Northern Lights Smartphone Photography Tips
Find a viewing spot with no light pollution. If the Northern Lights aren't strong enough to be seen by the naked eye, finding a viewing spot with no light pollution is imperative. Lights from nearby cities will make it much harder to see and snap photos of the aurora. This means you will likely be heading out into a rural or remote area.
Go out at peak times. Auroras are most active between 10 pm and 2 am, though this range extends if the aurora is stronger. Additionally, the best times of year to view auroras are around the spring and fall equinoxes. Wintertime is also good for viewing the Northern Lights, since the nights are longer—especially closer to the Arctic Circle, which is where the strongest auroras are found.
Get a smartphone tripod. When taking photos at night, your camera will need to use a longer exposure to let in more light. This can lead to blurry or shaky photos if you're holding your phone with your hands. To fix this, get a sturdy smartphone tripod to hold your phone steady. If you're taking photos somewhere windy (such as Iceland, a prime Northern Lights viewing location) consider getting a tripod with hooks that can be placed in the ground to stabilize it further.
Use your camera's Night Mode. Many modern smartphones have a special Night Mode built into the camera to help you take better photos at night. Most phones will also activate Night Mode automatically if it can tell you're taking pictures in the dark.
Adjust your phone camera's settings. If your phone doesn't have Night Mode or you want to adjust your camera's settings further, look for options to adjust the focus, exposure, aperture, and/or ISO. Focus on the night sky. If your phone wants to focus on something else, tap on the sky to adjust the autofocus. Set your exposure and aperture (also called f-stop) as low as possible, but set your ISO around 2,000 to start. Don't be afraid to experiment with your camera's settings to find the right combination that works for you! Once you get the right combination of settings, press and hold the screen until you see AE/AF lock. AE stands for auto-exposure, and AF stands for autofocus. Doing this will stop your camera from changing the exposure and focus point until you tap on the screen again.
Go on a guided tour. If you live in or are visiting somewhere that is known for its Northern Lights shows, you can probably find guided tours to help you find the best aurora viewing spots. Some places that have guided Northern Lights tours include Iceland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Alaska, and northern Canada.
Items to Bring When Photographing an Aurora
Make sure to bring everything you need to maximize your photography time. Here's what you should bring along before heading out to your viewing spot: Your phone (of course!) Smartphone tripod (get one with hooks if you're in a windy area) Battery pack or power bank Flashlight (to save your phone's battery for pictures) Weather-appropriate clothing (dress warmly if you're up north!)
Why do auroras look better in photos?
Cameras are better than the human eye at capturing images at low light. With a long exposure and high ISO, a camera can take in a ton of light. This results in a picture that shows more lights than what we can see with the naked eye. On top of that, camera sensors are also able to pick up wavelengths of lights that we can't even see. Because of this, the Northern Lights usually look much brighter and more colorful than they do in real life.
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