For the evening of our second day we had pre booked a Northern Lights photography course which we both were looking forward too. It was an expensive excursion though hopefully it was to be money well spent. However, the time arrived for us to go to the meeting point at 1900hrs and meet with our guide, at this point the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights was zero on the KP index. The skies were cloudy with no breaks to be seen, our guide was late and we had to make a detour to pick up more guests so things did not get of to a good start. Our mood was low as we travelled into Kiruna town centre to a hotel to pick up the additional guests and be given our camera lesson on photographing the Northern Lights. We had opted to use the camera's supplied by the guide as the low temperatures were draining all our equipment batteries too quickly. Once all sorted we were informed we would be heading about 50km out of town to a location that would be clear and provide us the best opportunity of seeing the Northern Lights. We were still unconvinced at this point as we settled into the journey.
On arriving we parked up, the guide loaded his sledge up with reindeer skins, camera equipment and additional kit. Off we set into the wildness with the light of a full moon highlighting our way, it was quite surreal walking silently through the thick snow. No artificial light pollution or any one else to be seen or heard as we ended up on a frozen lake. Tripods were set up in the snow, cameras pointing north in the anticipation of viewing the Northern Lights. Suddenly the skies cleared in front of us, our excitment raised and the show began in front and above us. It was magical as the sky became full of the colour green and momentarily the colour red, as we quickly pointed our camera's towards the show, taking picture after picture to catch the moment. I was pleased and amazed to be able to take photographs that actually came out.
We stayed out as long as we were able, to ensure the show was not missed, so from starting from a point of thinking not a chance to seeing this amazing show, we were extremely lucky. Our guide set up a fire and boiled pots of tea, that went undrunk due to not wanting to miss a moment of this amazing wonder of the world, that not everyone gets the chance to see, specially first time out.
We finally had to pack our camera's away and return to the hotel, arriving back at 0100hrs in the morning. Could not fault our guide and the tour as a whole at the end.
On arriving we parked up, the guide loaded his sledge up with reindeer skins, camera equipment and additional kit. Off we set into the wildness with the light of a full moon highlighting our way, it was quite surreal walking silently through the thick snow. No artificial light pollution or any one else to be seen or heard as we ended up on a frozen lake. Tripods were set up in the snow, cameras pointing north in the anticipation of viewing the Northern Lights. Suddenly the skies cleared in front of us, our excitment raised and the show began in front and above us. It was magical as the sky became full of the colour green and momentarily the colour red, as we quickly pointed our camera's towards the show, taking picture after picture to catch the moment. I was pleased and amazed to be able to take photographs that actually came out.
We stayed out as long as we were able, to ensure the show was not missed, so from starting from a point of thinking not a chance to seeing this amazing show, we were extremely lucky. Our guide set up a fire and boiled pots of tea, that went undrunk due to not wanting to miss a moment of this amazing wonder of the world, that not everyone gets the chance to see, specially first time out.
We finally had to pack our camera's away and return to the hotel, arriving back at 0100hrs in the morning. Could not fault our guide and the tour as a whole at the end.
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