light isn’t easy. Our friends at The Insurance Emporium have been providing specialist camera insurance for many years, and so we asked them if they had any tips for photographing the Northern Lights. Here’s what they had to say. Do your prep The ideal conditions for photographing the Northern Lights are dark, clear skies, preferably away from light pollution – so monitor the weather. You could download an app with alerts, such as Aurora Watch UK or the Glendale app. When you head out, take plenty of supplies – snacks, extra batteries, a power bank – and wrap up warm. Photography gloves make sure your fingers aren’t too cold to operate your camera. Use a tripod Stability is key, as even the tiniest shift can result in a blurry image. You could also use a remote shutter release cable to further reduce the risk of movement. Pick the right lens A wide-angle lens will help you capture as much sky as possible, particularly as the lights are often moving around.
Settings Manual settings help a lot when
photographing a scene like the Northern Lights. A low-light-capable lens means you won’t need to increase ISO speed, which produces noise if you put it too high. Experiment with your exposure times, for example between five and 30 seconds. Too long and everything will be a blur, too short and the image will be too dark. It depends on the intensity of the aurora and how fast it’s moving, so keep checking your aperture (maybe f/1.2-2.8), ISO value (1600-6400) and shutter speed (between one and 12 seconds). You will soon get an idea whether it’s too bright or dark and can adjust your settings. It’s a smart idea to adjust your white- balance manually. A good place to start is 3500K. For the best flexibility when editing later, make sure you’re shooting in Raw so you can recover more detail from shadows and highlights.
Equipment You don’t need the latest or most
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expensive model, but you do need your camera to be reliable and able to produce
*The Introductory Discount is available from the start of the policy until its first review/renewal date. This policy is subject to change at any time. The Insurance Emporium offers a variety of cover levels, so please check the policy cover suits your needs before purchasing. For your protection, please ensure you read the Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) and policy wording for information on policy exclusions and limitations. This article is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or affiliated with any brands or external websites mentioned in this content. Lifestyle Policy Limited is an appointed representative of The Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Limited. The Insurance Emporium is a trading name of The Equine and Livestock Insurance Company Limited (registered in England and Wales no: 294940), which is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority no: 202748.
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