Aurora - northern lights photo taking

[Mustank]

 

Wrong spelling lah - Chio "bitch" pulling the sledge, 2 of them in photo 2!

 

 

 

Last time I put heat pads in the camera bag....

Just be careful don't put in direct contact with the camera as it can get really hot!

http://youtu.be/RCT-YMgjm9k

Like this s?

[Entity]

Recent aurora activity has been increasing, so your chances of seeing this natural phenomenon are good, "good" being subjective.

 

Before addressing the gear, think of your travel plans first, as you should be aware that the confluence of a few weather and environmental conditions would give you the highest chance of viewing it:

- your position relative to the solar electron cloud as it hits the atmosphere, typically the further north you go the better. Try north of the arctic circle, which in Alaskan terms would be past Fairbanks;

- time of year, usually when winter is at its coldest;

- time of day, usually in the middle of the night when it is the coldest and darkest;

- presence of environmental light pollution, so stay away from cities;

- luck, no one can tell Mother Nature what to do, or when to do it.

 

Set your own expectations, and give yourself the highest chance of seeing it by being in a good location for a few nights.

 

Gear can be relatively straightforward once you sort out the above, because at least this is something you can control:

- tripod;

- camera with manual settings, preferably BULB mode;

- remote shutter release as your hands will be in gloves, or if not, your hands will be shaking from the cold and will give you nice blurry photos;

- fast lens, ideally f/1.4 to f/2.8;

- cameras that produce relatively clean images at high ISOs will help, otherwise you will be stuck at ISO800 and a 30-45 second exposure, and the risk of wind or your shaking hands moving the camera will increase;

- spare battery kept warm in a pocket that you can reach into with gloves on;

- torchlight to see what you are doing in pitch darkness, with on/off switch that can be used with gloves on.

 

Even with all the above, two other key factors that you may need are:

- good to excellent familiarity with your camera, to know what settings you are adjusting in the dark. If you use your torch to change settings while an exposure is being taken, the image will almost certainly be ruined with light leakage from the torch to the sensor. Bringing a new camera on the trip and hoping to improvise might not yield the results you imagined;

- patience and commitment to wake up in the middle of the night, stay out in the cold for what can be an hour or more, and persist with changing settings to get the best results.

 

If you are there at the right place at the right time, and you did your homework with your camera, you will be awed by the beauty and magic captured on your camera's LCD screen. It will be what you can see with your naked eye multiplied many times due to the long exposure burning bright, snaking rivers of fairy dust on your sensor. At any point, just step back from the tripod and stare at the sky to watch the light dance. I hope you have the luck, and are thankful to be one of the privileged few to experience it.

[Bluepica]

I'm thinking of GoPro... can also take video while doing snowmobiling and dog sledding

[Porker]

 

Yup, same thing my friend went to Kiruna in Sweden and temp was below -20C and his iphone keep showing something like "your iphone needs to cold down" and I was saying I think you phone meant it needs to "warm up"...haha

 

My canon compact camera got manual setting... but I forget what's the f value and min shutter speed.

 

Thanks for the sharing for Nordic.

 

Anyone got any tips for Alaska?

I went to Chena Hot Springs in Fairbanks Alaska. You can fly to Anchorage and drive there; the drive takes about 8 to 9 hours in winter condition.

 

That trip was fantastic because I drove throughout the night and ran into moose and foxes in the white cold wilderness.

[RadX]

I went to Chena Hot Springs in Fairbanks Alaska. You can fly to Anchorage and drive there; the drive takes about 8 to 9 hours in winter condition.

 

That trip was fantastic because I drove throughout the night and ram into moose and foxes in the white cold wilderness.

 

 

moose also you RAM

[Bluepica]

I went to Chena Hot Springs in Fairbanks Alaska. You can fly to Anchorage and drive there; the drive takes about 8 to 9 hours in winter condition.

 

That trip was fantastic because I drove throughout the night and ran into moose and foxes in the white cold wilderness.

Yes! this is what I want to know! I am planning for a few night stay at the yurts in Cheena HS. But was told the transport from Fairbanks alone cost US100 one way! but I have not drive on snow before... they said get a 4WD but again, a 4WD cost a bomb for a day rental. Can those normal car make it to that place??

[Porker]

Yes! this is what I want to know! I am planning for a few night stay at the yurts in Cheena HS. But was told the transport from Fairbanks alone cost US100 one way! but I have not drive on snow before... they said get a 4WD but again, a 4WD cost a bomb for a day rental. Can those normal car make it to that place??

 

I drove a Chevy Impala, without snow chain, from Anchorage to Fairbanks. It was in late October but the entire place was covered in thick snow.

 

I got into an accident in Fairbanks and it happened along Chena Hot Springs Road while I was on my way to town for dinner. I remember I drove at about 50-60 miles an hour along a slight bend and I spun out of control and landed in a snow filled ditch. There wasn't any help and I was stuck in the car throughout the night and I was lucky because the tank was full and I kept the engine running - else I would have froze to death.

 

Please take precaution when you drive in Alaska in winter:

 

1. Have your mobile ready (although it may not be of any use because Chena Hot Springs is pretty remote)

2. Have warm clothes by your side at any time (I did not and had just a windbreaker, T shirt and jeans in sub negative 20 temperature)

3. Remember to clear the car's exhaust regularly if you are stranded. This will prevent snow and ice from building up in the pipe, choking the engine and killing it. The engine provided me with heat while I was stranded in the ditch

4. Get an AWD if you are scared

[Reo]

This will be a good starting point: http://www.digitalcameraworld.com/2015/03/22/how-to-photograph-the-northern-lights/

 

 

For those who have been for such a tour before, do you need any good camera to take photo? I've been using my iphone for all my travel photos...yeah, I'm not a photographer

 

[Bluepica]

 

I drove a Chevy Impala, without snow chain, from Anchorage to Fairbanks. It was in late October but the entire place was covered in thick snow.

 

I got into an accident in Fairbanks and it happened along Chena Hot Springs Road while I was on my way to town for dinner. I remember I drove at about 50-60 miles an hour along a slight bend and I spun out of control and landed in a snow filled ditch. There wasn't any help and I was stuck in the car throughout the night and I was lucky because the tank was full and I kept the engine running - else I would have froze to death.

 

Please take precaution when you drive in Alaska in winter:

 

1. Have your mobile ready (although it may not be of any use because Chena Hot Springs is pretty remote)

2. Have warm clothes by your side at any time (I did not and had just a windbreaker, T shirt and jeans in sub negative 20 temperature)

3. Remember to clear the car's exhaust regularly if you are stranded. This will prevent snow and ice from building up in the pipe, choking the engine and killing it. The engine provided me with heat while I was stranded in the ditch

4. Get an AWD if you are scared

 

Good to know that you are ok. 50mph, isn't that a bit fast on icy road? I have not drive on snow before...

are the roads all cleared by snow clearing machines (don't know what the exact term)?

 

I guess Anchorage to Fairbanks road is abit challenging for me (snow plus mountain pass)...so then will take flight from Anchorage to Fairbanks and then Alaska rail back to Anchorage. I just need a vehicle to move within Fairbanks and Anchorage itself.

 

And thanks for the great tips!!

[Mustank]

I went to Chena Hot Springs in Fairbanks Alaska. You can fly to Anchorage and drive there; the drive takes about 8 to 9 hours in winter condition.

 

That trip was fantastic because I drove throughout the night and ran into moose and foxes in the white cold wilderness.

 

[jawdrop]

[Bluepica]

 

I drove a Chevy Impala, without snow chain, from Anchorage to Fairbanks. It was in late October but the entire place was covered in thick snow.

 

I got into an accident in Fairbanks and it happened along Chena Hot Springs Road while I was on my way to town for dinner. I remember I drove at about 50-60 miles an hour along a slight bend and I spun out of control and landed in a snow filled ditch. There wasn't any help and I was stuck in the car throughout the night and I was lucky because the tank was full and I kept the engine running - else I would have froze to death.

 

Please take precaution when you drive in Alaska in winter:

 

1. Have your mobile ready (although it may not be of any use because Chena Hot Springs is pretty remote)

2. Have warm clothes by your side at any time (I did not and had just a windbreaker, T shirt and jeans in sub negative 20 temperature)

3. Remember to clear the car's exhaust regularly if you are stranded. This will prevent snow and ice from building up in the pipe, choking the engine and killing it. The engine provided me with heat while I was stranded in the ditch

4. Get an AWD if you are scared

 

I survived the snow covered road without a 4WD. The corolla I rented come with snow tires. Most tricky part is at intersection, where every car, even 4WD will skid when accelerate upon lights turned green. Turning at intersection also must be very very slow, never try to beat the light. I almost skidded off road trying to beat the amber turning light, but that was my first time. After that, every intersection I slow down and hopefully the lights turn red so I can stop and turn. I didn't get honk or high beam at for doing so. Every one was so patience and skidding sound is a norm to every driver.