I was sleeping soundly on the first night of the solar storm that brought the aurora borealis to much of North America. The next day, while scrolling through the many photos people had taken of the spectacle that I had missed, I admit I was feeling a little left out. Here people were posting all these vibrant photos of glowing pink and green skies, and what had I been doing then? Sleeping.
So when the second night came, I was determined to go out and enjoy, and hopefully photograph, the aurora. At about 11 o’clock I noticed the first faint wisps of light overhead. Feeling excited, I hopped into my trusty Chevy Equinox and made my way to some nearby grain elevators. Hoping to capture some dramatic shots of the elevators silhouetted against a brilliant green sky, I set up my gear and waited. The glow grew a little stronger, and I took a few exposures. After a while it faded and started moving toward the north.
I drove to a couple more locations and captured a couple mediocre shots, but I was still hoping for something more impressive. I finally decided to drive out to a large slough just a few miles northeast of our house, thinking I could catch the reflections of the lights in the water. As I drove, the lights picked up, and I could see ribbons of light dancing and flowing in the sky.
At the pond, I pulled off the road and set up shop. I took a thirty-second exposure, trying to capture some reflections, but it ended up looking dimmer than I had hoped.
For my second attempt, I framed the moon and the northern lights and pressed the shutter. I stood in the cool night air, watching the lights dance, and listening to the geese, ducks, and grebes splashing on the pond. An owl hooted softly in a far-off stand of poplars, and a snipe winnowed somewhere overhead. A Sora whistled mournfully in the reeds.
After the shutter clicked closed, I eagerly checked the display on my camera and was blown away by what I saw! It was the picture I had been hoping for, with the moon, stars, and northern lights beautifully reflected on the water!
I felt so blessed to have been given the opportunity to experience and capture this little slice of God’s amazing creation! After taking a few more photos and trying different compositions, I just sat in my vehicle with the windows rolled down, watching the lights as they flickered and danced, grew and then faded. The tranquility and beauty of the night around me was almost magical. I would fall asleep that night feeling contented, peaceful, and blessed, knowing that I know the One who created it all.