Photograph the aurora
The camera sees more green than your eyes do. Steady the phone, open the shutter for a few seconds and let the sky paint itself.
8 s
Sharp curtains, bright green
Drag the shutter. A dancing aurora wants 4–10 seconds; a faint, still arc can take 15–20.
Settings to start with
iPhone
- Mode
- Night mode
- Time
- Max (on a tripod: 10–30 s)
- Flash
- Off
- Live Photo
- Off
Rest it on something still: night mode only offers the long times when it feels no shake.
Galaxy / Android
- Mode
- Pro (Expert RAW)
- ISO
- 1600–3200
- Shutter
- 4–10 s
- Focus
- MF ∞
- WB
- 3500–4000 K
Auto focus hunts in the dark: slide focus all the way to the mountain icon.
Camera
- Aperture
- f/1.8–f/2.8
- ISO
- 1600–3200
- Shutter
- 5–15 s
- Focus
- Manual on a bright star
- File
- RAW
Use the widest lens you have; zoom live view on a bright star and turn the ring until it is a pin point.
Before you go out
A tripod
Or a rock, a car roof, a bag. Any shake turns stars into squiggles.
Self-timer 3 s
Pressing the button shakes the phone. Let the timer press it.
Warm batteries
Cold drains them fast: keep the spare in an inner pocket.
Something in front
A tree, a cabin, a person: the photo gets scale and a story.
Red light only
White torches ruin everyone's dark eyes and photos.
Thin gloves
Touch-screen gloves under mittens, so you can work the settings.