The sun may’ve set, but that means the real fun is just beginning! Get outside after dark to capture the night sky or lit-up city scenes
Capture the Northern Lights
17 STRONG solar flares have made sightings of the aurora borealis more common in the UK, though you are much more likely to see them in Scandinavia. Set up on a tripod and go into your camera’s Manual (M) mode. Dial in a shutter speed of 20 secs and ISO1600. Open the aperture on your lens to f/2.8 or f/4, and focus on a bright star or your foreground interest (depending on which you want to be sharp). Take a test shot and if you need more motion in your aurora, extend the shutter speed.
Shoot for the stars
18 LONG WINTER nights are an ideal time to point your camera to the stars. For the deepest skies and clearest stars, shoot in the short window a few days either side of the new moon (12 Dec 2023 and 11 Jan 2024), and shoot on a clear night, of course, without any clouds, in a low light pollution area away from city lights. Set up on a tripod and focus on a bright star, then set your Canon to its Manual (M) mode and dial in a shutter speed of 15 secs and ISO3200, and use your widest aperture. Take a test photo and adjust the ISO if your shots are too bright or dark.
Put a Christmas tree in your cityscape
19 THERE’S ONLY one
