How to photograph the Northern Lights (without losing your mind)

The first time I saw the aurora I was so excited I forgot to switch off stabilisation. Result: twenty blurry frames and a lesson learned. Here’s what I tell every group before heading into the Arctic night.

The gear you really need

• A sturdy tripod, even if it weighs a bit more
• A fast wide-angle lens (f/2.8 or better)
• Spare batteries kept warm in your pocket
• A headlamp with a red light, so you don’t blind the group

Starting settings

Start at ISO 1600, f/2.8, 8 seconds and adjust: if the aurora moves fast, shorten the exposure; if it’s faint, raise the ISO. Manual focus at infinity, checked by magnifying a star on the screen.

The aurora won’t wait: set everything up while there’s light, so in the dark you only have to shoot.

Three classic mistakes

No foreground, stabilisation left on, and forgetting to look up without the camera. The last one is the worst.