11 stunning images from the Northern Lights Photographer of the Year awards

Last updated: 2025/12/30 at 9:40 AM

News Room Published 30 December 2025

The aurora borealis (in the Northern Hemisphere) or aurora australis (in the Southern Hemisphere) is a stunning natural phenomenon, famous worldwide for its breathtaking display. The eighth edition of The Northern Lights Photographer of the Year brings together the most extraordinary aurora images captured around the world over the past year. Here’s just a few… (Picture: Vincent Beudez)

Photographer Vincent Beudez said: ‘For me, Northern Lights photography is always about capturing unique moments; snapshots of this rare natural phenomenon. This is why I never use very long exposures. I took this photograph on October 29th, 2025, near Tromso, Norway. A few seconds before capturing this scene, there was a wall containing colored layers green and red, not uncommon during a substorm. But it suddenly became unstructured when a dancing corona appeared above it. I’ve seen plenty of aurora shows in my life, but nothing like this. And it happened in a location I’ve always wanted to photograph. It’s all about perseverance! Standing beneath this auroral corona, I felt like I was standing in a natural cathedral with vibrant layers of color and light radiating toward me. I was super lucky to capture this shot, and my best advice is to be patient and do your research, the hard work pays off!’ (Picture: Vincent Beudez)

Photographer Nikki Born said: ‘This night was truly unforgettable. Capturing the famous frozen trees of Riisitunturi beneath the Northern Lights had been a dream for years. In March 2025, we set out to make it happen, but the weather challenged us with thick clouds all week. On our final night, we hiked into the park, hoping for a glimpse of the sky. The wind was biting, and we took shelter among the frozen trees, waiting in silence. After hours of nothing, we finally gave up and began the hike back to our cabin. Then, just as we were about to call it a night, a break appeared in the clouds. We grabbed our gear and hurried back up the Riisitunturi Hill. The moment we reached the top, the sky burst into vivid shades of green. It was an explosion of light and wonder. This night was the experience of a lifetime: the dream shot I had longed for and a moment that words can hardly describe. Photographing the Northern Lights demands patience and persistence, but when they finally appear, time stands still, and nature reminds you just how amazing our world can be.’ (Picture: Nikki Born)

Photographer Tori Harp said: ‘I originally found this ice cave, called a moulin, eight months prior to setting up this shot in Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park. Glaciers are a very dynamic environment, so I kept going back to monitor the changes of this moulin over the eight-month period. As the opening of the cave formed, I envisioned setting up a night shot with my friend abseiling down the mouth of the cave with New Zealand’s amazing starry sky in the background. One magical night, everything finally came together! To my surprise, the Aurora Australis also lit up the sky. I managed to capture my friend’s silhouette perfectly placed in the center of the cave’s opening, and I love how the pinky tones of the aurora contrast with the icy colors of the cave. This dream shot ended up coming out better than I had originally envisioned, and I had a great night with my friends exploring the glacier!’ (Picture: Tori Harp)

Photographer Roi Levi said: ‘This image was captured during the March Equinox, as a geomagnetic storm structure brought a mesmerizing light show. A full-zenith Auroral Corona erupted overhead – powerful, bright pillars of light radiated across the sky, creating a stunning crown-light blast shape. This rare phenomenon occurred on March 21, 2025, when a CME struck Earth, triggering a G2 geomagnetic storm. The shot is a 360 degree panoramic stitch of 21 frames, capturing the entire Aurora shape and a complete sky view. I used a Sigma Art fast f/1.4 lens to get a fast exposure and capture the pillar structure. Kirkjufell is one of Iceland’s most iconic mountains, and witnessing the aurora here was a one-of-a-kind experience. With the Kirkjufellsfoss waterfalls in the foreground, this image is a dynamic representation of the sweeping auroral corona.’ (Picture: Roi Levi)

Photographer Douglas Thorne said: ‘This was an aurora that just kept on giving all night! I was at Cascade Creek in Fiordland, New Zealand, admiring the natural beauty of the rugged forest, dainty wildflowers, and bubbling stream. I had an idea of getting the purple lupins in the foreground with the Aurora behind, but I didn’t know exactly where the flowers were at the time. This particular shot was taken at my second location for the night, as my first stop had barely any lupins showing. I spent quite some time walking up and down this area to find this composition, and in the end, it was well worth it. I love how it shows the mountains, creek, forest, and lupins all together with a coherent color scheme. I took six images to create this panorama. (Picture: Douglas Thorne)

Photographer Sara Aurorae said: ‘On New Year’s Day, beneath the dark Australian sky, my friends and I were met by celestial fireworks with the Aurora Australis unfurling in a sudden, breathtaking bloom above our quiet campsite in the Otways of Victoria. Ribbons of rose, violet, and green shimmered, visible even to the naked eye, as if the universe itself had heard our resolutions for 2025 and joined in our celebration. The spectacle arrived without warning, giving me only moments to reach for my camera. Though the foreground may be plain, I don’t mind it, as the lines of trees on the right lead your eye to the stunning light show in the sky. This photograph holds something far greater — a reminder that even in life’s simplest scenes, magic can find us when we least expect it.’ (Picture: Sara Aurorae)

Photographer Pablo Ruiz said: ‘Without a doubt, one of the most challenging aurora panoramas I’ve ever taken was this one at one of Iceland’s most spectacular locations. Capturing a panorama with reflections and auroras that move so quickly is quite difficult. It was the photograph of my dreams, so I arrived in the afternoon to prepare the angles and options for the night. Clear skies and very little wind looked perfect for capturing reflections in the different pools. Auroras were already visible in the sky during the blue hour, so I quickly headed to the spot where I had planned the composition. The wind shifted, making it difficult to capture the reflections, but the moment the sky exploded, the wind stopped, and for a few brief moments, I achieved my dream photograph. It was a great joy to witness and capture such a moment.’ (Picture: Pablo Ruiz Garcia)

Photographer Giulio Cobianchi said: ‘Autumn in the Arctic is the best time to capture the ‘double arc’ of the Milky Way and the Aurora Borealis. The nights have finally turned dark again after the endless summer days when the sun never sets. The summer Milky Way is already high in the sky shortly after sunset, and the Northern Lights return to dance across the sky in bands of pink, red, violet, and green. During my last tour in September, I captured this 360 degree panoramic image at the border between Haukland and Vik Beach, where rugged mountains meet the wild Norwegian Sea. The intense Northern Lights and the bright moonlight softened the Milky Way, but the combination of all these elements in the Arctic sky felt absolutely magical, just as the Lofoten Islands always do.’ (Picture: Giulio Cobianchi)

Photographer Daniel Mickleson said: ‘A rare aurora event lit the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island in vivid curtains of pink and green. In the foreground, the rock formations known as the Three Sisters stand as guardians of the shoreline, while the sacred Taranaki Maunga rises in the distance. Within Te ao Māori (the Māori worldview), such natural features are not just landscapes but ancestral presences, carrying the role of guardianship. Beneath the aurora, earth, sky, and ancestry converge in a moment both fleeting and timeless. After capturing my first aurora during the May 2024 storm, I was hooked. Travelling several hours from my home to this special location, I hoped the forecasts would be correct. Even with a near full moon, the powerful display shone across the sky. I could see the beams dancing overhead, a truly spectacular sight.’ (Picture: Daniel Mickleson)

Photographer Mari Jääskeläinen said: ‘I step outside and take a look at the sky above my house. It’s time. I feel the adrenaline rush in as I gather my gear and put on more warm clothes. Just a quick drive to the lake nearby and I’m all set up for the night! During active nights, I always follow the real-time solar wind data to predict what’s yet to come. On this night, there were no significant CMEs as far as I remember. And I was perfectly fine with that, as this could be the night when I finally get the shot I’ve dreamed about for a long time.
In my mind, I imagine the Northern Lights creating a clear, bright green spiral to the northern sky, just above the trees, so the foreground would fit perfectly into the frame. I couldn’t believe my eyes when the auroral arc started taking the exact shape I had only dreamed about for so long! Perfect reminder of how beautiful these subtle auroras can be!’ (Picture: Mari Jääskeläinen)

Photographer Virgil Reglioni said: ‘Behind every image lies a deliberate process — a fusion of coordination, timing, and technical precision carried out from a ship navigating some of the harshest conditions on Earth. Photographing the aurora over the ice is never about luck; it’s the result of preparation, teamwork, and experience. From the ship’s bridge to the camera deck, every movement is carefully planned to give the lights their best possible stage. During the day, we navigated through fields of icebergs, scouting for the perfect one — a curve, a ridge, or a translucent arch to anchor the composition. Guided by how the aurora moves across the Greenlandic sky, we aligned our chosen iceberg and ship precisely, uniting earth, ice, and sky in one luminous image. Working closely with the bridge crew, we searched for newly formed ice strong enough to hold the vessel steady. A stable platform was vital — it allowed us to capture long exposures between half a second and two seconds, every moment of stillness essential as the aurora began to dance above. When the Northern Lights intensified, our focus shifted. We exposed for the highlights, preserving the delicate shapes of light without losing their definition. Each frame became a balance between nature’s raw power and the patience of observation.’ (Picture: Virgil Reglioni)

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