Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve

welcome to the aurora borealis at elmley nature reserve print collection

This collection of Aurora photography prints is a celebration of one of the most extraordinary nights of aurora activity ever witnessed, in the south of the UK.

Elmley Nature Reserve, a place I’ve photographed for over a decade, holds a special place in my heart with its vast, open skies and ever-changing light. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine capturing such unique and vibrant aurora images over this cherished landscape.

It’s awe-inspiring to think – has anyone, in times gone by, stood here and marvelled at the aurora shimmering above Elmley’s marshes like this?

Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, female photographer with brown hair standing in front of the aurora lit sky wearing a stripey t shirt and smiling

This collection of aurora photography prints is a tribute to breathtaking liminality. Captured in the alchemy of the moment and honouring the essence of nature’s untamed spirit.

Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography beautiful pink and green hue aurora lit night sky with green nature in the foreground and a small wooden hut in the background

aurora borealis at elmley nature reserve

The story of that
unforgettable night

A powerful X-class solar flare erupted from the sun around 3 am on Wednesday, October 9th, sending a fast-moving Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) hurtling towards Earth. Just 36 hours later, on Thursday, October 10th, the CME began interacting with Earth’s atmosphere. By late afternoon, it was clear that we were in for an intense night of geomagnetic activity.

Arriving at Elmley as the clouds began to part, I was greeted by a vibrant pink glow visible to the naked eye—an astonishing start to what would become one of the most intense aurora displays I’ve ever captured in the UK. The vivid aqua greens and orangey reds, so rare and vibrant to the eye, created a mesmerising spectacle. Over the course of 10 hours, two intense bursts of activity lit up the sky, captivating me in an awe entranced gaze until dawn claimed the night.

READ THE FULL STORY

Marvel at the aurora shimmering above Elmley’s marshes

journey to the wildest of edges….

Rare aurora
phenomena at Elmley

Beyond the traditional aurora, the night offered rare atmospheric phenomena, making it even more special. A subauroral red (SAR) arc, spanning the sky from east to west like a giant red rainbow, shimmered for hours. Even more astonishing were the isolated proton auroras (IPAs)—flashing green blobs that danced during the storm’s most intense moments. These phenomena are incredibly rare and appear only during the strongest geomagnetic activity.

Elmley’s vast skies provided the perfect canvas for this celestial display—a magical alignment of place and moment. Having chased light at Elmley for years, syncing sunrise and sunset with brand shoots, it felt profoundly special to chase the northern lights here too.

Why do we see the aurora?

Auroras occur when geomagnetic energy from the sun interacts with gases in Earth’s atmosphere. As these gases calm down, they release photons—tiny particles of light—that dance together to form the aurora. The vibrant green and red hues are emitted by oxygen at different altitudes, while nitrogen contributes purples and blues. This natural phenomenon is as fascinating as it is breathtaking.

With solar maximum approaching—the peak of the sun’s 11-year activity cycle—we can expect more aurora events in the years ahead. Elmley, with its unparalleled night skies and tranquil wilderness, is the perfect place to witness this cosmic majesty. Imagine cozying up around a fire, mug of tea in hand, as the aurora shimmers above—a perfect autumn or winter escape.

Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot of the northern lights lighting up the sky with a small metal hut in the centre of the frame, surrounded by trees

Ready to dive into the collection?

Supporting Elmley Nature Reserve

a curated collection


This collection of aurora photography prints is a tribute to Elmley’s beauty and the magic of that unforgettable night. To honour this special place, 10% of profits from the Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve collection will be donated to Elmley Nature Reserve CIC, supporting the incredible work they do to preserve this wild and wonderful landscape.

Images are proudly printed to order on sustainable Hahnemühle bamboo paper at the UK’s first fine art and photographic printing service that is 100% end-to-end carbon neutral.

Order online here and prints are delivered to your door within 5-7 working days.

Price includes printing and delivery. You may incur customs charges if you order outside the UK.

Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, mock up image of an aurora night sky image framed and hung on a white wall in front of a white chair and lamp
Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, pink and green night sky lit up by the aurora, shining above and lighting up the nature reserve, grass and trees below, in the centre of the image there is a large pond/lake reflecting the night sky, in the background of the shot you can see twinkling lights from a nearby town

elmley nature reserve & the aurora

Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography beautiful pink and green hue aurora lit night sky with twinkling stars and green nature and a pond/lake in the foreground with a small hut in the background

the saltbox & the fresh water dipping pond at elmley

Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot of the aurora borealis northern lights lighting up the sky in beautiful pink, red and green hues, the night sky has lots of twinkling stars in the right hand corner of the frame and below the aurora-lit sky, to the right is a large lake and the dark water is reflecting the light from the aurora, to the left of the lake is a green grass area featuring two tall trees, in the background you can see lights from a nearby town

the marsh & the oaks

Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot of the aurora borealis northern lights lighting up the sky in beautiful pink, red and green hues, the night sky has lots of twinkling stars and clouds, below the aurora-lit sky in the background you can see lots of lights from a nearby town. Below the sky in the Elmley Nature Reserve you can see a small hut in the botom left corner of the image.

little owl & the aurora at elmley

Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot of the aurora borealis northern lights lighting up the sky in beautiful pink hues, peeking through the trees of Elmley Nature Reserve. Most of the image features dark autumnal trees and in the middle of the trees surrounded by nature is a small staycation cabin/hut with warm glowing lights seeping out through the large front windows. An idyllic cosy cabin surrounded by the aurora - through the windows you can see a cosy bedroom setting.

the damson & the aurora

Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot of the northern lights lighting up the sky in beautiful pink, red and green hues, the night sky has lots of twinkling stars and below the aurora-lit sky is a large lake and the dark water is reflecting the light from the aurora and causing a beautiful glowing effect lighting up Elmley Nature Reserve. In the background of the image you can see lots of warm lights from a nearby town.

elmley & the aurora

Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot of the northern lights lighting up the sky in beautiful pink, red and green hues, the night sky has lots of twinkling stars and below the aurora-lit sky is a large lake and the dark water is reflecting the light from the aurora and causing a beautiful glowing effect lighting up Elmley Nature Reserve. In the background of the image you can see lots of warm lights from a nearby town.

sub auroral red arc & the marsh

Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, pink and green aurora lit night sky with the outline of dark oak trees and nature at the bottom of the frame and a few manor style houses in the background with the lights on shining out the windows

elmley, the oaks & the aurora

Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot of the aurora borealis northern lights lighting up the sky in beautiful pink, red and green hues, the night sky has lots of twinkling stars, below the aurora-lit sky in the background you can see lots of lights from a nearby town. Below the sky in the Elmley Nature Reserve you can see a small hut, by the edge of the road and surrounded by acres of green.

little owl, samphire & the sub auroral arc at elmley

Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, pink and green aurora lit night sky with the outline of dark oak trees and nature at the bottom of the frame. In the shadows to the left handside, you can see a large farmhouse

kingshill farmhouse, the aurora & a shooting star

Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot of the northern lights lighting up the sky with a small wooden hut in the frame

martha’s hut & the aurora at elmley

Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot of the northern lights lighting up the sky, below in the darkness you can see a beachy landscape that is surrounded by nature

cockleshell beach elmley & the aurora

Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot of the aurora borealis northern lights lighting up the sky with pink and green hues. In the background you can see warm glowing lights from a nearby town. At the bottom of the image is a large lake, reflecting the aurora sky in the water. The lake is surrounded by nature, including two large oak trees to the left, on a green grassy hill you can see two large farmhouses with the lights shining through the windows.

ursa major & the aurora at elmley

Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot of the aurora borealis northern lights lighting up the sky with a small metal hut in the bottom right corner of the frame, surrounded by nature

samphire & the aurora at elmley

Aurora Borealis at Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot of the aurora borealis northern lights lighting up the sky with pink and green hues. In the background you can see warm glowing lights from a nearby town. At the bottom of the image is a large lake, reflecting the aurora sky in the water. The lake is surrounded by nature, including two large oak trees to the left, on a green grassy hill you can see two large farmhouses with the lights shining through the windows.

aurora & the heart of elmley

Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot of the northern lights lighting up the sky in pink and green hues. There are lots of twinkling stars in the sky and several white clouds. Below the aurora in the centre of the frame are two large oak trees, near a large lake and surrounded by nature. In the background you can see lots of little lights from houses in a nearby town.

east view oaks

Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot of the northern lights lighting up the sky with a small metal hut in the centre of the frame, surrounded by trees and a large grassy hill to the left. In the background you can see lights from a nearby town.

the ferryman’s & the aurora at elmley

Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot of the northern lights lighting up the sky with lots of starts and a few clouds. Below the sky is a wooden fence with a gate that is open and leading towards a road/path, surrounded by nature at Elmley Nature Reserve

the gateway to elmley

Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot lighting up the sky in pink and green hues. There are lots of twinkling stars in the sky and several white clouds. Below the aurora in the centre of the frame is a red tractor, surrounded by nature, green grass and trees.

elmley’s tractor & pillars of aurora

Elmley Nature Reserve Fine Art Print Collection by Rebecca Douglas Photography, night sky shot lighting up the sky in pink and green hues. There are lots of twinkling stars in the sky and several white clouds. Below the aurora in the centre of the frame are three large oak trees, near a large lake and surrounded by nature. In the background you can see lots of little lights from houses in a nearby town.

elmley oaks to the south

Adorn your walls with unique images from a really special place.

Want to learn how to see and shoot the aurora?

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Chasing the aurora borealis

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visual storyteller rebecca douglas brand photography on a beach in Kent UK

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