It was interesting photographing the Aurora Borealis for the first time. We arrived around 8:30 pm and left a little before 1 am. I always find it a balance between pure excitement of creating amazing photographs and life commitments. So, I did my research, but quickly realized that it was only a starting point to get a picture. The results of my experience unfolds below. . .
The photo above is the sunset before the show. I thought is was interesting to see the halos around the sun as it was setting. I took this like any sunset. I noticed the halo and soft appearance of the sun once I got home and looked at it on the computer. Truly, it was the perfect beginning of an evening photographing the Aurora Borealis.
This is my very first attempt at photographing the Aurora Borealis. I followed the instructions from online, and this was the result. I placed my Canon 5D Mk II with Sigma 24-105 Art Lens on my tripod. I adjusted it so the horizon was straight. I used the following exposure: ISO 1250, f4, 8 sec. I set my focus manually to infinity. Afterwards, I did some exposure adjustments in the digital darkroom, and this was the end result. I think it’s pretty good for the first time.
As I thought about the location, exposure, and composition elements, I realized that I needed to experiment with the exposure. I usually try to use lower ISO so I do less post-processing to reduce noise and pixelization. If it can be done in the camera, why should I spend time on the computer trying to “fix” it?
Finally, the show revved up! The whole sky filled with color and movement. I wanted to show it all, so I pulled out my Canon 8-15mm lens. The image above is taken at 8mm (fish-eye), and captured the entire scene. I like the people, buildings and lights around the edge. It gives it a sense of place, and shows the life of the event. People cheered as the Aurora shifted and showed its colors. At this point, I changed my exposure and approach to photographing the aurora. My camera was still mounted on my tripod. My exposure was ISO 400, f4, and 10 sec. I worked with fine tuning the exposure and color afterwards in the digital darkroom.
I think the biggest thing I learned about this event is to be open to experimenting with exposure and composition. Often, we are in a place or situation less than ideal for our vision. It is good to be adaptable and open to the opportunities available. What knowledge I can offer is simply. . .you need a tripod to get crisp, clean photos of the aurora or other night photography. The rest is up to your knowledge of your equipment and exposure.