Of perfection

“So far I have been lucky enough to see some amazing displays and capture them in pictures.”

Owen, who works for the Press Association, said the thrill of the aurora borealis chase can be addictive, adding that he has often sat waiting for five or seven hours at a time and seen nothing.

But he said perseverance pays off and he has been lucky enough to witness “some of the strongest displays seen in the UK”.

He said: “I think the not knowing how strong or what you’re going to see makes it addictive.

“You can plan where you are going to a certain degree, but you can’t plan the weather or power of the aurora. The not knowing is the catch.”

Discussing whether the photographs are photoshopped, he said “yes and no”, adding: “Not to the degree some people think.”

Owen said the camera picks up more than the naked eye, adding: “When I get my pictures back and on to the computer I only have to do what you would do normally to most images from a digital camera. I call it adjusting, ie, some contrast, a slight sharpen up, and darken or lighten the image.”

Among his favourite places to see the aurora borealis in the north of England are St Mary’s Lighthouse in Whitley Bay, and Dunstanburgh Castle, Bamburgh Castle and Holy Island, all on the Northumberland coast.

He also likes Hadrian’s Wall and Kielder Forest in Northumberland, and Derwentwater and Ullswater.

Owen said there are so many aspects, including weather and space weather, that have to fall into place. “Don’t think for one minute you can just turn up and see them or you will be very disappointed.

“The best advice I can give is get out and give it a go and stay safe as some of these locations are coastal and fairly remote,” he said.