Photographer Captures Northern Lights Around an Erupting Volcano

Photographer Captures Northern Lights Around an Erupting Volcano

A vibrant display of the northern lights in hues of green and purple over a fiery volcanic eruption, casting an orange glow against a dark night sky.

A photographer waited a few years to seize these epic pictures of the northern lights previously mentioned an erupting volcano.

Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove, a Belgian photographer who lives in Iceland, took these outstanding visuals of the northern lights earlier mentioned the active Fagradalsfall volcano in Iceland on April 15.

Van Nieuwenhove says he has been fascinated by the thought of capturing these two pure phenomena in one particular shot — following he initial briefly managed to seize the northern lights and the volcanic eruption collectively in 2021.

A stunning display of the northern lights in a dark sky above a vibrant, expansive ground fire emitting glowing flames and smoke.

A dramatic scene where the northern lights illuminate the sky with green and purple hues above an erupting volcano spewing red lava and billowing smoke.

A vivid scene displaying the northern lights in the sky above a fiery volcanic eruption at night, illuminating the dark landscape with radiant colors.

“In 2021, through the 1st eruption I photographed at the Fagradalsfall volcano in Iceland, I had this thought of attempting to seize the northern lights higher than an lively eruption,” Van Nieuwenhove tells PetaPixel.

“To me, it is a legendary sort of photograph and I puzzled if it would even be probable to capture this in just one frame. It appears to be just about surreal and extremely hard to capture two of the most elusive natural phenomena in Iceland in 1 photograph.

“I manufactured quite a few attempts in the course of that eruption to capture that shot. A person night time, I managed to take 1 shot of a moment that lasted probably 1 minute.

“Ever considering the fact that, I have dreamed of going through that exceptional minute once again. With just about every eruption that occurred due to the fact then (we have had seven now), I thought about that chance and regardless of whether I would see it once again.”

‘Far From a Easy Shot’

Due to the fact then, Van Nieuwenhove, who has develop into well-recognised for his amazing pictures of energetic volcanos, has attempted to capture this distinctive moment all over again on several occassions.

Having said that, the conditions ended up by no means ideal or the northern lights were being not robust plenty of for a photograph.

A camera on a tripod capturing the aurora borealis and a volcanic eruption at night, with a fiery lava flow and a green-lit sky visible on its display screen.

The photographer suggests that it was exceptionally challenging to shoot the two purely natural phenomena together in a one body due to the unique gentle intensities and the quick motion of distinct aspects these as the lava, gasoline, and the aurora.

“Even nevertheless this shot may look basic, it is significantly from it,” Van Nieuwenhove states.

“There are a lot of hurdles to triumph over. Before you can even get started to shoot, you require the right minute exactly where the northern lights are quite sturdy and you need to have an approachable volcanic eruption.

“The most obvious technological hurdle is the actuality that the light-weight depth of the aurora and the lava is vastly distinctive. To the eye, lava is much, considerably brighter than the northern lights are — even if the aurora is genuinely intensive.”

‘Photography is About Memories’

On the other hand, on April 15, Van Nieuwenhove managed to seize the northern lights above the lively Fagradalsfall volcano in a collection of amazing shots. The visuals were being mostly taken on a Canon EOS R5 with an RF 14-35mm f/4.

Van Nieuwenhove suggests that some photographers may have preferred to make a composite impression of the erupting volcano along with the northern lights provided the complicated conditions — but that would by no means have felt appropriate to him.

“For me, images is about recollections, staying outdoor, and dealing with things,” Van Nieuwenhove states.

“It’s not investing hrs at the rear of my laptop or computer producing an picture I hoped I would seize.”

For more from Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove, see his website, Instagram, and Fb.


 
Graphic credits: All shots by Jeroen Van Nieuwenhove.