In the otherworldly landscapes of Norway, photographer and Alpha Collective member Nate Luebbe found himself amidst an unexpected yet breathtaking phenomenon. “This is perhaps the most outrageous thing I've ever captured,” he notes. “A moonbow (rainbow made from moonlight rather than sunlight), with snow (rather than rain) with the northern lights behind it. A Polar Lunar Snowbow?” Armed with the Sony Alpha 1 II and the new Sony 16mm f/1.8 G lens, Nate captured this ethereal moment in a timelapse that beautifully portrays the dance of nature under the moonlit sky.
Setting The Scene
"This was our first night in Norway," Luebbe explains. "We were extremely jet-lagged and had already fallen asleep at 5 p.m. After waking up around 9 p.m., I thought to check outside, just in case the aurora was happening. To my surprise, I saw it with my naked eye and immediately rushed to set up my camera."
His urgency was not misplaced. The fleeting lunar snowbow appeared and disappeared quickly, but his swift actions ensured he captured it just in time. "It was really lucky timing that I woke up and saw it when I did," he adds.
Photo by Nate Luebbe. Sony Alpha 1 II. Sony 16mm f/1.8 G.
The Perfect Gear For The Perfect Moment
Luebbe's choice of equipment was critical to capturing this rare event. "The Sony 16mm f/1.8 G lens ended up being perfect. I've photographed this spot many times, and the 16mm hit the sweet spot for composition—neither too wide nor too tight," he explains. "The Alpha 1 II, as Sony's flagship, offers unparalleled quality for landscape photography."
For the timelapse, Luebbe set a 3-second interval with a 2-second exposure. "I usually prefer faster intervals, but with the aurora not being very strong, I treated it more like shooting storm clouds."
Photo by Nate Luebbe. Sony Alpha 1 II. Sony 16mm f/1.8 G.
Capturing The Unseen
One of the most challenging aspects of this shot was the unfamiliarity of a moonbow. "I'd never shot a moonbow before, and the brightness was tricky," he says. "I took some test shots to ensure the exposure was right because the lighting conditions were so unique."
The scene was so captivating that he couldn't enjoy it alone. "I basically blew the door off its hinges to get Autumn, my partner, out of bed to see it with me," he laughs. He’s referring to Autumn Schrock – another incredibly talented member of our Alpha Collective and chaser of stunning landscapes and astroscapes.
Photo by Nate Luebbe. Sony Alpha 1 II. Sony 16mm f/1.8 G.
Post-Processing Magic
Once the images were captured, Luebbe turned to his trusted post-processing tools. "I use LRTimelapse because it works seamlessly with Adobe Lightroom. You only need to edit a few images, and it applies those changes across the entire sequence," he explains. The final touch was added in DaVinci Resolve, where Luebbe introduced a subtle Ken Burns effect to simulate motion.
A Lens For Every Adventure
Luebbe says he is thoroughly impressed with the 16mm f/1.8 G lens. "For astrophotography, I'm obsessed with the fastest aperture I can get. The 16mm offers incredible optical quality in a package that's lighter and more compact than the 14mm, which is perfect for my needs."
Workshops & More
For those inspired by Luebbe's work, he offers workshops, including an upcoming astrophotography session at Mount Rainier and another to capture the northern lights in Norway. In fact, this shot was taken right before a workshop started in Norway – so who knows what you’ll come across if you join.
See more of Nate Luebbe’s work:
–Alpha Universe Profile
–YouTube Channel
–Instagram
–Website
Learn more about the Sony 16mm f/1.8 G HERE.
