#4 “Spring Fireworks” By Ole Salomonsen
Tromso, Norway
“This image was captured on April 10th, 2019, at the very end of the aurora season in the Arctic. Most photographers had given up on the auroras by that date, but I didn’t want to surrender just yet. I have been chasing the Northern Lights for 10+ years now, and I know that they are quite unpredictable. However, some of my best Aurora captures have indeed resulted from unexpected events or uncertain forecasts.
That night was one of those when the forecast was uncertain, but I decided to go out to this fantastic location called Ersfjordbotn, which is a 20-min drive from the City of Tromsø, and I was so glad that I did it. A magnificent display took place over my head after one hour of waiting. I shot many different images, but this one stretching all over the sky with me standing on the rock in the foreground shows very well how amazing and large the auroras can be.
The Aurora Borealis, for me, is a wonder of the world. It is the most magnificent celestial and astronomical observation we can make with our eyes. Although most Northern Lights move slowly or appear static, if you are lucky like I was that night, you can enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I think that everyone should put ‘chasing the Northern Lights’ on their bucket list. It is definitely something you should witness and experience with your own eyes.”