How to Photograph the Northern Lights

When to Photograph the Northern Lights in Iceland

Although the aurora borealis is active all year round and at all times of the day, it needs to be dark in order to actually see it. As Iceland doesn't get dark at all in the summertime due to the midnight sun, you can only see the northern lights in winter. The best time to see the northern lights, therefore, is from September to April.

However, you don't need to wait until the middle of the night to see the aurora. If they are strong, you can often see them very clearly at dusk or dawn.

Photographing the auroras when it isn't completely dark outside may even help you to get additional focus and include more of the landscape in the photo. If the aurora is weak, you will need to wait until night has fully set in, and you'll need your eyes to adjust to the darkness.

A good trick for finding where weak northern lights are dancing is to take a picture of the night sky. Looking at the scene through a camera screen will pick up any activity, as lenses let in more light than the human eye.

 Best Weather Conditions to See Northern Lights

The main weather condition that impedes the appearance of the Northern Lights in Iceland and other locations is cloud cover. With heavy cloud cover, it’s almost impossible to see the Northern Lights, and you will need to wait for cloud gaps. 

To maximize your chances, you can check the cloud cover forecast and the aurora forecast in Iceland and take advantage of spots in the country with cloud gaps.

Even so, photographers should be aware of the challenges other weather can bring to their shoots to help get the best images.

The most notable of these is the temperature. As the auroras only appear at night, shoots can get very chilly very quickly for those who are unprepared.

For all trips to Iceland in winter, you should bring windproof, waterproof, and warm clothing. This is especially important when you are planning to be outside without moving much for a prolonged period. 

You’ll want thick gloves for when you are waiting for the lights to show, even if you need to take them off to adjust your camera settings.

Even if traveling in more temperate months, such as September and April, the weather can be fickle, and the nights are often freezing.

Another factor to consider is the wind; not only can it be incredibly chilling, but it can also be very powerful. Leaving a tripod with an expensive camera and lens unattended could result in a very costly accident should it be caught up in one of Iceland’s unpredictable gusts of wind.

Best Months to Visit Iceland for Northern Lights Photography

While the aurora itself is driven by solar activity and can’t be predicted far in advance, seasonal conditions in Iceland vary quite a bit from month to month. This can make a big difference in your photography experience. Here's a quick look at what to expect throughout the northern lights season, from September to April:

September and October

These early-season months offer milder temperatures, longer twilight hours, and less snow, which means more accessible roads and hiking trails. You’ll get around 10 to 13 hours of darkness, which is enough for aurora hunting, and you can often capture the lights with clear reflections in lakes or against colorful autumn landscapes.

November to February

These are the darkest months of the year, with up to 20 hours of night in December and January. This gives you the most time to chase and photograph the aurora. However, the weather can be more unpredictable, with frequent snowstorms, strong winds, and cloud cover. Roads in remote areas may be closed or icy, but the snowy landscapes add a magical touch to your images.

March and April

Daylight starts to return quickly in these months, but you still get several hours of darkness, enough for aurora viewing. March is often a favorite among photographers for its balance of longer days and cold, clear nights. By April, temperatures begin to rise, snow starts to melt, and the conditions are generally more stable, though chances of seeing the aurora gradually decline.

 Best Locations for Northern Lights Photography in Iceland

While in Iceland, northern lights can be seen from September to April anywhere that's dark and clear. So, no matter what part of the country you are heading to, you’ll have an opportunity to try and photograph them if the right conditions are met!

In spite of this, there are a few tips on where to go to maximize your chances. Firstly, it is important to avoid urban areas as much as possible.

As mentioned, any light pollution will dilute the intensity of the lights, often obscuring them entirely. While you can find places to see the northern lights in Reykjavik, such as Grotta Nature Reserve, it is a much better idea to escape the city altogether.

Similarly, if you are seeking the northern lights independently by renting a car (either based in Reykjavik or on winter self-drive tours), you should avoid stopping in places with many tour buses. Even headlamps and other people’s illuminated devices can impact pictures.

The Aurora Activity Needed to Photograph the Northern Lights

What are the northern lights? Auroras occur when charged particles released from the sun are redirected by Earth’s magnetic field to the poles. As they penetrate the atmosphere, they create the northern lights (aurora borealis) in the Northern Hemisphere and the southern lights (aurora australis) in the Southern Hemisphere.

They can only be seen during winter nights simply because this is the only time that is dark enough.

The intensity of the auroras, however, is dependent on solar activity. This activity is measured, and as such, a forecast can be made for how likely the lights are to be seen. This is explained on a scale of 0 to 9 Kp.

A forecast of 0 Kp means the aurora will most likely not appear, while anything above a 2 is usually worth heading out for in Iceland. Aurora forecasts above 5 Kp is considered a geomagnetic storm, and such an occurrence is rare.

Although it is wise to check the aurora borealis forecast in Iceland before departing to photograph the northern lights, please note that it is not entirely reliable. Though you will undoubtedly want to experience the most intense aurora show imaginable, you will still be able to capture some spectacular images, even if they are faint.

Cameras are far more sensitive to light than the human eye and will often capture colors and shapes you cannot see. This can sometimes result in unexpectedly spectacular photographs.

As such, even a somewhat disappointing Kp forecast may not be an impediment to your northern lights photography.

Best DSLR Cameras for Northern Lights Photography

Learning how to take pictures of northern lights with a DSLR camera takes time to master. However, when you use the right equipment and start to practice, taking snapshots of one of the world's natural wonders becomes second nature.

To get the very best images of the aurora borealis, it’s preferable to have a full-frame or 35 mm DSLR camera with decent ISO capabilities (ideally between 2,000 and 12,800). These cameras work best in low-light situations. More upmarket mirrorless cameras can also be used to good effect for photographing the northern lights.

Due to Iceland’s harsh winter conditions, it’s recommended to use a camera with a sturdy, weather-resistant casing. Fortunately, many modern cameras built for landscape photography are designed to withstand a variety of challenging climates.

The Nikon D810, D850, and Z7 are some of the best cameras for northern lights photography, as are the Canon EOS 5DS R and the Sony a7R IV. More affordable options, such as the Sony Alpha A6000 and the Nikon D3500, should still meet the needs of non-professional photographers when used with the right equipment.

As is often the case with photography, it’s usually more worthwhile to invest more into a high-quality lens than a high-quality camera. You can always rent high-quality camera lenses that suit the shots you’re trying to take for a specified time period. This will come at a fraction of the cost of purchasing a new lens.

Best Camera Equipment for Northern Lights Photography

Even if you know how to take a picture of the northern lights, having the right gear and equipment can really make a difference. These are the essentials for northern lights photography:

• DSLR Camera (Full Frame cameras are preferable)

• Wide-angle or Ultra-wide angle lens

• Tripod - a sturdy tripod that won’t shake or slip

• Shutter Release - helps to avoid camera shakes

• Extra Camera Batteries

After sorting out the best DSLR camera, it’s time to consider the other equipment you will need.

Even if you know how to take a picture of the northern lights, having the right gear and equipment can really make a difference. These are the essentials for northern lights photography:

• DSLR Camera (Full Frame cameras are preferable)

• Wide-angle or Ultra-wide angle lens

• Tripod - a sturdy tripod that won’t shake or slip

• Shutter Release - helps to avoid camera shakes

• Extra Camera Batteries

After sorting out the best DSLR camera, it’s time to consider the other equipment you will need.

Lenses for Northern Lights Photography

Your first question will no doubt regard the best lens for northern lights photography.

Wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle lenses are the most highly recommended. They will allow you to get as much into your frame as possible and give your camera the most exposure time in minimal light.

A wide-angle lens will also allow you to incorporate Iceland’s spectacular landscapes into your images of the aurora borealis. Using the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, Kirkjufell Mountain, or the Geysir Geothermal Area in the foreground of your shots of the northern lights will only add to their beauty.

The best lenses for northern lights photography will have a large aperture of f/2.8 or lower. Aperture refers to the amount of light a camera lets in. A smaller aperture, such as a more standard f/4, will result in darker photographs. This is a problem in northern lights photography, as obviously, the camera is already working hard to pick up the dim light of the aurora.

While most lenses do not compare to wide-angle and ultra-wide-angle lenses, panoramic and fisheye lenses can produce some interesting images for the more creative photographer.

Tripods for Northern Lights Photography

Tripods are another essential tool to master when learning how to photograph the northern lights. Since capturing the aurora often requires a slow shutter speed, keeping your camera stable is key to getting sharp, well-exposed shots.

A remote shutter is also highly useful, helping you avoid any movement that could blur the image. Given Iceland’s frequent high winds, a cordless remote is generally the best option for shooting in these conditions.

Bring Spare Batteries on Your Northern Lights Trip

Finally, you’ll want to bring fully charged spare batteries with you and to keep them stored in a warm place. The reason for this is that the cold will drain your battery’s life very quickly, particularly if you have a DSLR camera that is not designed for such conditions.

The last thing you want is to cut your northern lights shot short because of something so avoidable. Those particularly concerned about the cold could also get a remote battery pack, which they can keep warm in a pocket.

Quick Northern Lights Camera Settings Guide

• Use manual focus and set it to infinity or focus on a distant light like the moon or stars.

• Turn flash and auto-focus off—they’ll interfere with long exposure shots.

• Start with these base settings: aperture f/2.8 or lower, ISO ~1600, shutter speed ~5 seconds.

• Adjust ISO and shutter speed based on aurora intensity, moonlight, and cloud cover.

• Favor longer shutter speeds and lower ISO to reduce image noise.

• Be cautious: long exposures can blur fast-moving auroras or cause overexposure.

• Always shoot in RAW for maximum editing flexibility.

• Set white balance manually—try 3500–4000 K or use “fluorescent” for more natural tones.

• Avoid auto white balance, which may distort aurora colors.

• Practice with your camera’s settings ahead of time to feel confident when the lights appear.

Best Camera Settings for Northern Lights Photography

Having the appropriate equipment and lenses is a great start, but it is also wise to make sure you are comfortable with the camera settings needed for northern lights photography before you begin shooting. The main thing to get used to is a longer shutter speed than you would use in traditional landscape photography.

In order for the auroras to appear clearly in your photos, you need to let enough light into your lens. If the aurora display is strong without being notably intense, you will want an aperture of f/2.8 or lower, an ISO of around 1,600, and a shutter speed of around five seconds.

This, however, will depend on the conditions of the night and the photographs you wish to take. If there is a new moon, a lot of cloud cover, or if the aurora is faint, you may want to increase your shutter speed or your ISO.

Generally speaking, you don’t want too high an ISO when taking pictures of the aurora. You’ll want to decrease the ISO on nights with a bright moon or if the auroras are particularly intense.

It is usually better to shoot with a longer exposure (e.g. longer shutter speed) and a lower ISO to avoid too much noise in your pictures.

Certain phenomena, such as the aurora bands that dimly line the skies on nights with low activity, are an example of when you will want to have a longer shutter speed. Longer shutter speed will blur the movements of the aurora when it is dancing intensely. However, be careful when using this feature because your images could become overexposed, meaning they will be too bright.

For example, the image on the left-hand side has a long shutter speed and low ISO. Meanwhile, the image on the right has been taken with a quick shutter speed and higher ISO. Of course, as you are trying to minimize unnatural light, your flash will need to be off.

When photographing the northern lights, you’ll also want to turn off your automatic focus. While convenient in daylight, your camera will constantly be trying to find something to hone in on in the dark nights.

Instead, use the manual settings to focus on the moon or stars to get the perfect composition. Alternatively, set the focus of the lens to infinity.

Finally, be sure that your images are RAW files, as they are much larger and hold much more data. You’ll want to ensure this is complemented with the right white balance for the type of northern lights shot you’re trying to take.

There is no perfect must-have white balance for northern lights photography. Instead, you should experiment with a mixture to determine the type of shot you’d like to capture.

For example, you could manually set your white balance between 3500 and 4000 K (Kelvin White Balance) when shooting in your camera’s raw format. This will allow you to edit the images more to your preference afterward.

Setting your camera’s white balance to “incandescent” can enhance the cooler, blue tones of the aurora. For a more natural look that closely matches what you see with the naked eye, a “fluorescent” white balance setting is often the most accurate.

It's generally best to avoid using automatic white balance, as the shifting colors and intensity of the aurora can cause inconsistencies from shot to shot. Because the lights are constantly changing, your camera may struggle to interpret the scene correctly and apply a consistent white balance.

This often leads to overly warm northern lights shots with stronger oranges and yellows in the image. It is recommended to practice shooting with your camera settings before your trip to photograph the northern lights to make sure you are more comfortable when on location.

Best Apps to Photograph the Northern Lights

As explained above, it is not ordinarily possible to capture the northern lights with a smartphone. For those travelers who wish to capture a shot of the aurora borealis without having to spend a lot of money on expensive equipment, there are now apps available for smartphones.

These apps replicate the settings that would be used on a DSLR camera. This allows you to capture the green of the aurora, even when the display is paler and less obvious.

The other great benefit of being able to capture the northern lights via an app on your phone is that the photo is then readily available for you to share on your social media or privately with your friends and family.

With all this considered, it’s easy to see the attraction of using an app to capture the northern lights.

What Are the Best Apps for Northern Lights Photography?

1. Northern Lights Photo Taker — This highly recommended app has a range of simple settings to play around with, depending on the strength of the aurora. It will capture the precise amount of light needed for the perfect photograph, ensuring you will be the envy of your friends and family back home. As the app says, “All you have to do is find those lights.”

2. NightCap Camera — The NightCap Camera app is another great option for capturing the northern lights. It excels in low light and nighttime photos and even has an Astronomy mode for northern lights and the stars.

3. Slow Shutter — Longer shutter speed is ideal for taking photos of the northern lights, which is why the Slow Shutter app is a great choice. The app also has alternative capture modes for more unique photography.

• Read more: Top 10 Apps for Traveling in Iceland

Top-Rated Northern Lights Tours

Photographers should focus on land-based northern lights tours rather than those by boat. While watching the auroras from the sea is spectacular, the rocking of the boat will present a host of otherwise avoidable challenges to photographers. Here are several highly-related northern lights tours where you can get the ideal conditions for the perfect shot.

1. The Northern Lights Bus Tour from Reykjavik — Travel out to Iceland's darkest and most beautiful corners for a chance to see the northern lights on this relaxing bus tour.

2. Northern Lights Tour With Free Photos & Refreshments — On this northern lights tour, you'll venture out to the Icelandic countryside and enjoy free photos and refreshments.

3. The Northern Lights Super Jeep Tour from Reykjavik with Free Photos — Hunt for northern lights, take in Iceland's stunning scenery, and more during this Super Jeep tour.

Moreover, if you want to learn more about the northern lights, consider checking out the Aurora Reykjavik Northern Lights Center. Here, you can learn about the aurora borealis, get assistance with camera settings, and learn tips on reading the northern lights forecast.

The nights of Iceland’s winters are longer in the North of the country. This allows travelers to areas such as Akureyri and Mývatn to spend more hours seeking and photographing the Northern Lights. 

The north-east of the country, meanwhile, experiences clearer weather, meaning fewer tours will be canceled because of cloud cover.

Finally, photographers should focus on land-based Northern Lights tours rather than those by boat. While watching the auroras from the sea is spectacular, the rocking of the boat will present a host of otherwise avoidable challenges.

Other countries where the Northern Lights can be seen are those around the Arctic Circle, including Northern Norway, Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland, and Greenland. 

When the aurora forecast is particularly strong, they can be seen at latitudes much further south, in places such as the UK and mainland China.

Top Self-Driving Tours for Northern Lights Photography

Looking to capture the northern lights without being tied to a group schedule? These self-drive tours let you explore Iceland’s dramatic scenery at your own pace while seeking out the aurora borealis on your own terms.

1. 7-Day Northern Lights Self-Drive Tour of South Iceland, the Golden Circle & Snaefellsnes Peninsula — Travel across Iceland's most iconic locations and have a chance to see the northern lights on this weeklong tour.

2. Magical 6-Day Northern Lights Self-Drive Tour on the South Coast of Iceland with Ice Caving — During this six-day tour, you'll hunt for northern lights while discovering black sand beaches, glaciers, and other captivating sights.

3. 5-Day Northern Lights Winter Self-Drive Tour with the Golden Circle & Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon — Across five days, you'll drive across Iceland in search of northern lights while enjoying breathtaking views and stunning landscapes.

As mentioned earlier, many of the best places to photograph the northern lights also happen to be among Iceland’s most stunning natural landmarks. The country’s iconic landscapes not only offer breathtaking views but also serve as striking foregrounds for capturing the aurora in all its beauty.

Planning your shoots at places like Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, Namaskard Pass, Thingvellir National Park, or Gullfoss Waterfall will allow you to include icebergs, geothermal vents, or waterfalls in your northern lights photography

Due to the low light pollution in these areas, they are also favored among the best locations to see the northern lights in Iceland.

The nights of Iceland’s winters are longer in the north of the country. This allows travelers to areas such as Akureyri and Lake Myvatn to spend more hours seeking and photographing the northern lights. Northeast Iceland, meanwhile, generally experiences clearer weather, meaning you may have better spotting chances..

Other countries where the northern lights can be seen are those around the Arctic Circle, including Northern Norway, Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland, and Greenland. When the aurora forecast is particularly strong, they can be seen at latitudes much further south, in places such as the UK and mainland China.

Northern Lights Photography FAQs

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about photographing the northern lights.

How Can You Protect Your Camera?

• Keep Your Camera on You: Nobody wants to lose an expensive camera, especially not in the remote countryside, so make sure it's with you wherever you go.

• Wear Your Camera Strap: It might seem obvious at first, but wearing a camera strap will lower the chances of you dropping your camera and breaking it.

• Have a Weather-Sealed Camera Bag: A camera bag protects gear from moisture, dust, and cold during outdoor shoots.

• Use a Lens Hood and UV Filter: Shields your lens from snow, debris, and accidental contact.

Is it Safe to Look Directly at Northern Lights?

Yes, it's completely safe. The northern lights happen high up in the atmosphere, which means they are not harmful to your eyes.

As such, there's no need for protective eyewear. Unlike solar eclipses, the aurora borealis doesn't emit intense light that can damage your vision.

How Can You Stay Warm While Hunting Northern Lights?

• Dress in Layers: Start with moisture-wicking base layers, followed by insulating and windproof outerwear.

• Choose Proper Headwear: Wearing a thermal hat and face covering can help prevent heat loss from your head and face.

• Wear Insulated, Waterproof Boots and Gloves: Staying dry and comfortable is essential on chilly evenings, so make sure to wear boots and gloves.

• Bring a Thermos of Hot Drinks: Warm beverages can help you maintain a higher core temperature and keep you refreshed on your northern lights hunt.

• Keep Moving Occasionally: Light movement can help improve circulation and prevent stiffness during long periods outdoors.

Can You Take Videos of the Northern Lights?

While certainly possible, capturing the aurora in real-time is a bit more involved than simply taking a picture. In general, you'll need a camera or recording device that can reach slower shutter speeds and a wider aperture.

Capturing the Northern Lights in Iceland’s Landscapes

A final note on how to photograph the northern lights in regard to the aurora forecast is that they are very unpredictable. Therefore, exercising patience is essential.

Allow your eyes to fully adjust to the darkness, and even if there is no sign of them, be prepared to wait. At any moment, the auroras could descend with incredible intensity, providing you with otherworldly photographs that will be the prize of your portfolio.

We hope this guide helps you better understand how to photograph the northern lights. We wish you the best of luck in capturing the perfect photos to remember your experience in Iceland.