In February 2016, Goleta-based photographer James Studarus experienced the Northern Lights for the first time, during a trip to Iceland.
“I traveled to Iceland with very limited knowledge of the aurora,” Studarus told the Sun. “I found myself deep in the Westfjords on the night of a predicted aurora storm. Sure enough, a monstrous light show happened that night, which defied logic and left me in awe.
“I was totally hooked and found myself in Alaska watching another aurora storm a couple weeks after I got home from Iceland,” he added.
Between those first two experiences in 2016 and now, Studarus has made a total of 17 trips to different countries, including Canada and Norway, with the sole purpose of capturing the Northern Lights.
“Some trips have been better than others, as I have refined my attempts to catch these cosmic light shows,” Studarus said.
Near the end of 2019, Studarus hosted a showcase of his aurora photography at the Santa Ynez Rotary Club, along with an informative presentation on his travels and photographic methods. The lecture caught the attention of Wildling Museum’s executive director, Stacey Otte-Demangate, who was in attendance. She asked Studarus if he would be willing to eventually share his presentation at the museum.
“I was happy to oblige, as I enjoy sharing my images as well as important information so others can see the majestic beauty of the lights,” said Studarus, who also became one of the featured artists in one of Wildling Museum’s latest group exhibitions, Starry Nights: Visions of the Night Sky.
As the museum remains temporarily closed, Studarus is taking the virtual route with his Wildling presentation, a Zoom webinar scheduled to take place on June 24 at 4 p.m. Those hoping to join the event can email the museum’s assistant director, Lauren Sharp (lauren@wildlingmuseum.org), for more details, including the Zoom link.
The discussion will include tips on how to increase your chances of catching the Northern Lights and “experiencing peak aurora,” Studarus explained, with highlights on the KP Index and other resources that predict when and where aurora storms are most likely to occur.
“I will go over ideal locations and times of year that are best suited to see the lights,” Studarus said. “Viewers will also learn some basics of aurora photography that I use to create my images and time-lapse videos.”
Studarus returned home to Goleta from his last Northern Lights expedition in Canada in early March, just before statewide shelter-in-place orders went into effect. During the course of quarantine, Studarus has been working on processing several aurora images he hadn’t gotten to yet, some of which go all the way back to 2016.
In terms of other projects though, Studarus has been capturing new Milky Way photography and venturing on local astrophotography outings during the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. When asked if he felt like he was missing out on other Northern Lights trips this year, Studarus said 2020 coincidentally was not predicted to have many aurora storms.
“There is a solar minimum with less aurora activity happening in 2020, so this is the best year to limit my Northern Lights travel,” he said. “I have been recharging my batteries and getting ready for future adventures when travel is appropriate.
Light up Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood’s inbox at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jun 18-25, 2020.