The travel photography blog Capture the Atlas has recently unveiled its sixth annual edition of the Northern Lights Photographer of the Year. This collection showcases the finest 25 photographs of the aurora borealis. Traditionally released in December to coincide with the Northern Lights season, these images aim to inspire and share the beauty of this amazing natural phenomenon.This year, the list features pictures from all over the world, taken in countries such as the UK, the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand and more! Scroll down to enjoy stunning photos of the Northern Lights!More info:capturetheatlas.com|Instagram|twitter.com|youtube.comThis post may includeaffiliate links.
The travel photography blog Capture the Atlas has recently unveiled its sixth annual edition of the Northern Lights Photographer of the Year. This collection showcases the finest 25 photographs of the aurora borealis. Traditionally released in December to coincide with the Northern Lights season, these images aim to inspire and share the beauty of this amazing natural phenomenon.
This year, the list features pictures from all over the world, taken in countries such as the UK, the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand and more! Scroll down to enjoy stunning photos of the Northern Lights!
More info:capturetheatlas.com|Instagram|twitter.com|youtube.com
This post may includeaffiliate links.
Tasmania, Australia"Taken in Tasmania back in April 2023, the Southern Lights displayed their strongest presence in a long time. The celestial show commenced right after dark, coinciding with the emergence of the Milky Way core. This is undeniably a convergence of people and space.The house lights on the right side, closest to me, contrast with the mountains of Freycinet National Park across the bay. I positioned myself as close as possible to the rocks, where the rising tide caused water to swirl around them. Despite having to reset the tripod a few times, the resulting reflection made the effort worthwhile."
The Northern Lights are visible from September to April in the Northern Hemisphere and from March to September in the Southern Hemisphere. The ideal time to witness and capture them is during the fall and spring equinoxes due to the Earth’s axis.
Lofoten Islands, Norway"In the last few years in Lofoten, I’ve captured several “double arc” panoramas, but each time is a complex endeavor as many factors must align, and in the Arctic, it’s no easy feat. The aurora needs to be visible only to the north, it has to be a moonless night, and clear skies are essential. Additionally, the conditions must allow you to reach the peaks without excessive risk.Picture yourself at the summit of a mountain, positioned between the Northern Lights and the Milky Way, aware that this ephemeral moment may last only seconds or minutes.Being focus on such a situation, and not wasting the moment, is challenging. The planning involved in capturing this type of photo brings immense satisfaction, watching the elements of this intricate puzzle slowly converge. This photography style has become one of my favorites."
“The quality of the image, the story behind the shot, and the overall inspiration that the photograph can provide are the main factors for selecting the images every year. The competition not only helps other photographers who want to capture the Northern Lights but also brings this phenomenon closer, allowing everyone to learn and discover more about one of nature’s most spectacular light shows,” say the organizers of the 2023 Northern Lights Photographer of the Year.
Dan Zafra, the editor of Capture the Atlas, selects photos year-round. He features shots from both well-known photographers and emerging talents, focusing on rare aurora sightings in new locations.“In this 2023 edition, there are some stunning images, including photos in places where aurora images are rare, such as Wales, Germany, Italy, mainland Australia, etc. There’s a lot of news now related to the Northern Lights as we are seeing stronger aurora displays lately,” Zafra shared.
Dan Zafra, the editor of Capture the Atlas, selects photos year-round. He features shots from both well-known photographers and emerging talents, focusing on rare aurora sightings in new locations.
“In this 2023 edition, there are some stunning images, including photos in places where aurora images are rare, such as Wales, Germany, Italy, mainland Australia, etc. There’s a lot of news now related to the Northern Lights as we are seeing stronger aurora displays lately,” Zafra shared.
Senja Island, Norway"A 300° panorama captured on Senja Island (Norway) featuring the setting sun and an intense kp7 Northern Lights display.Embarking on a three-month journey from Italy to the Great North, you anticipate witnessing incredible sights, but this trip surpassed all my expectations. Arriving at Senja Island, my personal favorite among the places I’ve been fortunate enough to visit, we encountered the most powerful Northern Lights of the year, exactly as predicted.The horizon is glowing with the light of the setting sun; in September, it sets at 11:00 PM, painting the sky in vibrant shades of green, purple, and red. This shot encapsulates the essence of the journey, capturing the beauty of an extraordinary adventure on one unforgettable evening with my family and two dogs, witnessing an awe-inspiring spectacle."
Dunedin Peninsula, New Zealand"The peninsula of Dunedin in New Zealand is a good place to observe the aurora. It not only has very little light pollution but there are many bays facing South, which is ideal to capture the Aurora Australis. This photo was taken at an lookout on the roadside of Highcliffe.This was the first time I had the opportunity to take photos of the Aurora and emission nebulae using a special camera for astrophotography.In this photo, you can see the Large Magellanic Cloud in the upper right corner. The red mass in the upper left corner of the picture is the Colloidal Nebula, and extending down is the Carina Nebula."
Bakers Oven, Australia"I just recently noticed that the sun had emitted a massive solar flare which looked to be heading in Earth’s direction.I kept an eye on the charts and was excited to see that it would be a direct hit, granting a great opportunity to capture the elusive Southern Lights!As I checked the weather forecast, I saw we were going to have the perfect conditions, combined with the possibility of capturing a strong Aurora Australis. We made our way along the Great Ocean Road, to Bakers Oven, where were treated to an absolute show after sunset."
Haifoss, Iceland"Witnessing a great Northern Lights display is an absolutely stunning experience. I took this picture at a beautiful waterfall in Iceland called Haifoss. The strong wind made photography challenging.After an almost cloudless sunset, we took refuge in our camper van to rest and have a warm meal. Despite the forecasts not indicating significant solar activity, we decided to wait until nightfall and try our luck. We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have this impressive place all to ourselves.When we saw the first green lights through the window, we jumped outside. The sky exploded above us; the Northern Lights moved swiftly, and the strong wind continued to put us to the test.At the peak of activity, I focused on securing the camera settings, and that’s when I began to enjoy the show, always mindful of not making a misstep and gripping the tripod tightly.It was a dream come true to witness such incredible Northern Lights in a place like this."
Alaska, USA"Located approximately 70 miles North of the Arctic Circle, Sukakpak Mountain is one of the most beautiful peaks in the Brooks Mountain Range. While I have photographed the Northern Lights in this area on numerous occasions, the most photogenic angle typically faces south, making it a bit challenging for auroras to align with the mountain.That night, there was an expectation of an X-Class flare hitting, so I knew we needed to head somewhere great. We took our chances and decided to drive an hour north from our accommodation to capture Sukakpak Mountain in all its glory.It’s very tempting to pull over and shoot where you are standing when the aurora is blazing above your head. When we got there, the sky exploded with more energy than I’ve seen in more than a decade of photographing the Aurora. Attempts to capture Northern Lights that intense resulted in a blurry mess. Instead, we ignored the cameras and stared up in awe as to not miss the light show.It was only once things slowed down that I captured this panorama."
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Wales, United Kingdom"The title of this image, ‘Goleuadau’r Gogledd,’ translates to ‘Northern Lights’ in Welsh. Finding the accurate translation proved challenging, as this phrase isn’t commonly used in everyday conversations here in South Wales.Witnessing the aurora borealis this far south is a rare occurrence, and capturing it at an iconic location like Paxton’s Tower adds to its uniqueness. Paxton’s Tower, a hilltop folly with a history spanning over 200 years, overlooks the picturesque Carmarthenshire countryside.For over an hour, the horizon beyond the clouds emitted hues of green and pink. However, for a brief yet magical moment, the sky came alive with impressive pink pillars, visible to the naked eye."
Kirkjufell, Iceland"This was our second night in Iceland, and the popular Mt. Kirkjufell was painted in green. With an aurora forecast in place, we stood there at dusk, anticipating the celestial display. As darkness descended, timid auroras emerged on the horizon.Initially, I framed the classic view of the location, but suddenly, the sky exploded over my head! Faced with this spectacle, I mounted my wide-angle lens, aimed it towards the sky, and started shooting the first row of a panorama. As it wasn’t enough, I went for the second, then the third, and finally the fourth row!The real challenge came when I tried to stitch it all together at home. Given the considerable movement in the Northern Lights, neither Lightroom nor Photoshop proved effective. In the end, I resorted to using control points in a specific panorama program, and it worked!"
Nova Scotia, Canada"I had no plans to go out and shoot this night. I spent the entirety of the previous day flying back from a trip west where I was shooting the Milky Way every night. I was feeling jet-lagged and had to be up early with my kids the next day.However, when I looked outside and saw a break in the clouds and the lights from my front step, I knew I had to go. It’s rare in Nova Scotia to get a solar storm and clear skies. And what a storm this was! A strong G4 geomagnetic storm lit the skies across North America, putting on the best show I’ve ever seen here in NS.I drove 15 minutes to a north-facing dock, set up my cameras, and sat watching the show. I couldn’t be sure what exactly I captured since walking on the dock introduced camera shake to my images. Even though I had to get my kids up in 4 hours, when I got home, I immediately downloaded the images to look through, and may have done a silent happy dance in my kitchen at 3 AM upon seeing this one."
Dolomites, Italy"I was in the right place and at the right time, during my usual autumn tour in Italy’s Dolomites.That Sunday, I never thought I would witness such a rare spectacle. There was a strong magnetic storm in the north, which partly spread to Southern Europe. Scientists call this event SAR (Stable Auroral Red arcs) which is even more rare than the Aurora itself."
Moke Lake, New Zealand"I was pretty lucky this night to have a few friends message me a heads up that a big Aurora Australis was forecast, so I had just enough time to rush to this local spot with a painfully steep ascent, watching beams start to dance across the horizon as the sunlight was fading!I spent around 5 hours up here and had this whole ridge to myself, shooting over 300 frames of all manner of beams and colors as the show was constantly changing!"
Otertinden, Norway"That day, March 23, 2023, Earth experienced the strongest geomagnetic storm in six years, and I was out executing my unique aurora shot of the year, “The Platform.” Both Maria and I had significant doubts about this climb. While we unintentionally chose one of the best aurora night displays in years for this mission, this accounted for only 10% of the work for “The Platform” image to come to fruition.We started the ascent of this 47° steep snowy slope during the blue hour, enduring -21°C temperatures, while the Northern Lights lit up the Southern sky.After overcoming the steepest part, Maria, ahead of me, spotted the tip of the cliff and exclaimed, “I see the cliff! I see the cliff!” I’ll remember the adrenaline kick it gave me for a while. All I could think was, “No way, we made it… now, how is the sky?”Facing the cliff on the platform, the Aurora Borealis danced above us — jackpot."
Alaska, USA"Hiking under the Northern Lights is an experience I’ll never forget. Witnessing the Aurora from an ice cave is even more unforgettable! Both experiences are fleeting but for different reasons.The aurora comes and goes as the solar wind blows, while ice caves emerge and disappear as the planet undergoes heating and cooling cycles. This specific ice cave, especially the ice arch featured in this photograph, collapsed over the summer. Knowing its days were numbered, I prioritized a visit in March of this year.Consequently, this image holds extra significance for me, capturing those ephemeral moments and serving as a reminder not to take things for granted."
Canterbury, New Zealand"The Aurora Australis from Camp Saddle in Canterbury, New Zealand.After a challenging hike with 30 kg of equipment, I was delighted when the aurora made an appearance! The Large & Small Magellanic clouds can also be seen; these are galaxies visible only from the Southern Hemisphere."
Death Valley, USA"I really didn’t believe I’d see the aurora at the lowest altitude point in the US. When I saw the aurora forecast, I was in Vegas. The decision to drive to Badwater Basin was a last-minute one.When I arrived, I started to second-guess myself once I saw all the atmospheric particles sinking into the basin. I kept thinking about changing locations because it wasn’t looking promising.I parked just before blue hour and gathered a tripod and camera. I didn’t even take my camera bag out. I thought there would be no need to carry my second camera and tripod, but as I got halfway to my destination, I started seeing some faint lights in the sky. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I stopped and took a test shot and there it was! Pink pillars in the sky! I started running to find a composition to set up a timelapse. I ran back to my airstream a mile behind me to get the rest of my gear. I started snapping stills and set up another timelapse. This was my favorite still frame taken from this memorable night.In true fashion, I write poems for each image I publish on socials. Here’s the poem I wrote for this on:‘Drenched with ambition.Flowing desire.Lady in pink.Internalized fire.Against all the odds.She carries my light.When I’m down for the count.She reminds me to fight.She lessens the blows.Her beauty’s unmatched.She’s fire to the night.She’s the spark to my match.'"
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