Camera settings, best locations, and pro tips for capturing the aurora.
The northern lights are one of nature's most spectacular displays, and Iceland is one of the best places on Earth to witness them. But seeing the aurora borealis with your eyes is one thing — capturing it on camera requires specific knowledge, the right equipment, and a bit of preparation. The good news is that you do not need professional gear or years of photography experience. With the right settings and approach, anyone can come home with stunning aurora photographs.
Understanding the Aurora Borealis
The northern lights occur when charged particles from the sun (solar wind) interact with gases in Earth's upper atmosphere. These particles are channeled toward the poles by Earth's magnetic field, and when they collide with oxygen and nitrogen molecules at altitudes of 80 to 300 kilometres, they produce the light we see.
Why the colours vary:
Green — the most common colour, produced by oxygen molecules at around 100 to 200 kilometres altitude
Purple and violet — caused by nitrogen molecules
Red — produced by oxygen at very high altitudes (above 200 kilometres), rare and usually only visible during intense displays
Blue — caused by nitrogen at lower altitudes
The KP Index Explained
The KP index is a scale from 0 to 9 that measures geomagnetic activity — essentially, how strong the aurora is likely to be.
KP 0 to 1: Very low activity. Aurora unlikely to be visible.
KP 2 to 3: Low to moderate. Aurora may be visible as a faint green arc on the northern horizon. Good enough for long-exposure photography.
KP 4 to 5: Moderate to high. Aurora clearly visible, may show movement and colour. Excellent for photography.
KP 6 to 7: High. Strong, dynamic aurora with vivid colours and potentially overhead displays. Outstanding photography conditions.
KP 8 to 9: Severe geomagnetic storm. Rare but extraordinary — aurora visible across the entire sky.
For Iceland specifically, you only need a KP of 2 or above to see the aurora, thanks to the country's high latitude. A KP of 3 or higher typically produces a good photographic display.
Best Months for Northern Lights Photography
The aurora is technically active year-round, but you can only see it when the sky is dark. Iceland's midnight sun means the sky never gets dark enough from mid-April through mid-August.
Prime season: September through March
September and October: Dark skies return. The equinox period (around September 22nd) historically correlates with increased geomagnetic activity.
November through January: Longest dark hours, but also the most cloud cover and storms. When skies clear, conditions are ideal.
February and March: Days lengthening, weather slightly more stable, and the spring equinox brings another peak in geomagnetic activity. Many photographers consider these the best overall months.
The cloud factor: Iceland is cloudy — a lot. The single biggest challenge for northern lights photography is getting a clear sky. Check the Icelandic Met Office cloud cover forecast (vedur.is) and be prepared to drive one to two hours to find a gap in the clouds.
Where to Go: Best Locations in Iceland
The most important factor for location is darkness — you need to be away from artificial light pollution. Reykjavik's city lights make it a poor choice, though very strong displays (KP 5+) can be visible even from the city centre.
Thingvellir National Park
Only 45 minutes from Reykjavik
Dark skies, dramatic landscape with tectonic plates and lakes for reflections
The church at Thingvallakirkja makes an excellent foreground element
Parking areas provide easy access without hiking
Snaefellsnes Peninsula
Kirkjufell mountain with the aurora overhead is one of Iceland's most iconic shots
Budir black church against green aurora is equally striking
About two hours from Reykjavik
Multiple composition options along the coast
South Coast
Vik and Reynisfjara offer sea stacks as dramatic foreground elements
Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon — aurora reflected in icebergs is extraordinary
Vestrahorn mountain near Hofn provides a mountain-and-beach composition
Diamond Beach ice chunks reflecting aurora colours
North Iceland
Godafoss waterfall — long exposure of the waterfall with aurora above
Akureyri area has less cloud cover than the south coast on average
Myvatn region offers varied foreground elements (pseudocraters, lava formations)
Location Tips
Scout your location in daylight. Find your compositions, check for obstacles, and identify where north is.
Have a backup location. If your primary spot is clouded over, know where the nearest clear area is.
Water reflections double your aurora. Lakes, lagoons, and calm ocean inlets create mirror images that make aurora photos twice as dramatic.
Camera Settings: The Technical Guide
Northern lights photography requires manual control of your camera. Auto mode will not work — the camera cannot meter correctly for a dark sky with faint, moving light.
Essential Settings
Shooting mode: Manual (M). You need full control over ISO, aperture, and shutter speed.
Focus: Manual focus set to infinity. Autofocus will hunt endlessly in the dark and never lock on. Switch your lens to manual focus, then focus on a distant light (a star, a distant building) using live view magnification. Once sharp, do not touch the focus ring — consider taping it in place.
File format: Shoot RAW, not JPEG. RAW files contain far more data for adjusting white balance, exposure, and colour in post-processing.
The Three Key Settings
ISO: 800 to 3200. Start at ISO 1600 as a baseline. Use ISO 800 for bright, active displays (lower noise). Use ISO 3200 for faint aurora. Full-frame cameras handle higher ISOs better than crop sensors.
Aperture: f/2.8 or wider (lower number = wider). Open your lens to its widest aperture to let in maximum light. f/1.4 or f/1.8 lenses are even better. If your widest aperture is f/4, you can still shoot aurora but will need higher ISO or longer exposures.
Shutter speed: 10 to 25 seconds. Start at 15 seconds as a baseline. For faster aurora (curtains moving quickly), use 6 to 10 seconds to freeze the movement. For slow or static aurora, use 15 to 25 seconds for maximum brightness. The rule of 500: Divide 500 by your focal length to find your maximum exposure before star trails appear.
Equipment Guide
Camera Body
Full-frame cameras (Sony A7 series, Nikon Z6/Z8, Canon R6/R5) produce the best results because their larger sensors handle high ISO with less noise. But a crop-sensor camera absolutely works — you will just need to manage noise more carefully in post-processing.
Smartphone cameras: Modern flagship phones (iPhone 15 Pro and later, Samsung Galaxy S24 and later, Google Pixel 8 and later) have dedicated night modes that can capture the aurora. Use a phone tripod mount for stability.
Lenses
Wide-angle, fast aperture lenses are essential. You want to capture as much sky as possible with as much light as possible.
14mm f/2.8 — the classic aurora lens. Ultra-wide for big sky compositions.
20mm f/1.8 — slightly narrower but faster aperture. Excellent all-round choice.
24mm f/1.4 — fast aperture, versatile focal length.
16-35mm f/2.8 — zoom flexibility for composing different shots without changing lenses.
Tripod
A sturdy tripod is absolutely essential. You are shooting 10 to 25 second exposures — any camera movement will ruin the shot.
Heavy enough to resist Icelandic wind (or hang your camera bag from the centre column for added stability)
Legs that lock securely
Ball head for quick composition adjustments
Do not use a lightweight travel tripod in strong wind — it will vibrate
Other Essential Gear
Spare batteries — Cold drains batteries fast. Carry at least two spares in an inside jacket pocket to keep them warm.
Remote shutter release or intervalometer — Avoids camera shake from pressing the shutter button. Alternatively, use your camera's 2-second timer delay.
Headlamp with red-light mode — Red light preserves your night vision. Do not use white light around other photographers.
Lens cloth — Condensation and moisture will form on your lens. Check and wipe regularly.
Apps and Forecasting Tools
Vedurstofa (vedur.is) — The Icelandic Meteorological Office. Their aurora forecast and cloud cover map are the two most important tools.
My Aurora Forecast — Mobile app showing KP index, aurora probability, and alerts.
Space Weather Live (spaceweatherlive.com) — Detailed solar wind data, real-time KP index, and 27-day aurora forecast.
Clear Outside — Astronomy-focused weather app showing cloud cover, transparency, and seeing conditions hour by hour.
The workflow: Around 6pm, check vedur.is for cloud cover and aurora forecast. Identify the clearest area within driving distance. Check the KP index. If KP is 2+ and you can find clear sky, go. The most active hours are typically 10pm to 2am.
Staying Warm in the Field
You will be standing still in the Icelandic dark for hours. This is far colder than walking or hiking.
Dress for negative 10 degrees Celsius, even if the forecast says warmer. Wind chill and standing still make it feel much colder.
Hand warmers in your gloves and pockets are essential.
Wear thin liner gloves under insulated gloves so you can operate camera controls without fully exposing your hands.
Thermal insoles in your boots make a significant difference on frozen ground.
Bring a thermos of hot chocolate or coffee.
When You See the Aurora
The moment you see the first glow on the horizon, do not panic. The aurora often starts slowly and builds.
Set up your tripod and frame your composition — include an interesting foreground element.
Take a test shot at your baseline settings (ISO 1600, f/2.8, 15 seconds).
Check the result on your LCD — zoom in to verify focus is sharp on the stars.
Adjust settings based on what you see — if the aurora is moving fast, shorten your shutter speed.
Shoot continuously. The aurora changes minute by minute.
Vary your compositions — shoot wide, shoot vertical, include a person for scale.
Check white balance later. Shoot RAW and adjust in post-processing.
Common Mistakes Beginners Make
Not bringing a tripod. Handheld aurora photography is not possible. A tripod is not optional.
Leaving autofocus on. The camera will focus-hunt in the dark and never lock. Switch to manual.
Using too long an exposure. If the aurora is actively dancing, a 25-second exposure will blur the structure into a green smudge. Shorten to 6 to 10 seconds.
Forgetting spare batteries. One battery in a cold Icelandic night lasts about 30 to 45 minutes of continuous shooting.
Giving up too early. The aurora can appear at any time. Some of the best displays happen after midnight. If the forecast is promising, stay out.
Not shooting RAW. JPEG files lose enormous amounts of data needed for post-processing aurora images.
The northern lights are never guaranteed — that is part of what makes them special. But with preparation, patience, and the right settings, you dramatically increase your chances of bringing home images that capture the magic of Iceland's night sky.