Nothing stings like seeing the Northern Lights and getting only a blurry green smudge on your phone. The good news: modern phones can capture the aurora surprisingly well if you know a few settings. Here's the simple version.
On a smartphone (the quick wins)
- Use Night mode and prop the phone on something steady — a mini tripod, a railing, a bag. Any shake ruins a long exposure.
- Turn off the flash. Always. It only lights the snow in front of you.
- Newer iPhones/Samsungs can set exposure to 3–10 seconds in Night mode — the longer, the brighter the aurora, as long as the phone is still.
- Tap to focus on a distant tree or light so the sky stays sharp.
- Keep the phone warm. Batteries die fast in −20°C — keep it in an inside pocket between shots.
On a camera (if you have one)
- Manual mode, wide lens, aperture as low as it goes (f/2.8 or lower).
- Shutter 5–15 seconds, ISO 1600–3200, focus set to infinity manually.
- A tripod is essential; use a 2-second timer to avoid shake.
The most important tip
Watch first, shoot second. Travellers who spend the whole show fiddling with settings miss the aurora itself. Get one good frame, then put the phone down and just look up — that's the memory that lasts.
Want more depth? See our Northern Lights photography guide. Our aurora tours take you to dark-sky spots where the shots are best.