Photographing Ice Climbers in the Arctic Circle

Photography Tips

After wanting to photograph ice climbers doing their thing set amidst an aurora borealis background for many years, Ray Demski knew that 2014 was the year to take on the challenge. Thanks to a peaking solar cycle, the winter of 2014 promised to be one of the best times to view the aurora. Join Demski as he sets out to create the photographs of his dreams:

Demski asked a fellow ice climber and friend, Alex Luger, to come along and serve as the subject of his photographs. More than happy with the challenge in front of them, Demski and Luger set out to Lyngen, Norway where they spent the first few nights in disappointment because the aurora was too faint. They ultimately decided to switch their location in hopes of better luck.

The location change was exactly what they needed. The first night at the new spot, the sky began glowing as aurora borealis made her presence known. Dealing with only a short window of decent weather, they quickly found their location and got set up. To capture the shots Demski wanted, he often found himself hanging from the side of a rock wall with his camera and tripod suspended in similar fashion.

In the end, all their hard work paid off.