How to Photograph in the Arctic

Dec 24

A guide to above and underwater photography in the Arctic

By Casper Douma

Introduction

The Arctic is one of the most awe-inspiring regions on Earth — from dancing northern lights above frozen fjords to orcas gliding beneath the ice.
Photographing in such extreme conditions demands technical skill, preparation, and deep respect for nature.

1 – Understanding the environment

  • Temperatures range from +5 °C to –25 °C.

  • Light changes fast: golden daylight, blue hour, polar night.

  • Snow, ice, condensation, and wind affect both exposure and gear.

  • Weather dictates composition and safety.

Tip: plan your shoot with Windy, Clear Outside, or Aurora Forecast. Also YR is a good app.

2 – Above-water equipment

Camera & lenses

  • Canon R3 / R5, Sony A9 III, Nikon Z8 → fast autofocus and wide dynamic range.

  • Lenses:

    • 14–35 mm wide-angle for landscapes & aurora.

    • 70–200 mm for wildlife.

    • 24 mm f/1.4 for aurora light.

  • Make sure you’ve got the biggest aperture possible. 1.4, 1.8 and 2.8 are great!

3 - Accessories

  • Carbon tripod with spikes.

  • Remote shutter or interval timer.

  • Extra batteries (keep warm with hand warmers)

4 – Underwater equipment

  • Nauticam or SeaFrogs housing with dome port.

  • Leak detection system and anti-fog pads.

  • Dual strobe arms (Inon, Sea&Sea, Godox).

  • Red filter or white-balance card.

  • DJI Action 6 (good in low-light situations)

5 – Clothing & protection

Above water:

  • Base layer – merino wool

  • Mid layer – fleece or down

  • Outer shell – wind & waterproof

  • Liner glove + insulated over-glove

Underwater:

  • Dry suit with thermal undersuit.

  • Hand & Foot warmers

  • Double socks

  • The more thin layers the better

6 – Exposure in extreme cold

  • Cold affects sensor and battery life → keep camera in bag between temperature changes.

  • Use a handwarmer on your lens

  • Avoid condensation by letting gear acclimatize in a sealed bag.

  • Use manual exposure in snow (snow often tricks your meter).

Starting points:

  • Landscape f/8 – 1/500 s – ISO 200

  • Aurora f/2.8 – 10–20 s – ISO 1600–8000

  • Make sure you’ve got the biggest aperture possible. 1.4, 1.8 and 2.8 are great!

7 – Northern Lights photography

  • Sturdy tripod and manual focus on infinity (bright star in live-view).

  • ISO 1600–8000 | f/1.8–2.8 | 1–8 seconds shutter.

  • White balance 3500–4000 K for natural greens.

  • Always shoot RAW.

Pro tip: use a headlamp for foreground light painting.

Safety: never snorkel alone; check dry suit seals. Make sure you go on an organized trip.

8– Workflow & post-production

  • Color correction: use LUTs or profiles for Arctic light or D-Log footage.

  • Exposure: lift under-exposed snow and adjust green aurora tones.

  • Storage: keep SD cards dry with silica gel.

  • Back-up: two drives — one SSD + one cloud copy.

The Arctic is fragile
Move slowly, avoid disturbing wildlife, and leave no trace.
Photograph with respect — and let your images tell the story of a world worth protecting.

If you need help or you want more info? Send me an email