Living in Alaska, I witness and appreciate the incredible contrasts between winter and summer—the long nights of winter and the endless days of summer. I love it!

I am not in the Arctic Circle; I live in Talkeetna, Alaska, and by late August, there are only about two hours of darkness at this latitude (62 North). I am always looking for the opportunity to photograph the auroras as soon as we have some dark again. I spent most of the summer counting days to see stars and return to photograph. Summers in Alaska are tricky for a night photographer.

In the summer of 2020, we had lots of rain and almost a never-ending deluge. This is not surprising since July and August are our rainiest months of the season. A solar storm was arriving, bringing the northern lights and I was waiting for the rain to stop and the skies to part, showing the magic of the dancing lights. My decision to be by the lake was precisely to create a double vision, a perfect reflection since most of the sky was still covered in clouds.

Double Vision Aurora was captured 10 miles south of Talkeetna, Alaska, on the night of August 29, 2020. It was a remarkable night that marked the first aurora display of the 2020/2021 northern lights season. The display featured stunning reflections that created a double aurora effect. It was the perfect way to start a new aurora season! Beautiful colors, amazing reflections, and the ideal location.