Northern Lights Photography:
A Complete Beginner's Guide

The most common question our guides get on tour is: "What settings should I use?" The second most common is: "Why does my phone photo look better than my DSLR shot?" This guide answers both — and everything in between.

We've spent over 8 years photographing the Northern Lights above Ruka and Kuusamo, in temperatures down to −30°C, with every kind of camera. Here's exactly what works.

The Starter Settings for Any DSLR or Mirrorless Camera

Switch your camera to Manual mode (M). Aurora photography doesn't work in auto — the camera's metering system will try to expose the black sky as middle grey and ruin the shot. Here's where to start:

Why Aperture Matters Most

Aperture controls how much light enters the sensor. For aurora, you want it as wide open as possible. An f/2.8 lens lets in 4× more light than an f/5.6 lens. This is why a kit lens (typically f/3.5–5.6) produces disappointing results while a prime or fast zoom shines.

If you only own a kit lens, compensate by raising ISO (2400–6400) and extending shutter speed (15–25 seconds). You'll get more noise and some star trails, but you'll still capture the aurora.

Getting Focus Right in the Dark

Autofocus fails in near-total darkness. Switch your lens to Manual Focus (MF) and use one of these methods:

• Pre-focus during the day: Point at a distant object, autofocus, then switch to MF and don't touch the ring.
• Star focusing: Switch to Live View, zoom in to 10× on a bright star, manually turn the focus ring until the star is a tiny sharp point — not a blob.
• Infinity mark: Most lenses have an ∞ symbol. On prime lenses this is usually accurate; on zoom lenses, infinity is often just past the mark — test this.

The Best Lenses for Aurora Photography

A wide-angle lens lets you capture more of the sky and include foreground elements. Focal length recommendations:

• 14–20mm (full frame) / 10–14mm (crop sensor): Ideal. Gets the whole aurora curtain plus a foreground of snow-covered trees or a frozen lake.
• 24–35mm: Works well for tighter compositions, less sky coverage.
• 50mm+: Too narrow for most aurora scenes, though useful for portraits with aurora background.

Recommended lenses that our guests bring:

• Sigma 14mm f/1.8 Art (any mount) — exceptional
• Samyang / Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 — budget option, excellent quality
• Sony 14mm f/1.8 GM (Sony E mount)
• Canon RF 15–35mm f/2.8 L
• Nikon Z 14–24mm f/2.8 S

Using a Tripod in Extreme Cold

A tripod is non-negotiable. With 8–25 second exposures, even breathing on the camera creates blur. Practical tips for Finnish winter conditions:

• Carbon fibre tripods stay flexible at −30°C; cheap aluminium tripods can crack.
• Metal legs will stick to your bare skin in extreme cold — wrap legs in foam pipe insulation or neoprene.
• Spread the legs wide and use the centre hook for your camera bag as ballast on wind-exposed spots.
• Ball heads can freeze solid. Fluid video heads or cheap plastic ball heads with open bearings handle cold better than sealed high-end ball heads.

Battery Life in −20°C Cold

Cold kills batteries fast. A new battery that lasts 600 shots in summer might give you 80 shots at −20°C. Solutions:

• Bring 3–4 spare batteries and keep them in your inner jacket pocket.
• Rotate batteries — when one dies, warm it in your pocket and swap back. A "dead" cold battery often recovers 40% when warmed.
• Battery grips add both a second battery slot and ergonomic winter glove handling.

Smartphone Aurora Photography

Modern smartphones — particularly iPhone 15 Pro and above, Google Pixel 8+, and Samsung S24+ — have dedicated Night Mode and, in some cases, specific Astrophoto modes that genuinely work for aurora photography.

Phones won't replace a DSLR with a fast lens, but they will produce photos you'll want to share. Don't leave your phone in your pocket — keep it warm against your body and only take it out for shots.

Composition: Making a Better Aurora Photo

The aurora itself is the subject, but a blank white snow field as foreground makes for a flat image. Include:

• Frozen lakes: The ice surface reflects the aurora, doubling the colours
• Snow-covered pine trees: Iconic Finnish silhouettes
• Wooden cabins with lit windows: Warm light contrasts beautifully with cold green
• A person silhouetted in the frame: Gives scale and makes the aurora feel enormous

What to Do When the Aurora Moves Fast

During strong activity (KP 5+), the aurora can move so fast that a 15-second exposure turns it into a blurry smear. Adjust:

• Reduce shutter to 2–5 seconds
• Raise ISO to 6400–12800
• Open aperture as wide as possible (f/1.8 if you have it)
• Use burst mode — fire continuously and choose the best frame

Editing Your Aurora Photos

Shooting RAW gives you enormous latitude in editing. In Lightroom or Capture One:

1. Pull highlights down (−40 to −70) to reveal sky detail
2. Push shadows up (+20 to +40) to lift foreground
3. Adjust white balance — aurora looks best around 3800–4200K
4. Add clarity (+10 to +20) to increase cloud texture
5. Use HSL to boost greens and teals for the aurora
6. Reduce luminance noise (ISO 3200+ shots will have noise) — Lightroom's AI Denoise works well