Alaska is one of the world's most beautiful and truly magical places. Join us as we help you capture the best of Fairbanks and the Aurora.
Join us for an unforgettable Aurora adventure in Alaska, where we help simplify your goals. We find you the best skies and you get to focus on experiencing the Northern Lights.
We’ll head out in search of clear, dark skies, and the Aurora, making the most of Alaska’s incredible viewing conditions. In this region, the Aurora can often be visible for much of the night. Join us and find some of the best locations for viewing this spectacular display that nature has to offer. You don’t always need a major solar storm or a perfectly timed CME to witness an incredible show and if you’re hoping to bring the magic home with you, we’ve got you covered,
We’ll walk you through everything you need to know, from choosing the right gear, and apps to help you track and predict, to preparing your camera and mastering dark-sky settings, perfect for capturing those unforgettable Northern Lights photographs. Whether you’re new to night photography or looking to improve your skills, we’ll help you make the most of your time under the wild Alaska sky!
March 6 - 12, 2027
Group size: 5
Beginner - Intermediate Photographers
Field and Classroom learning
- Transportation to and from the Airport along with transportation during each outing, day and night.
- Lodge in a spacious shared 4 bedroom home with 3 bathrooms with all the amenities for a comfortable stay located in Fairbanks Alaska, just 10 minutes from downtown.
- Variety of shooting locations available and scouted with flexibility to travel to nearby areas if weather requires us to be mobile.
- While nothing is guaranteed in nature, we will use the best scientific tools and data available, combined with local knowledge plus a willingness to chase clear skies to give us excellent chances of photographing stunning views of the night sky.
- Small group post-processing instruction is included - you'll be able to develop your images from this workshop under expert instruction from two experienced Aurora photographers able to help you with 1-on-1 learning.
- Maximum of 5 participants means individual attention and stronger camaraderie and collaboration with fellow photographers.
- Red Cross First Aid / CPR Certified; we also travel with Starlink
- Workshop insurance with PPA
- Help with planning your trip from clothes, camera gear, and safety tips
Highlights of the Workshop
Day 6
- We wake up, have coffee, tea, and brekky, then start going through our teaching topics from 11 am to 2 pm
- Free time 2 pm - 6 pm
- 7 pm - get ourselves ready for going out for the night
- At least 3 days of classroom instruction. Schedule may vary depending on weather and night outings.
Day 2-5
Day 2-5
Day 1
This Aurora photography workshop concentrates on the following teaching topics:
- Proper camera and exposure settings for a wide variety of conditions
- Understanding effective compositions
- Planning and shooting composite images for clear foreground and sky
- Post-processing workflows
- Image editing in Adobe Lightroom Classic and Photoshop
- Planning your shot in the field and through the use of technology
- Overview of various resources for finding dark skies and predicting the Northern Lights
- Calculating exposure time based on focal length and sensor size / resolution
- How to manually focus for sharp night time images
- How to best handle your camera gear in negative temperatures
Teaching Topics
- Layered, warm clothing
- Sub- zero gear from head to toe
- Warm layers, light inner liner gloves with good exterior cold weather gloves top layer over them, hat that covers ears, jacket, shirts, warm wool socks, and footwear suitable for hiking and relatively cold weather overnight (**Avoid cotton in favor of wool fibers whenever possible)
- Hand warmers - electronic or disposable
- Water bottles / hydration packs
- Extra wool socks to layer as needed
Suggested Packing List
- Sturdy tripod with ball head
- Digital SLR and/or mirrorless camera body with full manual control, preferably full-frame sensor (although cropped / APS-C will work)
- Wide angle lens(es) with fast aperture (f2.8 or better). Some great lenses for night sky photography include the Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8, Canon 16-35mm f/2.8L III, Rokinon 14mm f/2.8 (or 24mm), Tamron 15-30mm f/2.8
- Basic headlamp that can be dimmed
- Remote shutter, basic intervalometer or a camera capable of a 2 sec delay.
- Muliple memory cards
- Extra batteries (at least 2 fully-charged batteries per night)
- Camera / lens cleaning supplies
- Laptop / Lightroom Classic software + file transfer accessories if you’d like to follow along during post-processing sessions
- Hard drives and file backup accessories
Recommended Equipment
Camera gear & equipment
Subzero gear (rentals are available)
Laptop and Lightroom Classic software
Meals ( We have a full kitchen and will share meals)
Personal expenses / tips / shopping etc
Travel Insurance (highly reccomended)
Any services not noted in "Trip Includes"
Trip Does NOT Include
All local ground transportation
Professional tour guide and driver throughout the workshop
Post-processing instruction throughout the workshop
Photography guiding and instruction throughout the trip
What’s Included
I grew up in Southern California but have been living in the Pacific Northwest for the past 23 years.
I started exploring the Pacific Northwest with my Canon Camera, photographing landscapes, nature, and the night sky over six years ago. Four years ago, I began working for a local Fairbanks company where I learned to lead groups and teach people how to photograph the Aurora. Now, as a seasonal local, I have spent more than 28 weeks in Fairbanks. There, I continue to work as an Aurora tour guide, hosting guests for six nights at a time. I teach my guests about the basics of the Aurora, the science behind it, the spiritual side of the Northern Lights, and all about Fairbanks and Alaska.
I also focus on basic photography skills and teach guests how to photograph the night sky. I love helping others capture the beauty of the Northern Lights. I want them to leave with not just a once-in-a-lifetime experience but also a captured memory they can hang on the wall to remind them how magical these lights and the Last Frontier are.
This winter, I am adding a photography workshop where I will teach basic Lightroom Classic skills, while my partner focuses on composition and helps with editing. I took several Lightroom Classic classes and started teaching the right way to use Lightroom a couple of years ago.
When I am not on photography trips, I design websites for photographers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs.
MEET THE PHOTOGRAPHERS
Aimee
Born and raised in Aumsville, Oregon, I moved to Washington State in 2005 and quickly fell in love with its natural beauty.
Art has always been my guiding passion, especially photography. As a self-taught, published photographer with nearly seven years of experience, I've been fortunate to turn my passion into a career. My husband, Sean Wheeler, and I run Tandem Wheels Photography; our gallery is located in the heart of downtown La Conner, Washington.
My work spans landscapes, macro, and weather photography, and capturing the magic of a nighttime sky. For the past five years, I've grown as a photographer, chasing storms across the USA and spending time in my local tulip fields, where we host a seasonal gallery each year, right in the fields. Where we display and sell our photography, do portraits and teach others to capture the beauty of the blooming season.
By challenge myself to find new perspectives in the same fields every day for over a month, dealing with different weather and lighting, composition and finding interesting perspectives has become second nature to me.
Every moment behind the camera in this beautiful world we call home, brings me joy. I'm always eager for the next adventure
and look forward to sharing my passion with others.
Amie
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