About the Shot - Dreams
Camera: Nikon D780
Lens: Rokinon 10mm f/2.8 ED AS NCS CS
Focal Length: 14.0 mm (14.0 mm in 35mm)
Aperture: f/2.8
Exposure Time: 0.6s (0.6)
ISO: 6400
There's something genuinely magical about witnessing the northern lights dancing across the sky, especially when the rugged beauty of a place like Angel Rocks near Fairbanks, Alaska, surrounds you. In this photo, titled "Dreams," I aimed to capture an incredible spectacle of the aurora borealis as it unfolded in this landscape.
Hiking out in the early evening before the sunset, I scouted out several locations that offered clear views of the northern sky. Eventually, I settled on a small outcropping near the first granite tower on the trail. From here, I could overlook the Chena River Valley and one of the largest granite towers in the area.
With my tripods set up and the sun disappearing below the horizon, I began my wait. Without cell service, I couldn't check current space weather conditions to see when the aurora might become active like I usually do from home. Instead, I simply enjoyed the view and embraced the anticipation.
Just after 1 am, the aurora started to show on the horizon. Over the next few tens of minutes, it snaked its way across the sky and overhead, eventually erupting in a stunning corona that appeared to rain down from directly above. Shortly after this mesmerizing display, I captured the shot that would become "Dreams."
In this photo, you can see the central band of the aurora, from which the corona had appeared, stretching from behind the Chena hills to the north directly overhead. Additional bands separated and moved south across the sky, while another more diffuse and colorful band spread back to the north. To the left of the large granite tower, sunlight can be seen on the horizon, hinting at the upcoming midnight sun season when it never gets dark enough to see the aurora.
I had to boost my ISO to 6400 and use a high shutter speed to capture the aurora's incredible detail and fast movement. This allowed me to freeze the moment in time and create a lasting memory of this unforgettable experience.
Here are some additional links related to the area and the photo:
My Article on Photographing the Northern Lights (Camera Settings)
The Full Photo Set From This Night
About the Shot
About the Shot is a new series and my first paywall content on Post, Patreon, and Ko-Fi. I don't fully believe in paywalled content, as I want to share content freely (the paywall will be removed about a month after the initial posting), and occasionally they will be free from the start (like this one). The information in the paid posts will eventually be released as free content in a more general article, but you can support my work by subscribing! Here I present as much information that someone would find helpful or interesting about a single image. By paying for this, you get the info in a much more detailed form early. These will be available on Post for about a quarter a post or all for my $5/month or higher Substack, Patreon, or Ko-fi subscribers.
Your comment that the "Corona that appeared to rain down from directly above", speaks to me as I remember my 4 years stationed at Ft. Wainwright in the 80's. It at times, seemed to come down and envelope me, almost spiritually. I hope that doesn't sound too hokey, but there is nothing like it, and it's so hard to describe the experience to those who have not. I love your work!