Polar Nights
Aurora Workshop

AURORA WORKSHOP

Upcoming Dates
13 January 2025
12 January 2026

Tromsø  |  Senja  |  Lyngen

This photographic workshop is designed around capturing a handful of amazing aurora shots. We'll be sleeping in late most mornings, scouting locations during the "daytime" and then making the most of aurora activity at night. January is not only very cold in the Arctic, but very dark as well. That means we could find ourselves shooting auroras at either 4pm or 4am. And we intend to be ready for any potentiality.

To participate on this trip you'll need to be reasonably fit, as we may be trudging through heavy snow to access some locations. Ideally you will have had some experience with Arctic conditions before joining this workshop, and appreciate the value of good snow boots and warm gloves. We intend to be out in the cold for hours at a time, and will rely on quality clothing to keep warm.

There are three main locations we stay for this workshop, but we won't be limited to shooting from our accomodation. Most nights we'll make a plan for somewhere nearby to shoot from in the event of favourable conditions. For examples, on Senja we have some mountain plateaus that we can access by snow-shoe, plus some low-tide rock pools where reflections might be inspiring for composition. We also know of a great little jetty with views to some amazing peaks. In Tromso we have many favourite locations, some with zero light pollution, some where charming cabins are a feature of the scene.

Not everyone will enjoy the lack of sunshine for two weeks, or the narrow focus on aurora compostions. For the right people, this trip will offer not only a chance to create exceptional photography but also plenty of time in the cabin to process images and discuss your techniques with RAW files and the camera.

TIMELAPSE BOREALIS

One focus for this workshop will be to get a handle on putting together your own timelapse videos of the aurora. Ewen has immense experience in shooting and assmebling timelapse content, and can help you master this powerful creative tool.

THE LONG TWILIGHT

The first question I get asked for this itinerary is whether we’ll have any daylight to work with at all?

There will be some daylight, but something more like "post sunset" mood. The sun officially returns to Tromsø on January 21, so it'll be just out of sight for much of this trip. That means some lovely gentle light for slow shutter photography. We will definitely have a chance to explore our local areas during the daytime, plus time to process our photos and review images from previous nights.

This tour design runs in January so we get maximum aurora opportunities. We are planning for late nights and late checkouts so we can get a sleep-in after chasing aurora into the small hours.