The way to the north
Feb, 2017Views
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Hydros Kayak
Contest Finalist in Night Time Photo Contest
Legendary Award
Contest Finalist in Celebrating Nature Photo Contest Vol 7
Contest Finalist in Travel Photo Contest 2019
LED Ring Flash
Peer Choice Award
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Contest Finalist in Country Roads Photo Contest
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Behind The Lens
Location
I was with two of my photography friends in February on the Lofoten Islands in Norway. Our aim was to take photos of the aurora borealis. We had so much luck with the weather, six days of sunshine, clear night and moon, and, of course the aurora. I think I must have taken this pic in the fourth night of our trip. It was taken near Henningsvaer, where we dwelt. My friends kept on the house an I was alone, looking and searching for that picture.Time
It was about 10 to 11 at the night.Lighting
Photos with the aurora I made since three days of our trip. Now I was looking for a better composition, something in the foreground that leads the view in to the aurora. The full moon was shining on that area and illuminated the landscape.Equipment
I used a Sony alpha 7ii and a Samyang 14mm manual lens with tripod of course. A wide angle lens to capture the sky, the aurora and the mountain. ISO 1500 and 15 sec and probably a aperture of 5.6.Inspiration
That was the desire to take pics of the aurora, my love to the north and the incredible landscape there. I have been three years ago in the summer at the Lofoten Islands. That made it easier to find the right places now in the winter and in the dark. We had 5 to 6 hours of daylight in February. But wonderful, warm daylight the whole time.Editing
The is not much post processing. I shoot in RAW, developed in Lightroom and I deleted a small disturbing object on the road in Photoshop.In my camera bag
There is a 100 mm macro lens, a 24-70 zoom lens, my 14 mm manual lens, a 70-200 f4 Canon lens I use with an adapter with an incredable quality, one flash, a 60 cm folding reflector, my camera of course, a ND and a polarizer filter, a little torch, memory cards, batteries etc.Feedback
If you want to take such pictures, you must plan and start a trip over the polar circle in the dark side of the year. Honestly it must not be over the polar circle but the probability there ist larger to see the aurora. If you have connection to the weather maker, use them! With clouds on the sky you cant see the aurora. You must have that luck with the weather as we had. It´s good to read about night photography, esp. aurora if you can find books or articles about that phenomenon. We had the luck to find a german book about that kind of photography that helped us a lot for preparing. In the night you can only focus manual, so you have to know where is you focus point at the lens.
