Dressed to Shoot
My approach to dressing for aurora shooting is pretty basic, and I find that most of the things that worked for me in the past still work now. At the same time, there have been some amazing advances in materials and fabrication.
Though winter conditions vary wildly between coastal Norway and subarctic Yukon, I pack most of the same items. Often the only difference is how I layer my clothes. Spending all night out on a windy fjord just below freezing can feel as cold as a calm night outside Yellowknife at minus thirty. You need to be prepared for heavy precipitation in the North Atlantic, but I also pack a shell closer to home, even if it’s just for driving days.
My standard winter outfit is a black expedition-weight down jacket and insulated synthetic pants with felt-pack boots. It’s ridiculously heavy, and everything is black. I look and feel like the Michelin man. I appreciate the insulation just as much in coastal climates – aurora photography involves lots of standing around, so I’m always comfortable. My insulated outerwear is large enough to fit over sweaters, jeans, long underwear or fleece pants, so my inner layers vary depending on location.
When it comes to head and hands, I pack warmer options for more extreme climates: ear-flap hat, neckwarmers, face mask, insulated mitts. The basic work glove combination I’ve come to rely on consists of merino wool finger gloves under fingerless dog mushing gloves with small chemical heat packs on the wrist. When filming in winter, it’s all about the hands.
The other critical piece is having warm, dry feet. I wear my felt-pack boots on cold winter nights, and I wear hiking boots with good soles the rest of the time, especially when shooting on uneven ground like lava or the beach. I take lots of warm socks, and for icy coastal climates I pack ice traction devices. In extreme cold I give my hands and feet some help and stash heat packs in jacket pockets and boots.
Often the best indication of what works in each climate is to see what the locals wear. Regional clothing also highlights the cultural differences that make circumpolar travel interesting. Wool is popular in Scandinavia where there are many sheep farms, and furs are used throughout the North. The circumpolar north is also home to enduring brands such as Carhartt, Canada Goose, Army Navy Surplus, 66° North and Helly Hansen.