Sky on fire
Most amazing aurora show
Most amazing aurora show
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Mar, 2014Views
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Awards
Chatter Award
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Absolute Masterpiece
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Superb Composition
Outstanding Creativity
Jaw Dropping
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superior Skill
Exceptional Contrast
Genius
Virtuoso
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lamarh
April 05, 2014
I have never seen a photo of the lights with this much color and vibrance. details of the shot are very well captured. The composition with capturing the "end" of the lights and leaving the sky with stars really makes this shot pop.
kerryaknudson
April 05, 2014
Wonderful exposure, promises here several times this winter but no Show!
lauren_macintosh_056
April 05, 2014
as they say Let there be Light and this photo sure does here
excellent work
excellent work
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Jonrunar
April 06, 2014
Thank you all for great response. This night was unreal, I have never seen the northern lights so vivid and colourful. Very lucky to be out photographing that night.
Scorpolous101
April 06, 2014
You nailed it....congratulations....where was this taken....I've seen it but not as beautiful as what you captured...
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running56horses
April 08, 2014
Stunning auroras! Can't wait til I get to see them for myself someday.
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I_of_Saf
December 25, 2015
Absolutely stunning! I can only imagine what that must have looked like in person. Congrats on a truly outstanding capture.
julianbegg
December 30, 2015
Join the conversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique. Let's get better together!
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in west part of Iceland, the mountain Akrafjall is in the foreground and behind me is a little town of Akranes.Time
The picture was taken at 21:42 in end of February this year.Lighting
When taking a northern light picture you need to find a place where it is little or no light pollution, can be difficult sometimes. I some cases I use my car or flash light to light up the foreground, not though in this case - the mountain is to big for that.Equipment
I was using Canon 5DM3, Canon lens 16-35mm II f/2.8, manfrotto tripod, no flash. when I took this picture there were a strong wind so I needed to hold very tight to the tripod. This canon camera is great for the northern light photo shoot, I usually shoot from iso 3200 to 6400. In this take the exposure was 6 sec, aperture f/2.8, focal length 16mm and iso 6400.Inspiration
Everyone in my family is very well aware of my photographic interest and they are sometimes point out or suggesting some angle or locations to me. In this case it was my ten year old son who was just coming home who told me that the northern lights were visual and strong at the moment. So I just hurried out with my equipment which I always try to have ready by the door. When I looked up to the sky and saw where the lights were situated I choose my location according to that. The mountain Akrafjall is a beautiful mountain close by my home and in this case great in the foreground for the northern lights.Editing
For this picture I needed to fix the horizon and the lens correction. I was shooting this picture at 16mm so correction was in order. There were some light pollution with red/orange colour coming from the town behind me so I took down those colours a little bit. Then it was a little bit of cleaning up, there was a fence in front of me that I took away and I also made the lowest part of the picture little bit darker than it was. I did not do anything for the northern light it self, they were very bright and colourful originally, just a little bit of contrast.In my camera bag
I have only one camera, canon 5DM3, then I have my three lenses - 50mm f/1.8, 16-35mm II f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8, all canon. I also have a set of Lee filters I use very much, not though for the northern lights. Then I have two tripods to choose from. I also carrying with me canon flash 580EX hahnel viper set.Feedback
I have learned that over the years that with the northern lights that equipment matters, you have to have good camera that allows you to go high up in iso and a bright lens. My aim is to shoot in the fastest time I can so I can get the explosion and the dance of the northern lights as best. If you take the picture over longer time the green colour will dominate and the lights will be softer. If you are in a place where you can possibly see Northern lights then it is important to go out every night when the circumstances are right because nothing happens when you are sitting at home and browsing the net and looking at pictures that other people took.
