# Northern Lights and camera question...



## hawk (Oct 1, 2007)

According to this http://www.space.com/14055-solar-storms-northern-lights-wednesday.html article there is a strong likely hood of seeing the northern lights tonight.

I would love to photograph them BUT don't have a clue about setting my camera to do so. the camera is a Nikon D90. Can anyone offer some basic suggestion for shooting this type of image? Now don't get too techinical...:tiphat:

Thanks....


----------



## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Clouds _and_ a high horizon; I think I am screwed. I'll be interested in any forthcoming camera advice though. If it were a film camera I would say fast film, wide aperture and a steady rest. the shutter speed would need to be pretty quick, I'm thinking, because the aurora isn't static - unless you are going for an 'effect'.


----------



## hawk (Oct 1, 2007)

Looks like it may be partly cloudy here too. I live in the woods so even if clear will have to travel to open space. This camera is really a computer with a lens and as such I am as proficient a user as my dog....maybe even less skilled than my dog!


----------



## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

Overcast right now. Will probably be overcast through tomorrow, too.


----------



## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Kopachris said:


> Overcast right now. Will probably be overcast through tomorrow, too.


You need to get pretty far out of your town for this kind of work anyway, right?


----------



## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

Hilltroll72 said:


> You need to get pretty far out of your town for this kind of work anyway, right?


Maybe, but only because I wouldn't be far enough north. The sky is already pretty dark around here. In any case, the entire Northwest is covered with clouds.


----------



## Amfibius (Jul 19, 2006)

hawk, read this.

Basically, your problem will be freezing the motion of the aurora in a low light environment. This rules out slow shutter speeds (i.e greater than 1 sec). This means you will need:

- wide angle lens
- fast aperture (F/1.4 on the lens in that article)
- ISO 1600 at least
- tripod
- mirror lockup
- remote release (or timed release)

As always, good selection of location with very little light pollution and a nice foreground is a must.

Good luck and post the results!


----------



## jurianbai (Nov 23, 2008)

good luck! I have the same camera as yours, Nikon D90!


----------



## hawk (Oct 1, 2007)

Thanks for the guidence but the lights were a no show last night. Beautiful clear sky with very deep stars though. I'll look again tonight.


----------

