The Northern Lights gave us quite the show over the weekend, and if you were on social media in the Northland, you probably saw some pictures.

Local photographer Reece Hickman was one of those who was out capturing Aurora’s beauty.

She said the landscape of Northern Minnesota is what first inspired her to pick up the camera.

“I was going hiking a lot and I just started taking photos of the hikes I was on, and from there, it’s just developed into a hobby and a career,” said Hickman.

She said the first time she saw the Northern Lights, she was a freshman at the University of Minnesota - Duluth, driving around with friends at night.

“You don’t even realize you’re seeing them,” Hickman said. “You’re just like ‘Oh, what’s that glow on the horizon?’ And then depending upon how strong they are, they start popping out more and more and you realize what’s going on.”

While actually being able to see Aurora Borealis comes down to persistence and a bit of luck, there are a couple of things you can do to increase your odds.

Hickman said there are apps, like Aurora Forecast, that send out notifications when the lights are active.

“And then I’m also in a couple Great Lakes Facebook groups of people who will start posting if they see the Aurora,” she said. “Usually then, I’m like ‘Okay, time to go out.’”

Another pro-tip: if you’re out there and you’re not seeing the lights, try holding up your phone’s camera.

Oftentimes, a camera lens takes in the colors better than the naked eye.

“Every time it just makes me geek out so much and makes me want to photograph it because even through the lens of a camera, you can see them so much better,” Hickman said. “You can see the colors so much more.”

Over this past weekend, Hickman captured her photos at Splitrock and Palisade Head.

She said they were some of the best lights she’s seen yet.

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