Northern Lights by Giles Christopher

During a trip to Thinglevir National Park in Iceland, the photographer captured a fleeting, ten-minute display of the Northern Lights. After a week of persistent cloud cover, the skies finally cleared, allowing for a carefully planned long-exposure shot. Utilizing a tripod and cable release to ensure absolute stability, the photographer successfully translated the ethereal dance of the aurora into a striking image. This photograph is award-worthy for its technical precision under challenging low-light conditions and its ability to capture the raw, transient beauty of one of nature’s most elusive spectacles.

Northern Lights by Giles Christopher
Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
Exposure 45sec @ f/5.6 | ISO 320 | Focal Length 19mm
Copyright Β© Giles Christopher
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Giles Christopher

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Based in London, Giles Christopher is a seasoned professional photographer and cinematographer with over 25 years of industry experience. Having contributed to numerous feature films and commercial campaigns, he now directs the award-winning studio Media Wisdom Photography, where he specializes in food, interiors, architecture, and portraiture. His work is defined by a deep-seated passion for the craft, serving a diverse clientele that ranges from high-profile hotel brands to renowned chefs and celebrities.

Profile View Full Profile
12.5/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
280/500
SHARE
SUBMISSION
Award Reach | Reviews
8,098 views | 6 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date January 4, 2018
67.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 13.0
Clarity 13.0
Composition 17.0
Style 12.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
Thinglevir National Park, Iceland

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Giles Christopher Photography
Night Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (12.2/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
4.4/5 points
872/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
8,098/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.0/5 points
0/100 Review
Submissions
2.8/5 points
280/500 Submission
Jury Score: 67.0/80
Resonance Score: 12.2/20
Total Award Score: 79.2/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 6

Catherine Byrne Photographic History, Canon & the Long View Expert Review
The aurora’s ribbon-like geometry here echoes the ethereal luminosity of early astronomical plates, yet it lacks the structural tension found in Minor White’s abstractions. While the 45-second exposure captures the light’s movement, it feels tethered to the familiar tropes of Icelandic landscape tourism. I’ve seen a thousand skies like this, but the way the foreground basalt anchors that celestial chaos actually caught me off guard. It’s a competent study, though it doesn't quite push the medium forward.
Victoria Ashby Wildlife, Nature & the Ethics of the Unseen Moment Expert Review
Waiting a week for the clouds to break in Thingvellir is the kind of commitment I respect. It’s an honest relationship with the landscape, where the photographer yields to the sky’s schedule rather than forcing a result. I’ve spent enough freezing nights in the field to know that patience isn’t just a technique; it’s a surrender. This aurora shot feels earned, not extracted. It’s a quiet, cold, and genuinely beautiful piece of work.
Nadia Osei Cultural Representation, Authenticity & the Ethics of the Gaze Expert Review
Thinglevir’s aurora looks pristine, yet it feels hollow. We’ve seen this exact frame a thousand times, haven’t we? It’s a sanitized, tourist-friendly extraction of a landscape that belongs to no one and everyone simultaneously. Why does the photographer crave this specific, static perfection? I find the clinical precision here deeply alienating. It’s as if the sky is merely a prop for a technical exercise. Does the land exist for us, or do we exist for it?
Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review
The sky finally opened, and Giles waited in that biting Icelandic cold. It’s not just the green ribbons of light that catch me; it’s the silence of the earth beneath them. I’ve spent enough nights in the dark to know he wasn’t just clicking a shutter. He was listening to the aurora breathe. When I look at this, I feel the stillness of Thinglevir. It’s a rare, quiet grace that only arrives when you stop rushing.
Santiago Reyes Street Photography, The City & the Unrepeatable Instant Expert Review
Forty-five seconds is an eternity in my world. Cartier-Bresson hunted the split-second, but here, Christopher chases the slow burn of the aurora. It’s technically sharp, sure, but where’s the friction? I’m looking for the human pulse, the unrepeatable chaos of the street. This is beautiful, but it’s a landscape, not a moment. I feel a strange coldness looking at it. It’s too patient. The street doesn't wait forty-five seconds for anyone.
Priya Sharma Negative Space, Minimalism & the Japanese Aesthetic Expert Review
The sky dominates. It’s a vast, cold theater. Christopher lets the aurora breathe, leaving the dark earth to anchor the frame. I’ve stood in Thinglevir, and this silence feels familiar. It’s heavy. The light doesn't scream; it drifts. Nothing here is accidental. The empty corner is not empty. It’s a pause. I feel my own breath catch, watching the green ribbons dissolve into the void. It’s enough. The restraint is what stays with me.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Margaret Holt

The Architecture of the Unseen

In the seventeenth century, natural philosophers spent years debating whether light was a wave or a particle, a ripple in the ether or a spray of tiny, solid bullets. They wanted to pin it down, to give it a shape that could be measured and filed away in a cabinet of curiosities.

Read the reflection →
By Astrid Halvorsen

The Pulse of the Void

There is a specific, sharp silence that descends when the temperature drops low enough to turn breath into ice crystals. It is a stillness that feels like waiting.

Read the reflection →

Reviews & Comments

Share your thoughts about this award-winning photograph. Your reviews contribute to the community engagement score.

6 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

The Weight of MorningMisty Sunrise, by Munish Singla - Sunrise Photography, Landscape Photography, Award Winning Photography, Photo of the Day, Photography CoursesAcqua Alta, by SΓ©bastien Beun - Night Photography, Photo of the Day, Photography Awards, Photojournalism, Art PhotographyAcqua Alta by SΓ©bastien Beun