Aurora Waterfall
Taken at Hraunfossar Waterfall in Iceland duing a fantastic display of the Aurora Borealis.
Taken at Hraunfossar Waterfall in Iceland duing a fantastic display of the Aurora Borealis.
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Aug, 2013Views
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Awards
Contest Finalist in Long Exposure Photo Contest by Adorama
Absolute Masterpiece
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Superior Skill
Jaw Dropping
All Star
Magnificent Capture
Exceptional Contrast
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iridescentreflections
October 13, 2013
I just photographed the norther lights for the first time last week. It's an amazing experience that just leaves you in awe :)
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Hraunfoossar (Lava Waterfalls) in the western part of Iceland.Time
We had been waiting at the location for quite a while and it was approaching midnight and we were preparing to give up and head home when suddenly the Aurora lit up the sky.Lighting
Lighting in this situation is very variable. Sometimes the Aurora is faint but sometimes it can turn very bright so no one setup is fool proof. The basics are to have a wide aperture lens, preferably f2.8 and to capture the full spectacle you need 17 mm or wider on a crop sensor body and 24 on a full frame sensor. The ISO would be 1600 and the the exposure about 20 seconds. Then you need to adjust your exposure time and perhaps the ISO also until you find what suits the occasion.Equipment
For this shot I used a Canon EOS 7d and a Sigma 17-50 f2.8 on a tripod. I can not emphasize enough the value of a good sturdy tripod for photographing the aurora borealis. The weather in the nordic regions can be windy and the tripod needs to sturdy enough to withstand such winds without shaking. For this shot I used a Manfrotto xprob055 with a good ball head.Inspiration
I have always seen the aurora as a flow of light across the sky and was trying to have the flow of the waterfalls and the river form a foreground for the flow of light across the universe.Editing
post processing was done in Lightroom where I adjusted the shadows and clarity and brought the highlights a bit down, because the aurora was so strong this night that the first shots had burnt highlights.In my camera bag
I always have my body along with my three lenses, a remote trigger, my Lee filter set, a flash, and spare batteries for the camera and other equipment running on batteries. I always carry some microfiber cloths, a raincoat and extra memory cards along with other bits and bobs.Feedback
The aurora can be evasive so you need to follow the weather forecast and the aurora forecast. Catching the aurora takes luck, perseverance and preparation, along with having equipment up for the task. The preparation is mostly finding suitable locations and then waiting for the right moment and when the opportunity arises you go. Just remember to take warm clothes, this can get very cold.
