Capturing stunning photos of the Northern Lights is easier than ever with advancements in digital and smartphone cameras. Whether you’re using a digital camera or a smartphone, understanding your camera settings is key to capturing this awe-inspiring natural phenomenon. Keep reading to learn how to take a picture of the Northern Lights and show your friends and family what they’re missing!

Understand Your Camera – Digital Camera or Smartphone

Digital and smartphone cameras capture light through pixels, converting it to digital images. Digital cameras have larger sensors for higher resolution, but smartphones are advancing—proven by many smartphone-captured images of the Northern Lights in 2024.

Understand these three specific settings which will help you take a picture of the Northern Lights!

ISO – The sensitivity of the camera sensor – 1600 ISO
Exposure Time – How long you take an image for – 4 – 30 seconds
Aperture or F-Stop – How wide your lens aperture is – as low as possible

This is called the exposure triangle to which you need to find a happy medium between all three to get an image of the Northern Lights.

Image Credits: Antti Pietikainen

Some smartphone cameras have these settings available in the Manual camera setting option, and others only have exposure time available to manipulate. The joy of taking an image on some smartphones it that it automatically works out the best settings for you.

ISO – Not too high, not too low. 1600 should be a good start if you’re taking images from a dark sky. Low ISO = smooth image, High ISO = Noisier image.

Exposure time – In low light, increase exposure time for brighter images, but be cautious of motion blur, especially with fast-moving Northern Lights. A tripod is essential for stability, just as important as the camera for longer exposures.

Aperture or F-Stop – This one is easy. If you’re taking a wide field image – which you should be because the Northern Lights can fill the sky – then your aperture should be as low as the camera lens allows you to go. It’s that simple. A wide aperture means more light reaching the camera sensor.

What Does The Aurora Look Like?

When looking for the aurora borealis in the sky, it’s hard to know what to look for if you haven’t seen it before. Firstly, you will only see the aurora when the sky is clear, the Northern Lights appear above cloud levels and any clouds that are visible will block out the aurora. The aurora often appears as a cloud-like or hazy illuminated area, usually in the northern or eastern sky. You can see stars through it. Use your phone to photograph the light; if it shows color, it’s likely the aurora borealis.

Image Credits: Loggers Lodge

Understanding Why We See The Northern Lights

It’s a complicated process behind why we see the Northern Lights of which the basics can be understood quite easily. Sunspots on the Sun mean it’s active. If a solar flare is released from the Sun in the earth’s direction, Northern Lights are likely and it’s time to get excited and prepared. Check Updates on social media from the Aurora Zone to see what the chances of viewing the Northern Lights are. In our opinion, the best website to use for Northern Lights information is SpaceWeather.com and SpaceWeatherLive.com. These pages update daily with up to date information on if there’s a chance of the aurora borealis being visible from where you live.

Image Credits: Georgia Kenny, Northumberland

Finding The Best Location

Dark skies and a clear northern horizon are crucial for viewing the aurora, especially in mid-latitudes like the UK, where it often appears near the horizon. Choose locations along coastlines or away from cities to avoid buildings and light pollution for the best experience in the sky and best chance of being able to take a picture of the Northern Lights. The great thing about taking an image on your mobile phone is that you can simply step out your door and take an picture… But only if it’s a strong storm.

Enjoy and Be Patient

Nature doesn’t operate on a schedule, and the auroras can be elusive, making the journey just as important. As you wait under a starlit sky, every moment becomes a chance to connect with the quiet beauty around you. Experience the crunch of the snow underfoot, the sounds of the wildlife and the serenity of a frozen lake such as Lake Inari. Don’t rush, embrace the anticipation, knowing that the lights will pop up and say hello soon…

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