Auroras @ Finnmark, Norway

[looyaa]

Just came back from a trip to Finland/Norway to see the northern lights. If you ask me, November is probably not a good time to go Finnish Lapland or Finnmark for northern lights. Weather over the arctic circle is in the process of changing to wintery weather (and snow). Frequent snowing means cloudy skies. To be honest, it was pretty tiring to keep checking the skies every 1-2 hour or so and just see clouds.

After few days of cloudy skies and patiently waiting, my first encounter with the auroras was during blue hour after sunset (4pm) in Norway. Sky was still cloudy but thinning out. I happened step out of the guesthouse to put some stuff into my car and when I look up...omg...I saw a white fuzzy arc just overhead and it was drifting. Immediately I recognised what it was and ran at my fastest to the room to grab my camera...these was what my camera saw...


Pentax K-3, DA12-24 @ 12mm, f/4.0, 6s, iso3200


Pentax K-3, DA12-24 @ 12mm, f/4.0, 10s, iso1600


Pentax K-3, DA10-17mm FE @ 10mm, f/3.5, 6s, iso3200

[looyaa]

Clouds rolled in relatively quickly within 30 mins after first seeing it. So I was lucked out and went back into the guesthouse to pack cam equipment. I was thinking of driving out to find clear skies.

When I walked out again after 40 mins...I was greeted with clear skies with a lot of sparkling stars. Thick layer of clouds can be seen in the southern horizon. So I decided to drive 500m down the road, away from the light pollution of the guesthouse, instead of spending time on the road to hunt for locations with nice landscape and risk missing the show.


Pentax K-30, DA12-24mm @ 12mm, f/4.0, 6s, iso1600

Looking back, this is probably good decision as the NL put up a spectacular show for about 40 minutes!! And my wife was comfortable hiding in the warm car while looking up at sky show from the side windows (I was out in the minus 5 degree cold shooting the NL)


Pentax K-30, DA12-24mm @ 12mm, f/4.0, 6s, iso1600


Pentax K-30, DA12-24mm @ 12mm, f/4.0, 6s, iso1600


Pentax K-30, DA12-24mm @ 12mm, f/4.0, 5s, iso3200

[looyaa]

More


Pentax K-30 + DA12-24 @ 12mm, f/4.0, 5s, iso3200


Pentax K-30 + DA12-24 @ 12mm, f/4.0, 3s, iso3200


Pentax K-3 + DA10-17 Fisheye. 10mm, f/5.6, 3s, iso3200

[kochu]

Nice photos and awesome show of nature

[looyaa]

Nice photos and awesome show of nature

Thanks Kochu. Agree! definitely awe by what nature can show. That is why so many put NL as part of bucket list.

[looyaa]

My first experiment at northern lights timelapse - https://flic.kr/p/AYQs5R

Made up of 300 photos and no music...still learning how to do timelapse video

[Mariner]

Beautiful shots George!

[Airconvent]

Beautiful shots! And taken with a few Pentax cameras too!

[ivan]

Good stuff george! Luckily the skies cleared for you heh

[looyaa]

Beautiful shots George!

Thanks Mariner! Hope this relive your memories of seeing the aurora

Beautiful shots! And taken with a few Pentax cameras too!

Thanks Airconvent! Haha not many cameras - only two Pentax K-3 and K-30. Bought two bodies along in case one breakdown. But luckily both working well to give different shots from different angles.

Good stuff george! Luckily the skies cleared for you heh

Thanks Ivan. Yes lucky enough. And that is the only time I have clear skies...the remaining nights were cloudy though there were a couple of days with short periods of thin clouds (can see some stars)