Northern Lights - Iceland

dmar

dmar

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Hi all

Just booked a trip to Iceland for Christmas 2012, in the hope of capturing the Northern Lights (amongst other things).

Has anyone got any tips for locations and settings for best shots?

Cheers

Dave
 
loads of local tour trips go to let you see and photograph the northern lights and if it clouds over they let you go free the next night, a bit of local knowledge gives you the edge but its going to be a gamble even if the sky is clear no saying you will see them, but no worries plenty more to see in Iceland it is packed with fabulous views
 
As said above it will depend on weather/clear skies.
Basically you need to get away from light pollution (reykjavik) to somewhere dark.
Thingvellir national park is a good place, there is a church you can use as foreground as well as a lake, hills etc
Hotel Ranga is terrific also, there is a small lake in the grounds and the hotel itself is a ranch style and makes nice foreground.
Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon has floating icebergs and on a clear still night you can get the aurora reflected in the water.

Settings wise you need a tripod, a fast wide lens and a shutter release cable.
High iso, lens wide open, focus on infinity (but be aware that the infinty mark on many lenses isnt always accurate).
 
Thanks guys. Very much appreciated.

We've booked a couple of tours, including night safaris, so fingers crossed.
 
How did you get on? I am off to Iceland in Feb and am searching for advice on which lens to take out of my few and how to get some good shots.
 
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Samphire said:
How did you get on? I am off to Iceland in Feb and am searching for advice on which lens to take out of my few and how to get some good shots.
Click to expand...

You should use the widest fastest lens you have, shoot wide open focus on infinity. High iso (800 or more), cable release, tripod.
Shoot in bulb mode and experiment with shutter speeds (several seconds).
Ideally you want F2.8 or faster. If you dont have this consider hiring a lens for your trip.
 
I should mention that I've just bought a samyang 14mm F2.8 brand new and it seems to be a good copy (had a secondhand one last year that I didnt like).
For £260 its worth thinking about for aurora :)
Bear in mind its manual aperture and manual focus.
 
I went at the end of December 2011. I'd suggest hiring a car and heading out towards Skogar, it's one road all of the way and you can stop off at the Geysers, Sejlandfoss and Skogarfoss.

Anywhere away from artificial light will give you a much better chance of seeing the lights and the waterfalls are an incredible bit of foreground for your shots.

You are also then only 30-40 mins away from the black beaches down at Vik, and they're well worth a visit.
 
canon_togger said:
I should mention that I've just bought a samyang 14mm F2.8 brand new and it seems to be a good copy (had a secondhand one last year that I didnt like).
For £260 its worth thinking about for aurora :)
Bear in mind its manual aperture and manual focus.
Click to expand...

Apoligies for butting in here Dmar....quick question on lens for Marie....

looking at your advice it seems f2.8 is the way to go...as I'll probably never have use for the lens again I'd try to resist buying but have found :
Tokina/N AT-X Pro DX 11-16mm f/2.8 at Lens For Hire....very reasonable rate for a week....would this be a suitable option ?
Ta muchly
 
blondie606 said:
Apoligies for butting in here Dmar....quick question on lens for Marie....

looking at your advice it seems f2.8 is the way to go...as I'll probably never have use for the lens again I'd try to resist buying but have found :
Tokina/N AT-X Pro DX 11-16mm f/2.8 at Lens For Hire....very reasonable rate for a week....would this be a suitable option ?
Ta muchly
Click to expand...

Yes I think that would be a great choice :)
 
blondie606 said:
Apoligies for butting in here Dmar....quick question on lens for Marie....

looking at your advice it seems f2.8 is the way to go...as I'll probably never have use for the lens again I'd try to resist buying but have found :
Tokina/N AT-X Pro DX 11-16mm f/2.8 at Lens For Hire....very reasonable rate for a week....would this be a suitable option ?
Ta muchly
Click to expand...

Why don't you just buy the lens and sell it when you get back? It usually works out cheaper doing it that way.
 
On the other hand just seen I can rent the one that Lynne has put up for a really good price.
 
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I did consider & was sorely tempted to buy the lens & sell it on but currently got my eye on bigger zoom lens so renting makes perfect sense to me.....plus I know for a fact I would a million reasons not to sell it on even though I doubt I'd use it again :D
 
Lynne, just ordered the Tonika, thank you for the link :)
 
Drew, really enjoyed reading about your trip and looking at the pictures. When did you go, I worked back 8 months and had April?
 
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:plusone: to both above posts! Iceland is definitely on our list of places to go in the next year or 2 and that blog has certainly set the itch off again!
 
Not long now Wendy and the aurora activity is picking up again after being a tad quiet.
 
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