I glanced out the van window and noticed a faint green coloured mist in the sky.
So I took a walk with my camera and came back 3 hours later with these photos…
In this post I’ll share with you my first experience with the Northern Lights. And I’ll show you a good place to watch them in the Lofoten Islands – as well as where to park your van, of course.
Also see these posts: How to photograph the Aurora and How to find the Aurora
We were camping on a beach in the Lofoten Islands, Norway
The beach is Haukland Beach on the north side of the islands: Google map link
8:30pm: there was a faint green glow in the sky, from behind the mountain
8:32pm: I ran down to the beach with my camera
9:30pm: Now I’m certain this is the Aurora Borealis
10:30pm: I stood on the beach and experienced this totally new kind of night sky
11pm: The green glow reflected on water as it got stronger and stronger
Before reducing to a focused beam in a matter of minutes
12am: And then it reappeared behind me, showering over the mountain peaks
12:30am: You might have heard me going ‘woahhhhh’
Here’s a short time lapse
This is 12 shots each having a 10 second exposure – total of 2 minutes
Back at the van the clouds were coming over quickly, defusing the alien-green light over the landscape
The van-neighbours must have slept through the whole thing
This is probably one of the coolest things I’ve seen/experienced.
After this night we spent the next week chasing the Northern Lights around the Lofoten Islands.
I might do a couple more posts about the Aurora – how to find it and how to photograph it – if you’re interested?
Also see this post: Norway by campervan: how to get to the Lofoten Islands with a van
More Aurora posts:
Lofoten by Campervan: Watching the Northern Lights on Haukland Beach
Spectacular pics! Hope to experience them in person one of these days … Thanks for sharing <3
Nice one Mike – looks fantastic
Wahou amazing shots !
Beautiful! I’m enjoying following your journey. Basic photo question: what app are you using to illustrate/write on your maps/photos?
I just use the pencil tool in photoshop. It’s really very basic, and you could use MS Paint if you wanted, to do the same thing. The useful thing is the tablet I use – a Wacom Intuos – for scribbling, drawing, writing on stuff. Hope that helps 🙂
Fantastic Mike! I would love to see this in real life.
It’s not just the amazing pictures, it’s the way you tell the story. What a fantastic experience!
That’s some serious northern lights! Years ago I was camping in Minnesota one summer & saw the Northern Lights, I was hooked! I moved up there, that lasted for 6 years.
They were not nearly as spectacular as your photos!
Nice! Yeah I can see how you got hooked. I mean, just a nice dark sky is worth moving for. The aurora is the icing 🙂 So cool
Woahhhhh indeed!
HO LEE MOSES !!!!!!!!
Those are some amazing pictures. Arctic, here I come. Well, give or take a few months. THANKS
Yes more posts on this please! I’m working on a van conversion at the moment and the northern lights are on my bucket list!
Yes more posts on this please! I’m working on a van conversion at the moment and the northern lights are on my bucket list!
Nice one Mike – looks fantastic
HO LEE MOSES !!!!!!!!
Those are some amazing pictures. Arctic, here I come. Well, give or take a few months. THANKS
It’s not just the amazing pictures, it’s the way you tell the story. What a fantastic experience!
That’s some serious northern lights! Years ago I was camping in Minnesota one summer & saw the Northern Lights, I was hooked! I moved up there, that lasted for 6 years.
They were not nearly as spectacular as your photos!
Nice! Yeah I can see how you got hooked. I mean, just a nice dark sky is worth moving for. The aurora is the icing 🙂 So cool
Wahou amazing shots !
Spectacular pics! Hope to experience them in person one of these days … Thanks for sharing <3
Woahhhhh indeed!
Fantastic Mike! I would love to see this in real life.
Beautiful! I’m enjoying following your journey. Basic photo question: what app are you using to illustrate/write on your maps/photos?
I just use the pencil tool in photoshop. It’s really very basic, and you could use MS Paint if you wanted, to do the same thing. The useful thing is the tablet I use – a Wacom Intuos – for scribbling, drawing, writing on stuff. Hope that helps 🙂