AbstractLight extraction from InGaN photonic crystal (PhC) light emitting diodes (LEDs) has been studied by scanning near‐field optical microscopy and time‐resolved photoluminescence. The observed patterns of the near‐field intensity are complex and do not correspond to the physical structure of the photonic crystal. Comparison with conventional LEDs without the PhC showed that PhC not only improves the light extraction, but also makes the LED emission more homogeneous (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)