How to take a perfect picture of the Northern Lights

The Aurora, Northern Lights over Crosby Beach on Merseyside
-Credit: (Image: Colin Lane/Liverpool Echo)


Stunning pictures of the Northern Lights, which were visible across parts of the UK last night, have been shared across social media. On Thursday night some people were lucky enough to see a spectacular display of pink and green rays as the aurora borealis filled the skies.

It’s very rare to be able to see the Northern Lights so clearly across this part of the country, so those who did get to see them last night are very lucky - and those who managed to take a snapshot of the stunning lights are even luckier. Aurora displays only occur when charged particles collide with gases in the Earth’s atmosphere around the magnetic poles.

As they collide, light is emitted at various wavelengths, creating colourful displays in the sky. Remote, open areas with views of the northern horizon are best for sightings, with the lights unlikely to be visible until it gets very dark.

READ MORE: Met Office on whether Northern Lights will be visible again in UK tonight

READ MORE: Why Northern Lights were visible in the UK last night

But what makes the perfect picture? Well, our Liverpool Echo photographers have shared their top tips of capturing a shot of the stunning light display. Here is what they had to say:

Preparation

It’s all about planning and preparation. Use an Aurora forecasting app to give you heads up on when the northern lights will be visible near you. Aurora Watch UK is a great app for this.

Location

Work out the best location and head as far away from any lights as you can. If you’re not in the countryside, head to the coast and look out to sea (if it faces the right direction).

Think about what you want in the foreground of your picture, you want something interesting for the viewer to focus on and bring them into the picture. Figures like the iron men on Crosby Beach, a lighthouse or even just yourself with a head torch in the foreground can work really well.

What to take with you

Always use a tripod if you have one otherwise try and rest your camera on something steady. It's also best advised to wrap up for the cold evening ahead and also take a torch if you're heading out somewhere dark.

Here are the best steps for camera users

  1. Set your ISO at 1600+

  2. Always use a sturdy tripod so you can set your camera up for a long exposure (if the Aurora is bright and moving quickly you will need a 2-5 seconds exposure time, but if the Aurora is dimmer then use anything from 10-20 seconds)

  3. Manual focus the camera on infinity

  4. Set an exposure of up to 15 seconds - play around with what works - it all depends on how bright the Aurora is along with the ambient light

  5. Ideally use a trigger so you don’t have to touch the camera and introduce and camera shake

If you’re using a phone camera use a long exposure app.