HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

UPDATE: JAN 2026

Pamela Goodyer guides you through how to prepare for and shoot the Northern Lights.

**Prepare in Advance if you use a cell phone—Buy a tripod now. Remember that using long exposure to let more light into the camera can result in a blurry image with even slight movements. Therefore, a tripod is vital for keeping the phone steady.

These photos were all done with an ISO of 100, shutter speeds between 6 and 15 seconds and an aperture of 2.8.

PHOTOGRAPHING NORTHERN LIGHTS – MATAWAN, NEW JERSEY

The house is called the “Ryer House” or “Big Blue House,” as we call it.

In October 2024, the forecast indicated that the northern lights might be seen in New Jersey. I was eager to photograph this rare event, but eventually became overwhelmed by traveling and finding the correct dark sky location. I gave up before I even began.

Instead of chasing the lights across the state, I decided to head to the old Blue House on Main Street in Matawan and take some photos, as I had done before. I was disappointed in myself, but I was exhausted, and I am not sure how unmotivated.

So I got to the Blue House, and I started taking pictures standing in the parking lot of the Church and on the sidewalk next to the house. I said to myself, “Self, why don’t you just manifest the Northern Lights to meet you here and show up with this incredible blue house as the foreground?”

A few seconds after I said that, the sky erupted with an explosion of color that tore through the heavens. The atmosphere shifted the hues surged, painting the sky in my favorite fuchsia color with purple!

I actually think I panicked. Unsure how long it would last, I needed to get positioned for the perfect shot and get the settings right on the camera. I took a few deep breaths, repeating aloud, ” Oh, my God, Oh my God ” several times. I got my camera set, I got a few good shots, then the panic turned to becoming ecstatic. Now that I knew I had several shots, there was no need to panic.

So I moved around taking shots, and I got some good ones from the sidewalk in front of the house. In the meantime, the police were on their way. I was able to get about twenty-five shots in all before the Northern Lights faded away.

I had a photographer’s high like I had never had in my life, and I have had many more than most. I was at the perfect spot in front of the blue house in Matawan when the Universe aligned.

The police arrived, and some had called on me for taking pictures. When the cops rolled up, I was so excited that I forgot they had a job to do. I said, “Look, look!!! I got the Northern Lights with the house!” I think my excitement was contagious. They verified that I was taking pictures and was no threat to anyone, and we quickly went back to the Northern Lights images on my camera.

The officers were incredibly friendly and just great guys. We talked briefly about my past experiences as the Deputy Director of a police academy and my earlier role as an auxiliary police officer. Then, I came up with a great idea: let’s have the officers pose in front of the house. That’s how the picture of the officers above came to be.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have a flash to get it technically correct, but it was a great experience. One that I will never forget. To this day, I still wonder how intense my power of manifestation is. I called upon the Northern Lights, and they suddenly appeared.

FOR DSLR OR MIRRORLESS CAMERAS

You MUST be on a tripod.
Set your camera in Manual Mode.
Set your Aperture to a low F/stop such as 5.6 (If you are not concerned about depth of field, set it to 2.8 or the lowest the lens allows.)
Set your ISO to approximately 800 (depending on how much light you have and how dark the northern lights will be).
Scroll your shutter speed looking at your camera’s built-in light meter until it reaches “0”.
Set your camera’s 2-second timer to avoid camera shake.
Tap something in the foreground on the back of the screen for focus, and if your camera allows it, take the picture by tapping.
You can adjust the settings from here. If it is too dark, increase your shutter speed, not your ISO.

FOR CELL PHONE SETTINGS

Set your phone to airplane mode. This will prevent calls from interrupting long-exposure photography and help save battery life, which is crucial in cold weather.
You need to be on a tripod so your phone does not move.
Turn on Night Mode or Manual/Pro Mode
Set your ISO: Start at approximately ISO 800–1600. (depending on how much light you have and how dark the northern lights will be.)
Set your shutter speed to about 5 or 10 seconds.
If your cell phone has a timer, set it to 2 seconds to prevent the camera from moving when you touch it to take the picture.
Focus or tap on something in the foreground to take the picture.
Make adjustments from here.

GEAR FOR CELL PHONE SHOTS:

Cell Phone Tripod Link to Purchase

Cell Phone Shutter Release Link to Purchase

SEE OUR HOW TO SHOOT MILKY WAY PHOTOGRAPHY ARTICLE

It is very similar to shooting the Northern Lights and the Milky Way.

THANK YOU, MATAWAN POLICE DEPARTMENT

SHOW APPRECIATION FOR A POLICE OFFICER TODAY… Each day, as they don their uniforms to serve their community, they willingly place their lives on the line. The article may have focused on an incident involving a potential trespasser—me—but the broader scope of law enforcement’s dedication to maintaining our safety deserves recognition and respect. Their unwavering commitment to protect and serve is a testament to their bravery and should be honored by all.

We Ghost Hunted the Ryer House Before the Renovation

We have documented the old house and have several images of the crumbling house. You can take pictures without going on the property. We do not mean we went inside. We photographed the Ryer House from the outside. Maybe someday we will be invited into the interior.

The Matawan Blue House on Main Street at night before it was renovated.

The Ryer House, Main Street Matawan, N.J. from a drone view with dark clouds and some sunlight ony on the house.

The historic Ryer Residence, commonly known as the “Big Blue House,” is on Main Street in Matawan, New Jersey.

The Big Blue House has been renovated into an apartment building. We visited a few weeks ago and were impressed with the changes.

This remarkable Victorian structure was erected in 1873 for David G. Ryer, a successful produce trader based in New York City. In 1873, Ryer moved his family to Matawan, where he later served as one of the town’s inaugural Mayors. He resided in the “Azure Estate” until he died in 1899.

If you decide to go here to photograph the Northern Lights, make sure you stay on the sidewalk like I did. I am always respectful when traveling the world doing photography, as I wish everyone else were.