Chasing the Northern Lights

I first visited Iceland in February 2018, when I spent one week in Reykjavik. The plan was to spend as much time as possible enjoying Iceland’s beautiful and varied landscapes. But one thing stood out in my mind above all else: to chase (and hopefully see) Aurora Borealis, the northern lights.

We rented a car and every night we donned our warmest clothes, packed hand warmers and camera gear, and drove out to the middle of nowhere to chase the lights. After spending hours driving for several nights, we thought we saw light in the sky over the ocean. We quickly stopped and turned off the car lights and could immediately see some green light moving far away in the sky.

Worth the chase.

I took my camera (a Canon 7d2) out as fast as possible in order to shoot this picture. Not wanting to waste time fiddling with my settings, I focused on the horizon and set my camera for star shooting. Standing outside in the frigid darkness while the freezing wind whipped around us was not the ideal for environment for taking pictures, but enduring the cold was more than worth the satisfaction of capturing the glimmering lights of the aurora.

It was a totally unique experience, and I would go so far as to say that it was the best travel moment of my life. Needless to say, I highly recommend taking the time to pursue the Northern Lights if you have the opportunity.

The wind was cold but it was worth it.