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The haunting
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The haunting

by Roel Wijtmans

Gallery: LandscapePosted April 18, 20151,558 views10 comments

This is taken one hour or so after my photo "phoenix rising". At this point the intensity had become much less, but also the appearance had changed a lot. Parts of the sky would just turn on and off like a disco. To me, this photo has the appearance of a ghost haunting me, but that might be just my imagination, haha.

As a side note, at the time when I took "phoenix rising", I actually managed to overexpose an aurora shot, it was that intense! I never expected to overexpose an aurora shot I must say....

14 mm, ISO 3200, 5 s, f/3.5. Rago national park, Norway.

C&C welcome, large version is included!

Roel

Comments

10 comments
Comment posted by Jean C Cajolet on April 18, 2015 at 1:09 PM

I like this picture a lot. Stars in the aurora, colors and the composition it's like the aurora is starting between the two hills. Bravo!

 

-jc

 

Registered on April 28, 2014, 53 Posts, 532 Comments
Comment posted by Gary Reed on April 18, 2015 at 1:37 PM

I like the position of the colours in the sky. Nice balance and clear stars!

Registered on September 19, 2009, 198 Posts, 1074 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on April 18, 2015 at 7:03 PM

Roel, this has a fine, quiet elegance, with the aurora appearing like clouds.  The stars showing is a great addition.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments
Comment posted by Igor Doncov on April 18, 2015 at 8:25 PM

Roel,

I know you've shot this subject numerous times, as have others, but I really think it's your best. This is partly due to a more unsual structure that these lights had on the this night but much of it has to do with the shade of green that you chose to impart to these lights. These rich greens work beautifully with the dark blue/ black sky. It's really almost light an abstract. A splash of paint. I think you're on to something here and can probably continue with this new interpretation. Great job.

BTW, the first time I saw this and read the title I thought of your countryman's painting "The Scream".

Registered on November 22, 2014, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments
Comment posted by Carey Closs on April 18, 2015 at 11:26 PM

Beautiful color and patterns in the aurora.

Registered on April 15, 2012, 107 Posts, 326 Comments
Comment posted by Roel Wijtmans on April 19, 2015 at 3:27 AM

Thanks for the comments all!

Igor, that's an interesting comparison, I had not thought of that. But I see what you mean! Oh, and I am not Norwegian, I'm actually a Dutch guy living in Sweden, occasionally making trips in Norway cool.
 

Registered on September 30, 2012, 116 Posts, 2257 Comments
Comment posted by Ryan Shain on April 19, 2015 at 10:26 PM

WOW Roel,

This image is so very unique in every way. The splash of the green light is enchanting, yet haunting all at the same time. The framing is very nice with the forest anchoring the bottom, and the contrasts are just right.

 

Excellent work!!!! devil

 

 

Registered on February 20, 2007, 226 Posts, 4571 Comments
Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on April 20, 2015 at 9:21 AM

Extremely cool.

Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments
Comment posted by D.A. Edwards on April 20, 2015 at 12:08 PM

Very effective aurora with stars rendition, I like the purple accents. Not sure about the single large green spot within the trees... if it were mine I'd probably clone that away. Great image!

Registered on October 8, 2014, 226 Posts, 1187 Comments
Comment posted by Alberto Patiño on April 20, 2015 at 3:05 PM

I can see the ghost, but to me the most beautiful aspect of this image is the strong sense of the lights spreading out from a well-defined radiant. I remember seeing some spectacular auroras with just this "radiant" pattern just outside Tromsø many years ago, before digital, so my slides were completely useless.... your aurora pictures have more or less made up my mind of heading up there next winter (last time somebody else paid for it, as I was working up there, this time it will be on me...). Thanks for sharing!

Registered on December 2, 2014, 278 Posts, 1736 Comments