The midnight sun is a remarkable natural phenomenon. It is not particularly rare, but undeniably unique to experience in person. Growing up in New Zealand in the southern hemisphere, the idea of the sun staying above the horizon well into the night seemed like a surreal dream.
In this article, I’ll share practical tips for photographing the midnight sun - many of which I learned while shooting alongside Max Rive. I will also share some of the challenges you may face shooting the midnight sun, and suggestions for the best times and locations to capture it.
The Midnight Sun is a natural phenomenon that occurs in regions near the Arctic and Antarctic Circles, where the sun remains above the horizon for 24 hours a day during the summer months. Instead of setting, the sun dips low toward the horizon and then begins rising again creating an extended, seamless transition between sunset and sunrise. In some locations, this golden light can last for hours.
The phenomenon is caused by the tilt of the Earth's axis, which allows the poles to receive continuous sunlight for a portion of the year. The duration of the Midnight Sun varies depending on latitude: it can last for just one day at the Arctic Circle or extend up to six months at the geographic poles.
For example, in Tromsø, Norway, a city within the Arctic Circle, the midnight sun lasts for about two months, from late May to late July. Further north in Svalbard, Norway, the sun doesn’t set at all for over four months, from late April through to late August.
When to Shoot The Midnight Sun?
The number of days each year with potential for the midnight sun increases the closer you are to the poles. However, the best time to photograph it depends on your specific latitude.
In the Northern Hemisphere, the summer solstice - around 21st June - marks the longest day of the year. This is generally considered peak Midnight Sun season. That said, if you're very far north, the sun may remain too high in the sky around midnight to create the low, dramatic light that's ideal for photography.
For most Arctic regions, late June through late July tends to offer the best conditions for shooting. During this window, the sun stays low on the horizon at midnight, producing extended golden and blue hours with long shadows and soft light.
It's also worth considering the periods just before and after the official midnight sun season. In these shoulder weeks, you can often capture stunning light conditions and experience an actual sunset, albeit a very long and slow one. Do keep in mind that the end of May still has lots of snow in the Norwegian mountains. For this reason the period of July and the beginning of august are preferred.
Where Does The Midnight Sun Occur?
On the website Time and Date you can type in the location where you want to shoot. For example, you want to go to Reine in the week when the midnight sun first occurs. To have an idea in which week this will happen you can already have a look at the following graph.
The light blue color is when there is daylight - the time between sunrise and sunset. You can see there is a period where light blue is the only color. This is the period when there is the midnight sun in Reine. When you look at the date range, it starts at the end of May (and ends around mid July). Now to have a more specific look, we can use the next table.
In this table you can see on each day when the sun rises and when it sets. From the 27th onwards you can see there will be the midnight sun in Reine. Something worth mentioning is how the daylength is increasing rapidly before this day. This is because of the horizontal movement of the sun. This is the period between setting and rising. After the 27th the midnight sun will appear higher and higher on the horizon - though it will always stay pretty close to the horizon.
Where Does The Midnight Sun Occur?
In the Northern Hemisphere, you can experience the midnight sun in the following countries:
• Alaska (USA)
• Canada
• Finland
• Greenland
• Iceland
• Norway (including Svalbard)
• Russia
• Sweden
In the Southern Hemisphere, you can experience the midnight sun in the Antarctic region of the South Pole. We will talk more about this below!
Polar Night
In case you wonder, the polar night is the exact opposite of the midnight sun. If a location has for example 10 days of the midnight sun, it will also have 10 polar nights, but then in the opposite season, the winter.
The Arctic Circle and Antarctic Circle
Let's say, you want to know how far North or South you want to go to see the midnight sun for at least one time of the year. In that case you need to travel far enough north or south. How far? Go to (or beyond) the Arctic circle when going North (Norway, Greenland) or the Antarctic Circle when going South (Antarctica). They are both 66.5 degrees from the Equator, which means 23.5 degrees from the Poles. This line also marks the Arctic regions.
You can easily see which locations are inside the arctic regions with Google Earth. To see the arctic circle, open Google Earth , go to VIEW, then select GRID. Now you can see the arctic circle like this below.
Best Photography Locations
Some of the most beautiful destinations to photograph the midnight sun are in Norway, Greenland, and Iceland, where dramatic landscapes are bathed in soft, golden light for hours on end. These place are already world-renowned for their natural beauty and the midnight sun takes them to another level.
Top locations include:
• Senja, Norway – Known for its rugged coastlines and dramatic peaks, Senja offers a quieter alternative to the more popular Lofoten Islands. The best places in Senja to see the midnight sun are the Segla and Hesten Mountain , Husfjellet and Keipen. The first day of the midnight sun in Senja is on the 20th of May and the last day of the midnight sun is on the 24th of July.
• Lofoten Islands, Norway – With mountains rising straight from the sea, charming fishing villages, and white-sand beaches, Lofoten is very beautiful during the midnight sun. Great spots to enjoy the midnight sun in the Lofoten islands are Reinebringen , Hamnoy , Fredvang , Haukland Beach and Reine. The first day of the midnight Sun in the Lofoten Islands is on May 26 and the last day is on July 17th.
• Greenland – Remote and wild, Greenland offers expansive glaciers and giant icebergs. Greenland can be incredibly impressive during the nidnight sun. However, the southern part of Greenland is situated below the Arctic circle. This means that you won't see the midnight sun in this area. Many popular areas in Greenland are located here. Such as the capital, Nuuk, and the spectacular outhern part around the Tasermiut Fjord. The popular area Disko Bay on the other hand is located above the Arctic. Here you have many days of the midnight sun. The first day of the midnight sun in Disko Bay, Greenland, is on the 20th of May. The last day of midnight sun in this part of Greenland is on July 23th.
• Iceland – While not entirely within the Arctic Circle, northern parts of Iceland still experience extended golden hours and near-midnight sun conditions, especially in June and early July. The Northwest and Northeast past of Iceland are almost touching the Arctic circle. While the island of Grimsey is located on and above the Arctic circle. The first day of the midnight sun on the Icelandic island is on the 6th of June. The last day of the midnight sun is on the 6th of July.
The midnight sun enhances these already stunning landscapes by providing extended shooting windows and unique lighting conditions that are unlike anything found at lower latitudes.
Common Challenges
One unexpected challenge of photographing the midnight sun is sleep deprivation. Because the best shooting hours often fall right in the middle of your normal sleep schedule, it can completely throw off your body clock.
On our most recent trip to shoot the midnight sun, I remember thinking, “I should probably sleep at some point,” but my brain never got the message. The constant daylight made it hard to wind down, my mind stayed alert. For the first few nights, I survived on short 2–4 hour naps. Not just because it was always light outside but also because we were doing photography missions at the most random hours to maximize our trip. Eventually, your body does catch on and demands a proper night’s sleep.
The constant daylight makes it difficult for your brain to wind down, and without darkness, quality sleep can be hard to come by.
To help combat this, make sure you’re prepared:
• Bring a dark-colored tent (it blocks more light than lighter fabrics)
• Pack a sleep mask. Or, if you’re improvising like I often do, wrap a spare T-shirt over your eyes and pretend it’s night.
One advantage which makes camping a bit more comfortable is that the temperature is generally pretty warm. You won’t need many layers to sleep. The downside is that as soon as the sun starts climbing again, often around 7–8am, your tent turns into an oven. And if you’ve only had a few hours of sleep, that can suck!
One workaround we found is to remove the tent’s outer rainfly. Yes, it makes things brighter, but it allows air to circulate and keeps the tent from overheating. If the forecast is clear, you likely won’t need the rain cover anyway. Then, just wrap up your eyes again and try to catch a bit more sleep before the next shoot.
The final challenge we encountered during the midnight sun, especially in the far north, is mosquitoes! They were predominately present when camping in the lowlands near rivers. As soon we hiked to higher elevations they were much less present. Additionally a little bit of wind and they all disappear because it is difficult for them to find your scent in the wind. Not something you need to worry about on our Midnight Sun Tour as we are always at high elevations!
Final Thoughts
Photographing the midnight sun is one of the most surreal experiences a landscape photographer can have. The extended golden hours, the solitude, and dreamlike lighting conditions offer endless creative potential. It can also comes with unique challenges such as disrupted sleep schedules but it’s certainly memorable! Hopefully you’ve learned something new about the midnight sun and if you’re inspired for photography then join our Midnight Sun Photography Tour!
Max Rive is most driven by seeking new perspectives in the natural world and capturing them in his own distinguished style. Max's powerful portrayals of his interactions with the mountains has earned him international recognition in the outdoor community.
Madison McCardle is a passionate landscape photographer driven by curiosity and a desire to capture the true essence of each place she explores. Through her lens, she seeks new perspectives that reveal the beauty and authenticity of the world.
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