Aurora Borealis Photography in Lapland

dr.kol · 2015-01-03T04:25:56Z

Explore dr.kol's stunning photos of the Aurora Borealis from Lapland. Discover challenges of Arctic photography and watch collecting insights.

dr.kol

WPS member · Horological Meandering forum

27 replies3034 views9 photos

dr.kol shares a unique photographic journey from Lapland, capturing the ethereal beauty of the Arctic landscape and the Aurora Borealis. This post, while initially intended for wrist shots, evolves into a stunning display of natural phenomena, offering readers a glimpse into the challenges and rewards of photography in extreme conditions. dr.kol's experience highlights the unexpected wonders encountered when pursuing a passion for photography and watches.

First of all, I wish all members of PuristSPro a very good new year.

I spend together with my family Christmas and New Year in Lapland, some 250 km north of the Polar Circle. I also had an idea... I took several watches with me and bought the new Leica D-Lux. The idea was to take a lot of wrist shots in natural light.

However, the day in the arctic is very short. The sun remains all the day below the horizon and for an hour around noon there is some daylight. The rest of the day it is either quite dark or totally dark. Or so I thought...

Here is the only semi-decent wrist shot I made during over two weeks we staid in Lapland.

The nights were supposed to be totally dark. However, every day it was quite cold, always below minus 25 degrees. This means that there were no clouds and I took several pictures of the afternoon and night sky. Indeed, the fireworks welcoming the new year were not very interesting after 8 days of Aurora Borealis.

These are pictures taken with an automatic pocket camera and they give just a slight idea how the sky looks in Lapland. According to NASA the sun activity was "low" during those night. Next time we go to our holiday house, I will take a better camera with me if there is any sun activity at all and the weather forecast is promising bright nights.

Best, Kari

Key Points from the Discussion

The contributor details their extensive log cabin in Lapland, equipped with 8 bedrooms and 2 saunas, and mentions ordering an extension piece for an AP bracelet and an extra link for a 15202, indicating a focus on watch comfort and fit.
A fellow member provides recommendations for watch shopping and places to stay in Singapore, including MBS and ION, and offers assistance during the contributor's upcoming visit.
The contributor expresses disappointment with the service and knowledge at Patek, Breguet, and Blancpain boutiques in Singapore during a previous visit, contrasting it with the excellent service received at the AP Boutique.
The contributor mentions plans for a meet-up with a Singapore friend during their visit, indicating community engagement.
The contributor invites others to visit their log house in Lapland to experience the Aurora Borealis, noting that winter is the best time to see them.

The Discussion

dr.kol

Jan 3, 2015

It is quite sophisticated and keep in mind that the photos are taken in darkness. I still need to read the instructions but it looks like the camera has developed since my D-Lux 6 and naturally, the new lens is wonderful. Best, Kari

blomman Mr Blue

Jan 3, 2015

Natures best fireworks! :) Happy New Year! Best Blomman

dr.kol

Jan 3, 2015

Being a Swede, you are surely familiar with AuroraBorealis. Occasionally those can be seen also in Stockholm and I just heard that a couple of days ago those were visible in Tallinn. However, Arctic is the best place to see these fireworks. Mvh, Kari

jrwong23 (aka watchthebin)

Jan 3, 2015

Very well taken Kari! Thanks for sharing and happy New Year! Hope you had a great time with your family. :) Cheers Robin

dr.kol

Jan 3, 2015

In two weeks I will be with my wife and youngest in Singapore again. We will stay, like in November, in Mandarin Oriental. We spent a lot of time around the pool (there is a smoking area) and could see every evening a light show. However, those were thunderstorms. I guess the weather there will be pretty much the same also in the middle of January? Best, Kari

dr.kol

Jan 3, 2015

D-Lux 4, 5 & 6 and feel that this new version is the best till now. Especially the lens is stunning. I'm sure that this camera would serve you very well with your watch pictures. Best, Kari

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