Northern Lights Trondheim

I had my very first go at capturing the Northern Lights when the phenomenon had a brief appearance in Trondheim a few nights ago. Unfortunately the conditions were far from ideal, it was partly cloudy, but some of the images have (for me at least) some quality just because of the weather conditions. What do you think? Hopefully I will be blessed with the the Nortern Lights AND a clear sky in the future K20D and FA*24mm f2.8.

1.
[IMG]http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/bjolester/Nordlys_1.jpg[/IMG]

2.
[IMG]http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/bjolester/Nordlys_2.jpg[/IMG]

3.
[IMG]http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/bjolester/Nordlys_3.jpg[/IMG]

A nice set Bjørn.

I would try to either get a bit more foreground interest in there or move the horizon right down the frame. Even with foreground interest your horizons are a bit too central. I would cut the bottom off all three at about a third, so you have the lights reflected in the water, without the big area of black beneath that.

What settings did you use?

The first time I saw them was under similar conditions. Not at all what I expected of the Lights. The second time, with clear skies was better though.

I hoping to see them again in March. Greedy I know .

Thank you Gwyn for taking time to comment on my photos! All the three images above were taken with the following settings: RAW+, WB Daylight, 30 sek, f.2.8, ISO 200. These photos were amongst the first I took this evening, and I experimented with all sorts of different settings during the evening. The next time I have the possibility of capturing the Northern Lights I will start with: ISO 800, 10sek, f2.0 and WB Fluorescent lights D (Daylight Colors), and work my way from there.

Is this close to what you had in mind:

[IMG]http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/bjolester/Nordlys_3_B.jpg[/IMG]

Well captured

There was a UK TV program on recently with Joanna Lumley
very clear night and the film of the lights was about the
best I've seen.

Amazing colors, very nicley taken.

I am well jealous of your Northern Lights display... but I agree with Gwyn's comments and prefer your cropped version.

Must have been hard to get shots as good as these. Well done.

This is a good set, well done. I've been to Iceland twice, in November and January and still haven't seen them maybe one day.

Nice images

Thank you all so much for your encouraging comments!

The hardest part was standing still for many hours - observing and waiting in anticipation for the next burst of Light. That evening cost me a cold. So I have learned the importance of proper clothing for night-shooting in the wintertime.

The cropped version is great (they're all really nice photos) as it makes the stars more noticeable.

I like these

I can sympathise with the cold though - I am trying not to let mild man flu slow me down at the moment

Amazing color your so lucky

Lovely colours, I prefer the cropped version of the first one. The second could perhaps do with cropping out most of the dark foreground, too, to just below where the last bit of water is visible.

Thank you for your comments! I have tried to crop all three images in the manner suggested by aliengrove, and I have also included four more images from that evening. The two last ones where shot when the Northern Lights had almost faded away (I consider my initial three images to be the best, but the extra four could also possibly be of some interest:

1.
[IMG]http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/bjolester/Nordlys_1_CROP.jpg[/IMG]

2.
[IMG]http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/bjolester/Nordlys_2_CROP.jpg[/IMG]

3.
[IMG]http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/bjolester/Nordlys_3_CROP.jpg[/IMG]

4. NEW
[IMG]http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/bjolester/Nordlys_4_CROP.jpg[/IMG]

5. NEW
[IMG]http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/bjolester/Nordlys_5_CROP.jpg[/IMG]

6. NEW
[IMG]http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/bjolester/Nordlys_6_CROP.jpg[/IMG]

7.NEW
[IMG]http://i812.photobucket.com/albums/zz50/bjolester/Nordlys_7_CROP.jpg[/IMG]

The first images are the most striking - that colour is extraordinary !
The last two are interesting because there is that incredible starlit sky with the Northern lights backdrop.