Beginner Aurora Borealis - Northern Lights

Just been looking at the Lofoten Islands, wow!! looks beautiful, I feel during our travels this is a place will be high on the list of have to visits. How long are you going for?
 
I'm there 12 days, so surely we will get something decent :p

I was there for midnight sun in July but the weather was awful so after the first night we didnt see the sun again.
 
Just booked the Tokina/N AT-X Pro DX 11-16mm f/2.8 at Lens For Hire for the week *excited squeek* :D
 
Nod said:
Sorry for any slight hijack but the question is relevant!

Which tour companies are people using to get there and arrange hotels? I know some people do the separates thing (as we do for Crete) but I'm sure that for many, we'll be going as a one off (or at least the first time) and having the basics arranged for us is worth the extra cost!

For future possible repeat visits, does anyone have any recommendations as to car hire companies?
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We did ours for discover the world, but it's expensive and I'd suggest organising it yourself.

Arrange flights to Keflavik airport

Pick up a car (I'll have to find who we used for that), there is one main road that runs all the way around Iceland. Navigating couldn't be any simpler.

Book a hotel (if you're going out to the south coast then I'd suggest having a look at either Hotel Ranga or Hotel Skogar)

It may sound daunting doing that but it's really not and will work out much cheaper. Now having done it once using Discover the World, this is the way I'm going to do it next time. All Discover the World will do is put you in an expensive hotel in Reykjavik (usually The Grand), then tell you to stay at hotel Skogar or Ranga.

It's not worth it.
 
Ben, anywhere you recommend eating that is at a good price and good food?
 
I'd find a good landscape in the light and then do it at night with the northern lights hopefully present :D
 
An M class flare has just been unleashed from the sun, so stand by for big aurora activity in a few days time. All you need now are clear skies Wendy ;)
 
Outside my house in my slippers shooting this earlier

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Ohhhh my that is beautiful Marie. My lens came this morning, going to pack this afternoon and have a play with it ....getting soooo excited here :))
 
Iceland was amazing, did not get to see the lightd Booooooo :( but have booked five nights in Skye in April so maybe if luck is on my side I will see them then. Got some really nice pictures but no near ready to show on here :)
 
Northern lights blazing here in Lofoten last night thanks to a solar wind stream.
I'm here for another week so hope to get more of the same :p
Samyang 24mm lens is terrific too.


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That is beautiful, I am in so impressed at the way you have captured them too. We have booked to go to Skye over Easter so may get a peek then. Hope you are having a fab time :)
 
lionofjudah said:
How was services from tatraphotography? I've been looking at them and debating on photo tour or self drive.
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Have used tatraphotography workshops several times and always find them fantastic to travel with. They get many repeat clients so that speaks for itself.
Self drive may work out a bit cheaper but then you're left not knowing where to go. Tatra include all transport to locations, flights, accommodation, tuition etc. They even have lee filters you can borrow during the trip.
 
What a great thread. I turned from...."What you talking about" to eating humble pie in the space of a post or two.

I wouldn't mind! but I don't know what I'm talking about half the time anyway LOL

Thanks so much for the knowledge I've gained (y)
 
Big aurora storm on just now. Should be visible in UK tonight subject to clear skies.

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I way lucky enough to see the Northern Lights last year in Norway.

Having completely messed up some aurora shots a few years before I did a bit of research before heading out again.

Northern-lights-Norway-5-3-2012.jpg


Unfortunately my camera broke down a few days before my journey started but a good friend loaned me an old 10D body for the trip.

Aurora-Norway-5-3-2012.jpg


Although the body was rather old technology by todays standards an exposure of around 15 seconds with an f4 17-40mm lens at 800 iso. produced reasonable results.

Northern-Lights-Norway-9-3-2012.jpg


I was camping out so battery power was an issue of course. I had to keep swapping the batteries with ones slipped into my mittens to keep warm.

Northern-lights-over-Shelter-and-Fire.jpg


The best advice I could give anyone shooting the aurora is never trust the camera display, your eyes should be dark adapted so the image on the display will look bright.

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Always check the histogram.
 
Nod, I always stay at either the leifur eiriksson hotel (right next to the church), use booking.com or get a £300 hotel and flight deal from iceland air.

For trips i use Ragnar over at http://www.superjeep.is/, fantastic service, his jeeps can obviously go places the buses can't and its like a private tour. He also offers a free second trip to try and see the northern light should you not see it.

There is a bus from the airport to reykjavik which i think cost me about £18 and goes to the main bus deport but then a shuttle bus will drop you at your hotel. Very easy to arrange it all yourself, i go every other xmas for new year.

Sorry i've just noticed his comment was months ago...
 
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