PICTURES: Northern lights captured by Nairn photographer
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
LAST week's spell of Aurora Borealis was captured by a Nairn-based photographer.
Photographer Liz Peck was at her home in Clephanton when she seized the opportunity to capture the Dancing Lady.
She said: "The sky had been cloudy all evening although folk on the west coast were reporting great aurora. I peeped out around 10.15pm and the stars were bright. I rushed outside and walked down the footpath opposite the house to be met with a sky that was glowing and moving, all visible to the naked eye."
Mrs Peck said she is a keen night sky photographer and she described her quest to portray the northern lights.
"Several adjectives describe aurora hunters: determined; hardy; dogged, but crazy is probably the most apt," she said.
"There are never many people about on freezing cold nights so those that are, are probably night sky photographers/aurora hunters. We don’t sleep much.
"As with many things, location is key. Dark sky is a must for perfect aurora photography but, here in Nairnshire, the view north is somewhat blighted by the permanent glow from the Port of Cromarty Firth and, often, by ships anchored just outside the Port in direct view of those photographing the night sky, but we work with what we have!
"A clear view to the northern horizon is always on the aurora photographer’s wish list. Dark, clear sky, a clear view to the northern horizon and no moon. Perfect recipe.
"Each photographer has their own style of course, and personally I prefer a wide view of the aurora so that I can incorporate a landscape (or seascape) in my shots. Because of this I prefer there to be a moon to light up my foreground but to others, the moon is a curse! There is no right or wrong."
"Where to go for the best aurora shots? Well, the entire sea front at Nairn is great (apart from the Cromarty glow) and you can get good shots even from the well lit car park in the harbour. Venture to East Beach and the street lights don’t intrude quite so much. For darker sky (although still the Cromarty Glow) folk head out to Lochindorb. You can usually find one or two tripods lurking at the edge of the water! Even Inverness offers good vantage points although exposure is a little trickier because of the city lights."
"Of course the very best locations are a well kept secret!"
