Photo of the Week for March 9, 2018

What distinguishes a routine aurora photo from a memorable one? Composition.

With modern digital cameras, recording the northern lights has never been easier, but making a compelling photo is as difficult as ever. Choosing a compelling location that includes an interesting foreground helps elevate wide-angle night-sky shots from ordinary to exceptional. This sublime photo by Gerry Pocha is a good example. More than simply a record of an auroral display, Gerry’s carefully arranged portrait is packed with otherworldly atmosphere and surreal beauty.

Gerry captured this scene last May near Vanscoy, Saskatchewan, with a Canon EOS 6D DSLR camera and a Sigma 20mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens. The exposure was 6 seconds at ISO 640 and f/1.4.