After hearing earlier in the summer that there was a chance to see the Northern Lights as far south as I lived, I became obsessed with seeing and photographing them. I dug through post after post on a local Aurora enthusiasts Facebook group, watched countless YouTube tutorials, and consulted apps and scientific data to figure out when and how I could see them.

I thought I had missed my big chance to see them when the widely reported geomagnetic storm came and went, until one day, during a trip to Salt Spring Island, my phone notified me that there was a 30% chance that I could see the Northern Lights that night. In all my planning I had planned on capturing the Northern Lights with my actual camera – as shutter speed and other specific settings are crucial to capturing the colours – but all I had brought with me was my iPhone camera. Still, I had to try my luck, so I ran over to the lake and saw the faintest pale green smudge in the horizon. Thankfully my iPhone camera automatically started taking photos on night mode – a feature which reduces the shutter speed to capture more light – and suddenly through my phone I could see a brighter green and some faint purples.

After capturing some decent photos of the green horizon, I headed back inside to show them off to everyone . I wasn’t planning on staying out longer but since everyone wanted to go out to see the lights, I went back outside with them. This time when I went outside I could see big beams of pale light across the sky and when I took photos they turned into brilliant pinks and purples and I watched these beams dance. When it was close to midnight and the Northern Lights had dimmed back to a pale green glow we headed inside for the night.

My favourite part about these photos is how you can see the Big Dipper in the upper left side.

Check out the App I used for accurate forecasting: My Aurora Forecast App

Other tips and tricks:

– check for clear skies away from light pollution

– when as far south and coastal as Vancouver, KPI should be at least 5

– the best time is usually between 11-1am so plan on staying up late

– what’s visible with the naked eye (this far south) won’t compare to what will be captured on camera so always take photos

– use a low shutter speed – a steady hand or a tripod are helpful

– find a reliable KPI forecast – conditions can change suddenly so check them often