How to Take Pictures of the Northern Lights
Tips for Beginners
Seeing the Northern Lights in person is unforgettable. Capturing them well on camera, however, can feel intimidating the first time out. Fortunately, beginners can learn how to photograph the Northern Lights with a few simple settings, a little preparation, and realistic expectations.
If you’re looking for Northern Lights photography tips, aurora camera settings, or how to photograph the aurora borealis with a phone, read on! This article covers the basics in a beginner-friendly way.
What Makes Northern Lights Photography Tricky?
The aurora is beautiful, but it is also constantly moving, often dimmer than people expect, and only visible in dark conditions. That means great aurora photos usually require three things at once:
- Dark skies
- Clear weather
- A steady camera during long exposures
It can also be physically and technically challenging in ways that catch beginners off guard. Cold weather can drain camera and phone batteries quickly, and gloves can make small camera controls harder to use. Unlike daytime point-and-shoot photography, aurora photography is less forgiving; autofocus may struggle in the dark, handheld shots usually blur, and small mistakes in focus or exposure can mar an otherwise beautiful scene.
Furthermore, aurora visibility depends not only on viewing conditions but on geomagnetic activity. That’s why it’s important to monitor aurora forecasting before and during your photography session.
While aurora photography has a steeper learning curve than everyday photography, using the right settings, preparing for the cold, and checking the aurora forecast can make a big difference.
Check the Aurora Forecast Before You Go
One of the best beginner habits is checking space weather before heading out. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center provides an Aurora Dashboard, a 30-minute aurora forecast, and an overnight viewline forecast showing the southern-most areas where aurora may be visible on the northern horizon.
Here’s what to look for:
- Aurora forecast maps/viewline
- Kp activity (geomagnetic activity index — higher Kp values, especially Kp 4 and above, usually mean stronger aurora visibility)
- Cloud cover in your local weather forecast that could block visibility
- A dark location with a view to the north
Forecast tools are most useful when treated as a live guide, since geomagnetic activity and viewing conditions can change from hour to hour. Regular forecast checks are one of the simplest ways to improve your chances of seeing and photographing the Northern Lights.
Best Camera Gear for Beginner Northern Lights Photography
You don’t need the most expensive setup to photograph the Northern Lights, but a few key tools can make a major difference.
An ideal starter kit could include:
- Camera with manual controls (mirrorless or DSLR)
- Wide-angle lens (fast lens preferred)
- Tripod
- Extra batteries (cold weather drains them fast)
- Remote shutter or self-timer
- Headlamp with a red-light mode (if available)
Northern Lights Camera Settings for Beginners
If you are wondering about the best settings for Northern Lights photography, start here and adjust.
Beginner Starting Settings
- Mode: Manual
- File type: RAW (if available)
- Aperture: As wide as your lens allows (often f/2.8 is a great start)
- ISO: Start around 1600
- Shutter speed: Start around 5 to 20 seconds, then adjust
- Focus: Manual focus (set carefully to infinity)
- White balance: Auto is fine to start; RAW lets you adjust later
Canon specifically suggests a good starting point of f/2.8, ISO 1600, and a long shutter speed (such as around 20 seconds), then shortening the shutter time if the aurora is moving quickly to preserve detail in the light patterns.
Why Shutter Speed Matters So Much
A slow shutter lets in more light, but if the aurora is active and dancing quickly, a very long exposure can turn those crisp ribbons into a blur. Faster movement usually means you should use a shorter exposure and raise ISO if needed.
How to Focus at Night Without Frustration
Focus is where many beginner aurora photos go wrong.
Try this process:
- Switch to manual focus.
- Point at a bright star or distant light.
- Zoom in on your screen (live view) if your camera allows it.
- Adjust focus until the point of light looks as sharp as possible.
- Do a test shot and review it.
Do not assume the infinity mark on your lens is perfectly accurate, especially in cold weather. Temperature changes can slightly affect lens behavior, so it is better to fine-tune focus on a bright star or distant light and then check a test shot before you start shooting seriously.
Composition Tips That Make Aurora Photos Look Better
A good aurora photo is not just sky. Add foreground elements to give the image scale and story.
Here are some easy foreground ideas:
- Trees or a treeline
- A cabin or research station
- Snowdrifts
- A frozen shoreline
- Silhouettes of people (kept still)
Also, keep the northern horizon in mind. Open northern views often improve your chances when photographing the aurora.
Can You Photograph the Northern Lights With a Smartphone?
Yes. Modern phones can do a surprisingly good job, especially in stronger aurora conditions.
Photographing in a dark location away from light pollution, with a stable setup (tripod or resting the phone on something steady) and using any built-in night/astrophotography modes will greatly improve your chances of getting a good shot. Nowadays, many phones can capture aurora even when it is faint to the naked eye.
Northern Lights Smartphone Photography: Tips for Beginners
- Turn flash off
- Use Night Mode / Night Sight / Astro mode or similar
- Stabilize your phone (tripod, rock, backpack, etc.)
- Use a timer to reduce shake
- Frame wide (landscape orientation often works better)
- Test a few exposures rather than relying on one shot
Common Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
Knowing these common aurora photography mistakes can help you avoid them and improve your results.
- Handholding the camera at night (causes blur)
- Using autofocus in low light (can hunt and miss focus)
- Leaving the flash on
- Overexposing bright aurora with too-long shutter speeds
- Staying near city lights
- Not checking clouds before driving out
- Forgetting extra batteries
A Quick Checklist Before You Head Out
Before you head out with your camera, remember to:
- Charge batteries and phone
- Pack warm layers and gloves
- Check the aurora forecast
- Check local cloud cover
- Choose a dark location with a northern view
- Pre-set your camera to manual mode
- Bring patience (the Northern Lights can pulse on and off)
Learn About and Photograph the Aurora in Churchill, Manitoba
If learning in the field sounds more appealing than figuring it all out alone, our Winter Skies Learning Vacation at the Churchill Northern Studies Centre (CNSC) might be the perfect getaway for you. Our Winter Skies program is built around the Northern Lights experience and gives participants the chance to view, photograph, and learn about the aurora borealis in Churchill, Manitoba. Accommodations, on-site meals, tours, activities, lectures, and travel within Churchill are all included. Learn more about our upcoming Winter Skies Learning Vacations and book your spot today!
CNSC is an independent, nonprofit field station working to understand and sustain the North. We provide accommodations, meals, equipment rentals, and logistical support to scientific and social researchers working on a diverse range of topics of interest in the subarctic. We also facilitate learning programs throughout the year for noncredit learning vacations, university credit courses, and youth programming.
Explore our Learning Vacations to see how you can experience the subarctic in a way that’s meaningful, personal, and unforgettable. Or, donate today to support greater understanding of — and deeper appreciation for — the natural, social, economic, and cultural environments of the North.