Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

I am posting this article to help anyone who is planning on seeing the upcoming total eclipse of the sun on April 8. The following is a brief explanation of the different types of eclipses and why total eclipses are so special.

There are two types of eclipses of the sun; a partial eclipse and a total eclipse. A partial eclipse is where the moon does not completely block the sunlight reaching the earth so only a partial shadow can be seen. The most impressive form of partial eclipse is an annular eclipse where the moon is too far from the earth to completely block the sun. Some light passes around the edges so that what is seen is a ring of light surrounding the sun. I saw the total eclipse of the sun in 2017 and the annular eclipse of 2023 in Corpus Christi, TX. The partial, annular eclipse in Texas was only visible if you had special filters to block most of the suns light. With these filters, glasses for viewing directly and others for cameras and binoculars, the sun looks like PAC MAN with a "bite" out of him. While not wearing the glasses, the eclipse is not apparent because not enough of the light is blocked to notice any dimming.  

During a total eclipse, the moon completely blocks the sunlight in a certain path across the country, known as the path of totality. Outside of that path, a partial eclipse will be seen anywhere in the continental US. Inside that path, the experience is profound, spiritual even. As the eclipse nears, the sky will start to darken and saturation of all colors will occur. When totality is reached, the sky instantly goes black and the moon shadow blocks the sun directly and the solor coronna around the sun becomes visible. Below is a link to a website that shows the path of totality passing through a map of the US, state by state, with major and mid-sized cities visible so you can see exactly where the path will be near you. Some of us are lucky enough to live inside this path of totality (me) and won't have to travel to see it. The path is approximately 115 miles wide and the time the eclipse will occur is shown as the shadow moves across the US.  You may have to copy and paste this site into your browser.

https://greatamericaneclipse.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=75e7507a1e7a51bda8ee7cfcb&id=e0cdd22748&e=258e66cb39

Some tips on photographing the eclipse and the partial eclipse leading up to it. First and formost, be sure you are inside the path of totality. Second, try to find a location where the sun will most likely be shinning. I live very close to Lake Erie and will only be about 5 miles from the center line of the path but known for cloudy weather (Oh No) and on the horns of a dilemma as what to do about it. Obviously check the weather reports beginning a couple of days prior. The closer to the center line, the longer totality will occur. The near the edges of the path, totality will last a minute or less. Note: lots of people show a collage of the partial eclipse leading up to a total eclipse and then the partial eclipse images following it. It's my experience that 99.9% of the people photographing the eclipse quit right after totality and just reverse the images of the partial eclipse leading up to it to complete the collage. As far as setting up to photograph the eclipse, use a big a focal length lens as you have mounted on a tripod with a remote shutter release, either a cable or electronic. Many places will publish settings to capture the eclipse. My advice is to use a manual program and set the aperture and shutter speed. Focus can be set by taking images of the partial eclipse leading up to totality. During the eclipse, change the shutter speed manually to get different exposures of the corona and any prominences that may be occurring. Post processing of these images will provide many opportunities to get just the image you want.

Two other suggestions of what not to do. First, many experienced photographers take images of Bailey's beads, a bright phenomena where just before the moon totally blocks the sun's light, some light passing between mountains on the moon create a bright pearl of light on the edge of the black moon's shadow which is spectacular looking. If you haven't done this before, don't attempt it because it because it takes special preparations and will diminish the initial experience of totality. Second, don't spend all of your time during the eclipse taking pictures. You will miss out on a lot of the peripheral experiences which accompany the eclipse. More on that later. For this eclipse, totality will last close to 4 minutes or longer so you should have plenty of time to get lots of images and still be away from the camera long enough to see what else is happening. During the 2017 eclipse lasted about 2 min. 30 secs. I remember that as soon as the eclipse was over, my wife turned to me and said "that didn't last long enough" and she was right.

The best laid plans work right up until the point something happens. This happened to me. I had my camera all set up on a tripod with filter and remote release and manual conditions set for total eclipse. These same conditions will work pretty well with the filter on during the partial eclipse phase too. I had planned to use my cell phone to make a video of totality. I knew that I couldn't make a video of the sun directly because it might fry the CCD in my sensor, so I set the zoom and focus on objects in the distance, then set the phone, face down on a table next to me. I got so engrossed in the experience once totality started with the camera and everything else that I totally forgot to turn my phone over. But I got a great recording of my conversation with my wife during the eclipse. That how I know she said it didn't last long enough. LOL

What happens during an eclipse. I got to my destination in Cross Plains, TN about 9 AM (Eclipse at 2:30 PM) just to be sure we would get a good location. The sky was partly cloudy and everyone was concerned about whether we would have a clean window during totality. Luck was on our side and it was cloud free. But it adds to the suspense. I took about 2 dozen picture of the partial eclipse begining about an hour before totality. Got a lot of good sunspot images. Thirty minutes before totality, we were sitting under a small tree (it was hot) and I noticed that the tiny spaces between the leaves were acting like a camera obscura and projecting images of the partial eclipse on the white cover of my cooler. Serendipity! About 15 minutes before totality, the light began to wane and noticeably diminish. The natural colors around us began to lose saturation (never seen that before). It was a very strange experience to see the daylight around you fall away. Then suddenly, just like someone throwing a switch, the sky went totally black and the black moon shadow was surrounded by the wispy white corona of totality. Aside from the experience of totality and camera work, I noticed that the temperature began to drop, birds that had been chirping in the tree we were under fell silent, people began to talk in whispers. I'm fairly familiar with astronomy and knew that Jupiter was within 30 degrees from the sun. It was bright red like a cars tailight in the dark. To my surprise, the sky was not totally dark but got lighter as you approached the horizon. At the horizon, the sun was shining and it was like a 360 degree sunset. Actually seeing beyond the edge of the moons shadow.

When the eclipse was over, everyone packed up fairly quickly and got back on the road home. I drove down to just above Nashville on interstate I-71 and I-65 and it took me about 7 hours. I made arrangements to arrive the night before so we could get out to our viewing destination early enough to get a good spot to watch the eclipse. When we left Cross Plains (about 5 miles west of I-65) we had little traffic until we got to I-65. From that point north we were pretty much in a traffic jam all the way home. Later realized we were in a wave of traffic heading north to all points north and east, i.e., Milwaukee, Chicago, Detrot, Louisville, Indianapolis, Cincinatti, Columbus, Cleveland, Pittsburg, Buffalo. At 3 AM on I-71 just north of Cincinatti, we ran into a traffic jam because of construction in one lane of traffic. It was 12 miles long, took 2 hours to get through and at one point we didn't move for 30 minutes. Finally got home at 7 AM for a total of 16 hours on the road. Should have stayed an extra day. But given the experience, we would have done it all over again including the 16 hours.

One last story. I mentioned that the eclipse was a spiritual experience. During the morning before the eclipse, we were sitting in the shadw of a small tree out of the sun. My wife and I were talking with a young couple with 2 children from Washington DC. During the conversation, the woman looked down and saw a 4-leaf clover. I had never seen one myself let alone find one. But further examination revealed that it wasn't just one four-leaf clover but a cluster of 4-leaf clover plants. Everyone got a four-leaf clover to take home as a souvenir. Tell me that's not a spiritual experience.

An image of totality showing two prominences that I didn't realize I captured until I got the image into post. It's kind of grainy because it's a significant crop and pushed to bring out the prominences..


The cover of my cooler showing the camera obscura images of the partial eclipse phase. Quite a surprise for all to see.

(Download)

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Thank you. I also need to know what settings to use. I plan to have one camera set up for the pre and post, and a different one for the during.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

Long answer to a short question but I hope it helps. I only had 2 min 30 sec to get pictures in 2017 and I managed to do it and still spend some me time experiencing it.

The image I posted of the total solar eclipse was made with a Nikon D90 (12.5MP) and a 300 mm Nikon telephoto lens. For a solar filter, I used mylar film that I bought from Amazon. I used electrical tape to tape one side of the filter to the side of the lens so that none of the tap was in front of the lens. It's not necessary to have the film lie flat in front of the lens. The other side had a piece of tape on it to tape to the other side of the lens. I used the lens with filter to take pictures of the partial and as soon as totality occurred, I removed the tape from one side and lifted the film from in front of the lens. Replaced it after totality.

If you have two cameras, use your best camera with your largest focal length lens for images during totality. Definitely use a manual or electronic shutter release to minimize vibrations. Use the lesser camera with the next largest focal length you have for the partial eclipse images leading up to totality.

During totality - I would set up the tripod so that you can sit in a chair and look through the view finder. Have a small table next to you to hold things. Have this set up already to go before totality. Unless you are planning on taking pictures of the "Bailey's Beads" or "Diamond Ring", there is no need to rush once totality occurs. I would advise not trying to take pictures of these special phenomena because it takes special set ups and timing that are not easy to do. That sun/moon shadow is going to be there in the sky unchanged for the next 4 minutes. No need for a filter at this point. I would look through the lens and focus your camera on the boundary between the moon shadow and the eclipse. It's a nice sharp line and easy to focus on. The chart below shows camera settings for ISO 200. I would use a higher ISO ~400-800. As far as aperture, no need to go with low aperatures to gather more light because you can do that easier just by changing shutter speed. I'd set the aperture at f8 and start with a shutter speed of 1/250 sec. I'd then take a couple of pictures there, one right after the other, change the shutter speed to 1/200, repeat; 1/160, repeat; 1/125, repeat; 1/100, repeat; 1/ 60; 1/25; 1/10; 1/4; 1 sec; 2 sec. And your done. You should have good pictures of a very large corona, with overexposed inner corona all the way to barely perceptible outer corona, but a good look at prominences.

At this point. I would stop taking pictures of totality and enjoy the experience directly and not through the camera. Use you other camera to take pictures of the horizon with is surprising in appearance. That is a part that I missed and wish I hadn't. It's a very spiritual experience and you should give yourself some time to experience it.

Photography during the Partial Phase - You don't need a tripod for this type of work, I took and take pictures of the sun to check for sunspots hand-held all the time. I store the filter I made from film in a cardboard envelope and carry it in my camera bag. I've taken pictures of the sun when attending my granddaugher's baseball games. The good point here is that once you have a solar filter of any kind, you can practice and find good camera settings to do with high enough shutter speeds to avoid blurring. A good rule of thumb for had held is that you shutter speed should be at least 1/ focal length. If you have a 300 mm lens, use 1/500 or faster to take the picture and select you ISO so that the image comes out yellow as opposed to white or orange. When you treat these images in post you can adjust the brightness to make it orange and see the sunspots in great detail. From that point it's just practice, practice, practice....

Hope this helps.





TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE EXPOSURE SETTING GUIDELINES
ISO 200
Aperture (f/stop)
f/2.8 f/4 f/5.6 f/8 f/11
Shutter Speed
Outer Corona 1/4 1/2 1 sec. 2 sec. 4 sec.
Mid Corona 1/30 1/15 1/8 1/4 1/2
Inner Corona 1/1000 1/500 1/250 1/125 1/60

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

I forgot to ask, did you watch the video, I thought it was really cool and confirmed that I'm in a very good location and hoping for good weather.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Thanks!

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Not yet, but I will.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

Kathy, If you are traveling from AZ to TX to see the eclipse, you've got quite a trip ~ 700-800 miles. If you live in southern AZ then down I-10 might be a good choice to somewhere around Fredricksburg. The eclipse is moving from southwest to northeast so the further north you cross over the farther away it will be.

If it's any comfort to you, if it were me in your place, I'd do it in a heartbeat!

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Actually, I had planned to go to my farm in Illinois. Then I discovered it's 15 miles north of the totality area. So I'm searching for another spot. I'm just hoping that I don't drive hundreds of miles, only to have cloudy skies.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

Moon shadow only 115 miles wide so half that 55 miles + the 15 miles you are north = 70 miles to centerline. You should check the Weather Channel a couple of days prior to see what the forecast is. You need to watch this video on full screen. It's only about 5 min long. and you can pause it when you get to IL to get a better look.

I like your chances for clear sky better than mine.

Slimshot3 Loc: Northern Illinois

When I went to Indiana for a partial (80%) eclipse in 2017, I set up a second camera on a tripod for a simple landscape shot of the lake off of the deck, set exposure manually for full sun, then took a shot every 15 mins during the event. Observing the eclipse, it didn't seem to get all that dark, but the photo series told a different story.

Reuss Griffiths Loc: Ravenna, Ohio

Thanks for checking in Slimshot. If you are planning on seeing this eclipse, Indianapolis may be the perfect spot to see totality. It's almost on the centerline. I would suggest someplace either NE or SW of Indianapolis just to avoid crowds. IMHO it's well worth the time. If you haven't watched the video attached to this post, it's only about 5 min long and will show you the closest and best places to see the eclipse. Watch it full screen. It can be paused in any area of interest.

Slimshot3 Loc: Northern Illinois

Cool video. I plan to be at my sister's place on the lake in Cicero, IN. It's just NE of Indianapolis.
Video also shows totality at my in-laws by Eaton, OH. I'll alert them. Thanks for the tip!