This photo is 480% higher resolution than a typical photo.
Scroll to learn more.
SHOP
This
121 MEGAPIXEL
VAST photo is
PERFECTLY SHARP
even at very large print sizes.
Select a product:
Select a frame:
Select a file size:
with frame:
Select a size:
LIMITED EDITION* OF
STANDARD LICENSE:
Royalty-free usage*
Unlimited projects & formats*
Worldwide, perpetual usage*
No use in merchandise for sale
Non-exclusive
For a premium license, contact us
Add to cart:
FREE SHIPPING FOR LIMITED TIME
30-day return policy
Add to wishlist
This photo is
480% higher resolution
than a typical photo.
Scroll to learn more.
The Green Curtains II
121 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Walsh Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada
Located about 250 miles south of the Arctic Circle, Yellowknife is the only city in Canada’s Northwest Territories. Although it is not the northernmost city in the world, it boasts being the best place in the world to view the aurora borealis due to its latitude and the high number of clear night skies each winter.
In the span of one year, I visited Yellowknife on four occasions with the sole purpose of photographing night skies with dancing aurora. One of those visits was in September but the other three were during times when there was still ice and snow all around. The interesting thing about the Yellowknife area is that there are many more roads open in the winter than in the summer and as a result, many areas are only accessible in winter months. This is because roads are created each winter on frozen lakes and run hundreds of miles in all directions.
In early April (officially spring but certainly winter-like in Yellowknife) I made my second trip up north and had the good fortune of being there with clear skies. On the day I arrived, I drove out of town on several ice roads in search of suitable locations for the nights that would follow. Then for several nights in a row I headed out just after midnight to locations that were truly out in the middle of nowhere - or, more accurately, out in the middle of frozen lakes.
Common on these lakes are tents set up by snowmobilers as a base to warm up between runs. I had seen them glowing with gas-lantern lights on my first trip and had been searching for one to anchor an aurora photo ever since. On this night, everything came together. I was in position with a glowing tent in front of me, the special equipment I need to create a VAST photo set up, and a magnificent geomagnetic storm raging overhead.
Photographing aurora can be a complicated business. Too long of an exposure and the structure in the aurora, commonly called the “curtains,” is lost and all that is captured is something that looks like a large green cloud. Short exposures can freeze the curtains but they limit the amount of light that can be captured. It is a balancing act and on this night, it was further complicated by my need to capture many photos of these fast-moving curtains for the high-resolution VAST photo assembly. Fortunately, the aurora storm was strong and provided lots of time to photograph and admire this wonderful aurora ribbon stretching across the sky above the glowing orange tent. It was pure magic.
| Date & Time | April 5, 2014: 1:05am |
| Location | Walsh Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada |
| Coordinates | 62.583319, -114.272441 |
| Focal Length | 24mm |
| Aperture | f1.4 |
| Shutter | 6 sec |
| ISO | 800 |
| Num of Exposures | 6 |
VAST photos are the highest resolution photos ever made.
Learn more
The Green Curtains I
This is not an ordinary photograph.
Its resolution is 480% greater than a typical photo. Click on the boxes below to zoom in.
Follow us for the latest beautiful VAST photos:
Canvas print
Our ready-to-hang canvas prints are created using a specialty printer that carefully lays pigment inks down onto archival-quality fine art canvas material. The canvas is then stretched around a 1.5-inch-deep wood support structure to provide depth and elegance. Our canvas material has a delightfully matte finish that looks spectacular in any lighting conditions while retaining maximum vibrancy and contrast. Click here to learn more.
Produced using a specialty, large-format fine art printer operating at 300ppi resolution—the gold standard for sharpness
Printed onto heavyweight, 100% acid-free fine art canvas to preserve color-accuracy and longevity
Created using materials and methods that exceed the rigorous technical standards required to achieve the prized "giclée" industry rating
Designed to meet the most demanding standards for color-permanence set by leading museums
Handmade by award-winning master printmakers with over 4 decades of experience
Optionally accompanied by your choice of elegant floater frame available in a variety of trims
VAST Print™
A VAST Print™ represents the pinnacle of the photographic medium. Each print is a true photograph created specifically for you using light-sensitive paper exposed in a darkroom with the industry's highest precision exposure technique. Your print is then sealed with a shine-enhancing protective glossy coating*, adhered to a sturdy aluminum composite backing, and finished in one of two ready-to-hang formats:
- Frameless floating display: A hidden mounting brace on the rear gracefully "floats" the print off the wall for a sleek, modern look.
- Framed display: The print is mounted inside one of our handcrafted 100% wood frames with a decorative separation between the print and the frame so that the print appears to be floating within the frame, providing depth and elegance to the finished photo.
*Note: a non-glossy, satin matte coating is alternatively available on request.
Certificate of authenticity
with artist signature
affixed to the back
with artist signature
affixed to the back
Mounting brace floats the display
off the wall by 3/4 inch
Metal back
Paper print
Shine-enhancing
protective coating
protective coating
Laser-exposed at a truly unprecedented 610ppi resolution
Created using fine art paper with a specialty emulsion enabling unsurpassed micro-contrast, ultra-bright whites, and deep blacks
Printed with a chromogenic process that produces "continuous tones" of silky smooth color (other printers use noticeable dots of ink)
Sealed between an extra-thick, shine-enhancing protective coating and a sturdy aluminum composite backing for a sleek look
Award-winning product quality recognized industry-wide
Designed to meet the most demanding standards for color-permanence set by leading museums
Handmade by certified master printmakers with over 4 decades of experience
Hand-signed by the artist and accompanied by our digitally-enhanced, holographic certificate of authenticity
Optionally accompanied by your choice of elegant floater frame available in a variety of trims
Digital file
Due to their record-setting resolutions, VAST photos are the most versatile images ever created, with the quality necessary to look great at any size and in any project. Purchasing one of our standard royalty-free licenses provides you with the digital file at your choice of resolution and a permit to use it for most types of projects. Click here to learn more.
Usage in most media formats*
Unlimited number of projects*
Worldwide, perpetual usage*
Not for use in merchandise for sale
Non-exclusive (i.e. we may license the photo to others)
For a premium license that gives exclusivity, glass-related use in North America, or use in merchandise for sale, contact us.
| Width | 14,400 px |
| Height | 8,400 px |
| Aspect Ratio | 1.71 : 1 |
| Date & Time | April 5, 2014: 1:05am |
| Location | Walsh Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada |
| Coordinates | 62.583319, -114.272441 |
| Focal Length | 24mm |
| Aperture | f1.4 |
| Shutter | 6 sec |
| ISO | 800 |
| Num of Exposures | 6 |
How much resolution do I need?
Here are some rough guidelines for this specific photo:
SIMILAR VAST PHOTOS
×
![]()
Join The VAST Insider newsletter for exclusive discounts, access to unreleased VAST photos, invites to private viewings, and more. Subscribe today and receive a 10% discount code!
Photo id: 10233