How should Aurora shoot the necessary equipment of Aurora?

Have you ever seen the aurora? Knowing that aurora is rare, travelers who go to see it will take a camera to record that wonderful moment. Do you know how to shoot the aurora? Do you need to prepare anything before shooting the aurora? This strategy tells you!

Observation conditions: do your homework in advance to improve the observation probability.

First of all, we need to know the observation conditions of aurora. Season, time, aurora index and weather are all uncertain factors affecting aurora observation. So doing homework in advance can improve our observation probability. Of course, the more prepared, the better!

season

The longer the night, the higher the probability of seeing the aurora, such as from 10 to March of the following year. In theory, you can see the aurora all year round, but because of the short day and night in summer, the probability of seeing it is relatively low, but lucky exceptions are not excluded. Generally speaking, winter is the most suitable season for observing aurora.

time

Although the aurora always exists and may appear at any time, the dark night from 9 pm to 2 am is usually the prime time for observation.

Aurora index

Aurora shooting is inseparable from the influence of aurora index, which is KP value. The KP value is divided into 10 grades. When KP=9, the aurora is the strongest and the coverage is the largest; When KP=0, the aurora is the weakest and the coverage is the smallest. Generally, the aurora above the second level is clearly visible to the naked eye. It is recommended to download the mobile APP in advance to check the aurora index, such as Aurora Fcst and Aurora Now. The higher the index, the higher the probability of seeing it.

weather

The weather is also an important factor that directly affects the aurora observation, and the clear or partially cloudy night sky is the best. If there is rain and snow, the clouds are thick, and no matter how strong the index is, you can't see the aurora. So before you leave, you should not only check the aurora index, but also look at the weather forecast and choose a cloudless day in Wan Li. In addition, in order to more accurately grasp the moving direction and speed of the cloud on that day, it is recommended to download the APP of MeteoEarth, which can monitor the cloud conditions for nearly 30 minutes in real time.

Necessary equipment

SLR camera, please put down your phone.

Although the lens and algorithm of mobile phone are already very powerful, they are still not as good as professional SLR cameras. If you plan to shoot an aurora blockbuster, you must not be stingy. It is worthwhile to spend a lot of money on SLR cameras. (In fact, a small DSLR is enough, but the Great God model does not need to be burned. )

Tripod-must, must, must.

You can have a SLR camera, but you must have a tripod. Only when the tripod is fixed, the camera or mobile phone can stably complete long exposure and take high-quality and clear photos.

On the ground? Leaning against the support? Okay, but the angle is definitely not guaranteed. I'm afraid the final shot can only be considered ambiguous and barely passed.

Wired version-advanced equipment

Or cable release shutter remote control can avoid slight camera shake when we press the shutter, optimize the photo quality, make the photo clearer, facilitate post-processing such as photo superposition, and shoot a real aurora movie.

Spare battery-no regret medicine.

Outdoor low temperature may lead to battery dead, and long-term exposure is very power-consuming. One more camera battery will be foolproof. Otherwise, it would be a pity if everything suddenly loses power.

Parameter setting

After all the equipment is ready, all you need to know is the camera setting parameters. The parameters can be divided into the following four parts: shutter speed, aperture size, sensitivity (ISO) and focusing.

Shutter speed

Shutter speed can be said to be the most important parameter setting for shooting aurora. Only by choosing the right shutter speed can we shoot the most beautiful aurora.

Shutter speed should be set according to the intensity of aurora. It usually takes about 10-20 seconds to shoot the aurora. If the aurora is weak that day, we may need 30 seconds or more exposure time. However, the exposure time should not exceed 60 seconds, otherwise the stars in the picture will become stellar orbits, which will affect the final presentation.

hole

The first thing we need to understand is that the larger the aperture, the smaller the F value on the camera (as shown below). The more light enters the camera, the brighter the photo will be.

Therefore, in the field with relatively little light, using a larger aperture can increase the light entering the camera and better complete the shooting. Generally speaking, the F value of a camera lens can be reduced to about 3.5, which can be used for shooting.

ISO sensitivity

Simply put, the sensitivity (ISO) will affect the brightness of photos. The higher the ISO value, the brighter the picture. It is really necessary to improve the ISO value when shooting aurora at night, but if the ISO value is too high, the noise of the photo will increase and the quality of the photo will deteriorate, so it is particularly important to choose the appropriate ISO value.

When shooting aurora, ISO is generally set at around 800. This value is also recommended by many local photographers, but the specific situation should be analyzed in detail. We still have to adjust according to the actual situation that night.

Focus (attention)

Focusing should be a strange point for novice photographers, because in most cases, everyone uses autofocus (AF). Just press the shutter gently for half a time, and the camera can intelligently help you determine the subject, and autofocus is convenient and fast.

But when shooting the aurora, the whole picture is too dark, and it is difficult for the camera to focus. At this time, we need to turn the focus ring and focus manually. We need to focus on a subject, such as stars, distant city lights or other objects far away from you, and then shoot.

By adjusting the above four parameter settings, you can basically shoot a satisfactory aurora blockbuster. However, these settings and values are for reference only and need to be mastered flexibly according to the actual situation in order to become a real aurora photographer.

Visual dislocation

The angle of aurora shooting is very important. In order to make photos interesting, you can try visual dislocation. The easiest element to use at night is the moon. Under the background of aurora, by adjusting the angle of the distance between the figure and the moon, we can visually form the illusion that the moon is in the palm of our hand, or "eat" the moon with an open mouth and pick it in the aurora, or put the moon on our head with a glowing crown when the ball kicks away, and so on. Give full play to your imagination and take creative photos. Of course, no matter how funny you are, you should take Aurora as the center, and you can't reverse the priority!

Use props

When shooting, you can use the props around you to make the picture look less single. For example, riding a mountain bike in the wilderness makes the whole picture move with the movement of the characters, and the dynamic visual effect is more attractive than the static one. Aurora usually appears for a short time, sometimes less than a minute or dozens of seconds, so it is impossible to predict when it will appear, so be sure to keep the camera in the shooting state and be ready to shoot at any time.

Forward-looking shooting

When the aurora explodes strongly, the whole sky is full of graceful aurora. At this time, you can take a long-distance shot to make the picture more powerful. It is recommended to take photos in an open place, without too many obstructions, and the composition is simple, which can better highlight the majestic momentum of the aurora. The open road is a good choice, and the vision along the infinite road gives people a sense of extension, which makes the photos look more stereoscopic and artistic. Especially in winter, the major ice lanes in the northwest have become hot spots for shooting aurora, and the pure white road reflects the increasingly gorgeous aurora, giving people a strong visual impact!

When taking close-ups of Beijing Aurora figures, the body movements can be bigger, not too rigid, and the photos can be animated. Do some actions that interact with the aurora, such as pointing to the aurora, and connect the aurora with people in some way through actions. They are no longer a single subject, and the picture instantly becomes "alive" and more story-telling. An attractive photo must contain some emotions, and the joy of seeing the aurora can be conveyed through the photo, so that people who see the photo can feel excited.

The ever-changing aurora has many faces, and each face has different colors and shapes. Sometimes like a canopy, sometimes like a ribbon, sometimes like a rainbow, sometimes just a dazzling light. The most common aurora is green. Of course, there are purple, red, blue and other colors, but colored aurora is relatively difficult to meet. If you want to put all kinds of auroras into the lens, there is only one way. You can spend more time in the northwest, and if you have enough time, you can shoot aurora.