How to Photograph the Northern Lights: Settings and Technique
The Aurora is one of the most rewarding subjects in all of photography, and one of the most forgiving once you know the handful of settings that matter. Your phone or camera captures far more than your eye can see. Here's how to get the shot, from someone who's helped a lot of guests get theirs.
Why your camera sees more than you do
Modern cameras (including recent phones) are dramatically more sensitive to faint light than the human eye. A glow that looks like pale grey haze to you can render as a vivid green curtain in a few-second exposure. This isn't the camera lying; both are real. Your eye sees in real time, while the camera accumulates light over seconds.
The core camera settings
Aurora photography lives on three settings. Start here and adjust to the display's brightness:
| Setting | Starting point | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Aperture | f/2.8 or wider | As wide as your lens allows, you want maximum light. |
| ISO | 1600–6400 | Higher for faint Aurora; lower for bright, active displays to keep noise down. |
| Shutter | 5–15 seconds | Shorter for bright, fast-moving curtains to keep detail; longer for faint glow. |
| Focus | Manual, to infinity | Autofocus fails in the dark. Focus on a bright star, then don't touch it. |
The rule of thumb: brighter, more active Aurora lets you drop ISO and shorten the shutter for sharper detail; faint Aurora needs more ISO and a longer exposure.
The gear that actually matters
- A sturdy tripod. Non-negotiable: any multi-second exposure needs the camera dead still.
- A wide, fast lens. 14–24mm at f/2.8 or faster captures the sweep of the sky and gathers light.
- A remote or timer. Pressing the shutter shakes the camera; use a 2-second timer or remote.
- Spare batteries, kept warm. Cold drains batteries fast. Keep spares in an inside pocket.
Composition: give it a foreground
A curtain of light over a black void is nice; the same curtain over a mountain, a frozen lake, a cabin, or a lone tree is a photograph. Aurora images gain enormous power from an anchoring foreground element that gives scale and place. Scout your spot in daylight so you know what's there in the dark.
Phone shooting, briefly
Recent phones have a night mode that can capture Aurora surprisingly well. Prop the phone on something solid (or use a small tripod), enable the longest night-mode exposure, and stay perfectly still while it captures. It won't match a dedicated camera, but it's far better than most people expect.
Find a clear, dark night to shoot. Check the forecast→