Solar Winds - Mike Busby Photography
So....a friend told me they had a great spot to shoot the Northern Lights and asked if I'd like to go out and meet some new people. Any one of those conditions would have got a yes. Would you like to see a cool spot? Would you like to shoot the Norther Lights? Or, would you like to meet a group of new people?
We arrived around 9:30 to spot West of Rearden where I met a few seasoned Northern Lights photographers. The lights were showing, but they were fading rapidly. However, someone had an App that was predicting fantastic conditions around 11:00 p.m.
The show started at 11:15 p.m. and it reached a crescendo at 11:45. It then began to fade. It's possible it could have taken off again, but the prediction was for it lessen the remainder of the night.
We arrived around 9:30 to spot West of Rearden where I met a few seasoned Northern Lights photographers. The lights were showing, but they were fading rapidly. However, someone had an App that was predicting fantastic conditions around 11:00 p.m.
The show started at 11:15 p.m. and it reached a crescendo at 11:45. It then began to fade. It's possible it could have taken off again, but the prediction was for it lessen the remainder of the night.
I have a composition with the big dipper just a little bit more to the right of the windmill, but it looks better with the windmill closer to the Northern Lights. The aurora isn't real visible to the naked eye. The sky just looked a little lighter on the horizon and there were occasional streaks.
The 20mm 1.8 Nikon was used for this shot. However, during the down time, I also worked the 50mm 1.4 and the 70-200 2.8. I don't know what it is about that 20mm, but I have shots from last night at ISO 800, which is really low for this kind of shooting. My guess is the transmission of light for that 20mm is off the charts.
So, this shot is f1.8 at 10 seconds, ISO 1600. My friend had suggest lower shutter times could produce better pillars and curtains, so I gave it whirl. I also have quite a few shots at f1.8 at 20 sec, ISO 800.
Many people are interested in the night photography - and I have a class in the works. Here are a few things you can do before hand if you want to get really good at night shooting.
- Learn how to control your camera in the dark. Do it, learn it, and everything is 100 times easier. You'll make people grumpy if you're constantly turning on a flashlight to see a setting or set a dial.
- Learn how to focus in the dark and with only on distant faint lights - The single toughest thing to master with astro photography. I've finally come to the point where I can use Venus or Saturn as an anchor for a sharp focus.
- The really cool images you see are 1 part photography and 3 parts processing. The trick is to get a sharp focus, good composition, and a solid exposure in the field. If you get that, then you can process bright images later on.
- People tend to shoot underexposed. The image looks good on the back of the camera in the dark of the night, but that changes when you put it on the computer screen. The histogram should be a touch to the right of the left. If you get that, then you have details in the darks and you'll minimize noise later on.
- Scout out a location in daylight. It's very very tough to find a good location in the dark.
- Learn Manual Mode and the Histogram. This is advanced shooting and it needs to be approached as such.
- Remember bug spray and warm clothes. Folding chairs can be nice as well.
Last night was a good night with new friends. Thanks for reading and let me know if you have any questions. The plan is to set-up and have a class for the next new moon and as long as the weather holds.
Mike
Beautiful photography and I love to capture northern lights of different places. This time I am planning Alaska northern lights tours for capturing Alaska beauty.
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