aren't special effects.

This is the greatest natural light show on Earth.

You can only see these bright lights dance across the sky

during a phenomenon called the Northern Lights.

Every year, thousands of people flock to Iceland

and hope to see the Northern Lights.

If you want to capture the Northern Lights,

you absolutely have to come to the Westfjords.

I'm Asa Steinars a nature photographer,

professional drone pilot, and outdoor enthusiast.

I'm born and raised in Iceland, the home of the Northern Lights

The Northern Lights happen when solar winds reach

the magnetic field of the Earth and collide with particles

of the atmosphere creating light.

You've probably seen thousands of Northern Light photos

before, but in this film, I'm going

to show you how you capture your own photos

and how to make the most out of your trip to Iceland.

The Westfjords, they sit at the edge of the Arctic Circle,

and they are as far North as you can get to in Iceland.

Iceland is a small country, but even by our standards

this is a remote area.

The small population and the very rural towns

means that there is very little light pollution here.

Also, the steep mountains and the beautiful fjords

make a perfect backdrop for the northern lights.

Preparation is everything before heading to the Westfjords

in winter, because you can really

expect any types of weather.

Snowstorms and wind is quite common.

Dress warm and trust me on this one.

You want to have a wool thermal, a winter jacket,

and of course gloves and a beanie, winter boots,

and definitely don't forget your swimsuit.

When it comes to capturing the northern lights,

your phone isn't going to cut it.

So, you're going to want to plan a little bit with camera gear

where we'll go into a few more tips about that later.

The conditions in the Westfjords,

they can be quite brutal, so we do

recommend that you get a 4 by 4 vehicle to drive there.

Location and weather conditions are key,

because even with a clear sky the Northern Lights

aren't out every night.

So there's one more forecast you're going to need to check,

and that is the KP index.

This is the geomagnetic forecast.

It predicts the probability of a geomagnetic storm

on a scale of 0 to 9, and the higher this number is,

the more likely you are to catch the northern lights.

In the Westfjords, a KP index of 2 or higher

is ideal, so check this along with cloud coverage

to maximize your luck.

In winter time, the daylight is quite limited,

and you have to make the most out of your day.

I'm here in Bildudalur which is located

in the South of the Westfjords.

I can highly recommend to go fishing,

because in winter you actually catch the big ones.

So I'm going to head out there and try

to catch dinner for tonight.

Now we are here on my boat, Beffa.

Main fish here is a cod, and I'm pretty sure we

will catch a fish today.

The locals say that if we haven't caught anything

in 60 seconds it's a bad spot, so let's see

if that's actually true.

So, we have to feel the button, and then we

start doing the magic tricks.

I think I have something.

Uh-oh.

OK, now I felt a little bit like it went off.

No, it's still on.

It's still on.

Oh, wow.

So, this is a cod, a very common fish

to catch in the Icelandic oceans.

And I think this looks pretty decent for dinner.

To make it really easy, just basically like

how it was done when I was a kid, flour,

you put some nice herbs in it, flip it over easy,

and then put it on the pan.

And it should be perfect.

Let's see.

That's good.

Now all we need is the Northern Lights to come out,

and this will be the perfect evening.

The sun set down a few hours ago, and we're still waiting.

We haven't seen any lights yet.

I was really hoping that tonight would be the night,

but, yeah, no luck so far.

I give up.

So, onto the next adventure.

Every year, I love coming to the Westfjords for winter sports.

Here you have some of the most epic

skiing in the world with the fjords as a view,

and you can ski all the way down to the ocean.

What's unique about the mountains

here is that they are flat on the top carved by the Ice Age

glaciers, so you can actually drive a snowmobile all the way

to the top and cruise around.

Westfjords winter edition.

If you want an off-grid adventure,

then hopping on an ATV and explore the fjords.

It's rare to find forests in Iceland,

but there is actually one here in Isafjordur.

It only took 30 seconds to drive through the forest,

so you can imagine the size of it.

No day in the Westfjords is complete without a visit

to a hot spring.

The hot spring and the thermal waters

are a big part of the Icelandic culture.

This is the Icelandic way of waiting

for the Northern Lights.

The KP index for tonight is a 7 out of 9 which is really high.

A number that high means that there's

an ongoing solar storm, which is what

produces the Northern Lights.

The solar storm has actually already started,

but it's not visible until after the sky is completely dark.

So we'll just have to wait and hope

that the clouds will stay away.

I find it best to scout our location in advance when

shooting the Northern Lights.

What's important is to have a steady tripod,

and then you're going to want to shoot with a high aperture,

and then keep the camera still so you get that long exposure

photo.

When shooting the Northern Lights,

I like to have something in the foreground

to make the image look more interesting.

So I think this hut is perfect for example,

and if the lights come out and dance above the mountain range,

I think it would be a pretty cool photo.

Make sure that you have all of your batteries charged

as the cold will drain them quickly

and that you're ready to start snapping

the moment the Northern Lights appear.

They will only peak for around 15 to 30 minutes,

so you have to be ready when the sky starts to dance.

Wow.

They're out.

They are so strong tonight.

They're purple now there.

They're dancing.

When you see them you get reminded of what

a unique experience this is.

Yeah, let's go and capture them.

So I want to get to the hut that I scouted earlier,

because I think it's going to make

a really incredible photograph.

The conditions are super perfect.

The tripod is here to give it super study.

It's showtime.

Now, this is why I love the Westfjords.

Thank you so much for watching Lonely Planet.

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