#19 “Storm Over Sukakpak” By Nickolas Warner
Image source: capturetheatlas
Alaska, USA
“Located approximately 70 miles North of the Arctic Circle, Sukakpak Mountain is one of the most beautiful peaks in the Brooks Mountain Range. While I have photographed the Northern Lights in this area on numerous occasions, the most photogenic angle typically faces south, making it a bit challenging for auroras to align with the mountain.
That night, there was an expectation of an X-Class flare hitting, so I knew we needed to head somewhere great. We took our chances and decided to drive an hour north from our accommodation to capture Sukakpak Mountain in all its glory.
It’s very tempting to pull over and shoot where you are standing when the aurora is blazing above your head. When we got there, the sky exploded with more energy than I’ve seen in more than a decade of photographing the Aurora. Attempts to capture Northern Lights that intense resulted in a blurry mess. Instead, we ignored the cameras and stared up in awe as to not miss the light show.
It was only once things slowed down that I captured this panorama.”