I’ve been photographing the night sky since the 1990s and have documented 13 eclipses across all seven continents.
This year’s total eclipse on April 8 will be the first total eclipse to crossed the Americas since 2017; the next time will be 2044.
The event is even more special for a few reasons: the eclipse will happen at a solar maximum, its totality (when the moon completely blocks the sun) will last up to four and a half minutes, and it will create the darkest eclipse conditions in the U.S. for more than 200 years.
(These are the best places to see the April eclipse.)
It’ll be an incredible opportunity to get some great photos, from activity on the sun to crescent shadows on the ground. To make sure you’re ready, here’s what to know about protecting your eyes, choosing the right equipment, planning your shots, and perhaps most importantly, preparing yourself for the thrill of a total eclipse.
I took this photo of the 2017 total eclipse above rock formations and the Crooked River in central Oregon.
Photograph safely during the eclipse
Just because there’s less sun during an eclipse doesn’t mean it’s safe to look directly at it. The sun can still harm your eyes in the moments before and after totality. To look at it safely, you need eclipse (also called “solar viewing”) glasses that are thousands of times darker than regular sunglasses. To know if your eclipse glasses are safe, check this guide from the American Astronomical Society (AAS).
Second, get solar filters for your camera. You can’t use eclipse glasses to look through a camera lens, telescope, or binoculars—concentrated solar rays will burn through the filter and hit your eyes. Eclipse glasses won’t be enough if positioned in front of these devices either. With solar filters, you don’t need to double up with eclipse glasses. The AAS also has a guide for solar filters, including ones made for smartphones.
(How to protect your eyes from the sun.)
Though the moment of totality is the only time you can look at the eclipse safely without protection, it could come and go quickly—so be prepared to take off your filter a few seconds before. Be careful to not look through the viewfinder until the sun is totally obscured.
As soon as you see even a little bit of the sun reappear after totality, immediately put your eclipse glasses or solar filter back on.
This composite sequence of photos shows the 2009 total solar eclipse near Iwo Jima island in the Pacific Ocean. The totality is seen in the center, and the “diamond ring” effect is seen on either side.
Composing your eclipse photo
So where should you photograph the eclipse from? The first step is deciding whether to photograph with a wide angle lens or telephoto lenses.
If you shoot primarily wide, you might want to choose environmental features to include in your image, like the colors on the horizon or clouds in the sky. Also consider people, wildlife, and trees in your composition. Under trees, the eclipse (in its partial phase) will create crescents of light on the ground—they’re very photogenic.
If you have access to an elevated area, one great thing to see and photograph is the approaching and departing shadow of the moon on the land. You might also see shadow bands, fast moving bands of light, if you have a white or light-colored surface around you.
(You can listen to the eclipse—here’s how.)
If you shoot with a telephoto lens, it’s best to position yourself near the centerline, where the totality lasts longer, to increase your chances of capturing details of the corona and prominences, or eruptions from the sun. However, close-up images like these can be made anywhere in the eclipse’s path.
Also, watch out for the five seconds before and after the totality for one of the most beautiful scenes in the eclipse: The sun will peek out from behind the moon with a flare of light connected to a thin light circle around the moon—called “the diamond ring.”
Totality does not bring pitch black darkness: It’s actually brighter than the full moon and will create an effect where the brightest planets and a few stars become visible. Venus and Jupiter will also be visible on each side of the eclipse. There might even be a comet passing by.
The 2017 total solar eclipse seen from an airplane at at elevation of 45,000 feet.
A partial solar eclipse (before and after the totality) appears as crescent suns projected through tiny holes on a piece of cardboard.
Equipment for eclipse photography
In order to have a sharp image, get a good tripod and a remote shutter so your camera isn’t jostled at a crucial moment. If you don’t have a remote cable, use a self-timer. Also, be sure to shelter the camera from the wind, especially if using a telephoto lens. For DSLR cameras, use the mirror lockup function to avoid vibrations.
My favorite lens for photographing eclipses is in the range of 400 to 600mm for close-ups and wide angle of 14 to 20mm. I would suggest keeping the ISO low and the exposure of 1/2 to 1/10 of a second or faster. Keep your camera on manual focus, as autofocus gets confused during an eclipse.
Even if you’re shooting on a phone, get a small tripod or mount and activate the raw format setting for better dynamic range, or the range between brightest and darkest points in the photo.
Composite image of the 2017 total solar eclipse above Grand Teton mountains and Lake Solitude.
Having a human reaction to an eclipse
Keep in mind you will have a human response to the event.
In 1995, I saw my first total solar eclipse on the border of Afghanistan and Iran. The eclipse was 15 seconds in total. I took pages of notes on what I’d do with two cameras during those 15 seconds—but the eclipse came, I looked up—and then it was over.
I realized that during an eclipse, there’s something very deep inside you that reacts to the darkness. I’ve seen people crying, people laughing. You’ll need to be prepared for this human reaction to achieve a good result. I recommend using a timer or the Solar Eclipse Timer App to alert you to important moments.
In 2008, I was in southern Siberia and decided to do handheld panorama photos of the eclipse. I figured I had already seen several eclipses—but with a quick drop in temperature, my hand ended up shaking so much I couldn’t do what I’d planned. So, even with experience, it’s best to use a tripod.
The most important thing is to try to see the eclipse, otherwise you’re not going to enjoy the experience. Especially if it’s the first time and you may not see it again for a long time, try to enjoy the moment.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on July 29, 2017. It has been updated.
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