Northern Lights Photo Workshop
Iceland Photography Adventure

The Northern Lights exist in the outmost layer of the atmosphere. They are created by electrically charged particles that make the thin air shine, not unlike a fluorescent light. They can be seen in aurora belts that form 20-25 degrees around the geomagnetic poles, both the north and the south. The Northern Lights are also called Aurora Borealis. Named after the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name for the north wind, Boreas. They are one of the most spectacular shows on this earth and can frequently be seen in Iceland from September through March on clear and crisp nights. Away from the glow of the city, we hunt for the elusive Northern Lights but please note that the Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon and sightings cannot be guaranteed. Photographing the Northern Lights is a worthy task best taken in winter. (In the summer there is daylight all day and all night and no Northern Lights – which creates a whole other dimension of great photo safaris.

The Northern Lights occur high above the surface of the earth where the atmosphere has become extremely thin, at an altitude of 100-250km. The source of the auroras are tiny particles, protons and electrons caused by electronic storms on the sun (solar wind), that are trapped in the earth’s magnetic field and they begin to spiral back and forth in a circle around the magnetic pole. While dancing around endlessly in their magnetic trap, some particles escape into the earth’s atmosphere. They hit molecules in the atmosphere which cause the molecules to glow, thus creating the auroras.

White and green are usually the dominant colors but sometimes there are considerable colour variations, as the pressure and composition of the atmosphere varies at different altitudes. At extremely high altitudes where the pressure is low, there tends to be a reddish glow produced by oxygen molecules when they are struck by the tiny particles of the solar wind. At lower altitudes, where there is higher pressure, their impact-irritated oxygen molecules may glow with a greenish tinge and sometimes there is a reddish lower border created by particles colliding with nitrogen molecules in the immediate vicinity.

Interesting Northern Lights links:
http://sec.noaa.gov/pmap/
http://en.vedur.is/weather/forecasts/aurora/

We will use the days to enjoy other natural wonders of Iceland so you will get a lot more than ‘just’ the auroras

* The Northern Lights are a natural phenomenon, very dependent upon weather and sightings can never be guaranteed

Price: Ask for quote
Depends on number of people, season, hotel room types etc

Duration: You decide
Available: Sept 20 – March 20

Included:
Accommodation in the best locations, hotels with breakfast, guided tour with a local English speaking guide with solid knowledge of photography and Iceland.
Meals (if you wish, depends on group size)
Private Super Truck and driver/photo-guide

Note: We will gladly adjust to your needs and wishes

Iceland shines even brighter with Nature Explorer Tours!

My husband and I booked two private tours (in addition to airport transportation to and from Keflavik) with NET for our first visit to Iceland…one for the Golden Circle and one for a possible viewing of the Northern Lights. Once there, we asked to add a hike to view the Fagradalsfjall Volcano. For many reasons, we could not have been more pleased with this tour company:
– The knowledge, friendliness, and love for what they do was evident with every interaction.
– They paid attention to even the smallest detail…I mentioned in passing to Hawk that I didn’t really enjoy trinket shopping and that my favorite souvenir was a reusable grocery bag from local grocers. The morning of the next tour, the guide greeted me with a gift from Hawk…a Hagkaup reusable bag:).
– Even though our volcano visit was a last-minute add-on, we were provided an amazing guide (Ousie- forgive any misspelling;)) who knew how to get us close enough to be mesmerized by the phenomenon but far enough away to feel safe at all times.
– The Northern Lights are a tempermental beast; you are never guaranteed a viewing. Even so, Hawk checked in with us every day, letting us know what the weather and viewing forecast meant for a possible trip that evening. Unfortunately, luck was not on our side and our trip did not overlap with a good viewing. Fortunately, though, Nature Explorer refunded the entire tour cost within hours of our last evening in Reykjavik. Many tour companies would have taken us out on a night that was less than favorable just to check the box and keep the fee. Apparently, Nature Explorer is not only a well-organized company, but it is also a very ethical one.
– For both airport transportation and tours, Nature Explorer was either on-time or early. The vehicles were SO clean and SO comfortable. When touring a foreign country for the first time, these little things can definitely add to the enjoyment of the adventure.
Iceland is a spectacular country, and, yes, you could probably put together simple excursions on your own. However, not only did we get to see the sites we wanted, but we were also able to eat at a sold-out restaurant for lunch (Hawk credited his smile;)) and add in impromptu visits, including ones to power-generation sites, the Blue Lagoon, and the President’s house (where Ousie snuck in a picture of us on the meeting house steps:)). Nature Explorer met and exceeded our expectations and gave us a week of highly memorable adventures.

The Hayeses, Mooresville, NC
(25 contributions on Tripadvisor)
Written September 21, 2021