I Saw the Light

Aurora Borealis October 2024

Can you recall a that time in your childhood when you saw Santa at the department store or in your dimly lit living room on Christmas Eve?  It was magical.  You wanted to believe your eyes but could you really trust what you believed you saw?  

That feeling was akin to my first experience seeing the aurora borealis through the viewfinder of my camera this week.  Sure, I have stepped out on the porch looking to see the lights when reporters claimed they were visible here in northern Illinois.  I have also driven through very dark rural areas hoping to see if I could spot them but -- zippo!  When the local weather person said that the lights could be best viewed at 3:30 am or some such ridiculous hour, I decided that it was more fitting with my lifestyle to admire Ed's photos.

My friend Ed invited me to go out at 9:00 PM (which was a reasonable hour) to a local park near the foot bridge overlooking a small lake to photograph the aurora borealis.  Since he has produced many great photos recently, I had every reason to believe that he could help me see this phenomena for the first time, and he delivered on his claim.  Always nice when a plan works.

Life reinforces the idea that if you see it, then you can believe it.  The converse being if you can't see it,  you probably shouldn't believe it or should rationalize that you are not seeing it because you are in the wrong  place or seaching at the wrong time.  As we stood on that bridge in utter darkness, I looked up and I saw nothing.  When Ed got his camera set on the tripod, the colors of red, magenta, and green splashed across his display screen. For me, this was my "Yes, Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus" moment.  Not only were those brilliant skies appearing in his camera, I saw those same magical colors fill my viewfinder also.

What I took away from this experience was:  

• It is good to have trusted friends who push you out of your comfort zone.
• It is important to take that second look with the eyes and also with your mind.
• Sometimes new experiences reunite old friends -- I was reunited with my 11-16 Tokina Lens.
• Know your gear because it is really dark outside.
• The excitement of learning something new never grows old and it gives birth to new ideas.                                   

Some of the photos we take are remembered because the moment was perfect, the subject was cherished, or all the technical aspects united to create a brilliant image.  Then there are those photos that are memorable not for their photographic excellence but because they were a first in serving as an important milestone on your photographic journey.  For me, this is the photo where I peered into a dark night sky -- but for the first time, I saw the light.