As you might know, if you follow my blog here, I am ALWAYS looking for abandoned places to photograph while I am out and about, driving the backroads of Ohio. Well, this year, on April 8th, we will have the opportunity to witness a total solar eclipse here in Northeast Ohio. This hasn’t happened for us here since 1806, and you KNOW I have to get out and capture this event. Of course, this photo is going to take some careful planning. Not only will I have to secure a good vantage point for the photo, but preferably one with the inclusion of an abandoned structure.

In this article, I’m going to go over how to plan for this, how to find a good location, and finally, how to actually photograph the eclipse.

My Gear List for the Total Solar Eclipse:

Photographing the eclipse requires more than just simply pointing your camera up at the sun (err…moon?) and taking a photo. If you just walk outside and do that, you’re probably going to have a bad time and end up hurting your eyes, or end up needing to replace your camera because you’ll burn your camera’s sensor (the thing that actually takes in light information to record an image). 

Before actually taking the image, as mentioned earlier, we’ll need a solid plan to get a good location in the first place. Without a location or any idea of where in the sky we will need to be looking, we obviously can’t even think about taking the photo yet. So, I’m going to go over how I’ll be going about picking a location, and some tips to help you on your adventure in capturing the eclipse.

But before we go over picking a location, camera settings, or anything else, let’s learn a little bit about a solar eclipse to better understand it.

What is a Total Solar Eclipse?

A total solar eclipse is a celestial event that occurs when the moon moves directly between the Earth and the Sun, completely obscuring the Sun’s light from the viewer’s perspective on Earth. This extraordinary phenomenon can only take place during a new moon phase, when the Sun and Moon are in perfect alignment in the sky, a condition known as “syzygy.” The alignment is so precise that the lunar disk covers the solar disk entirely, casting a shadow on Earth and momentarily turning day into night for those within the path of the eclipse’s umbra, or the shadow’s darkest part.

Reminds me of one of my favorite Pokemon:

Umbreon:

Understanding the Eclipse Mechanics

The mechanics behind a total solar eclipse are rooted in the orbits of the Earth and Moon around the Sun. While the Sun’s diameter is about 400 times larger than that of the Moon, it also happens to be roughly 400 times farther away from Earth. This remarkable coincidence means that from Earth’s perspective, the Sun and Moon appear to be approximately the same size in the sky. During a total solar eclipse, the Moon’s apparent size is just enough to cover the Sun completely, blocking its light and revealing the Sun’s atmosphere, the corona, which is usually invisible to the naked eye due to the Sun’s overwhelming brightness.

The Path of Totality

The “path of totality” is a term used to describe the narrow track across the Earth’s surface over which the total solar eclipse is visible. This path can be up to about 100 miles wide and stretches over thousands of miles, but the total phase of the eclipse—when the Sun is completely covered—lasts only a brief time, typically a few minutes, at any given location. Observers located in the path of totality experience the full spectacle of the eclipse, including the gradual dimming of daylight, the dramatic decrease in temperature, and the appearance of stars and planets in the daytime sky.

Path of totality for 2024

Observing a Total Solar Eclipse

Viewing a total solar eclipse requires caution to avoid eye damage. The partial phases of the eclipse, when the Sun is only partially covered by the Moon, must be observed through solar viewing glasses or indirect projection methods. However, during the brief period of totality, it is safe to view the eclipse directly with the naked eye. This is the only time when one can safely observe the Sun’s corona, witness solar prominences and flares, and experience the surreal natural darkness that accompanies the eclipse.

The Science and Significance

Total solar eclipses offer unique opportunities for scientific research, particularly in the study of the Sun’s corona. The corona, which is the outer atmosphere of the Sun, is hotter than the surface, a fact that remains one of the mysteries in solar physics. Eclipses allow scientists to study the corona’s structure, dynamics, and its influence on space weather without the interference of the Sun’s bright light.

The Phases of a Total Solar Eclipse:

Photographing the phases of a total solar eclipse involves capturing the transition through several distinct stages:

• Partial Eclipse: The Moon starts covering the Sun, visible as a slowly increasing crescent covering the Sun. Use solar filters to protect your eyes and camera.
• Shadow Bands: Just before and after totality, faint, wavy lines of alternating light and dark can be seen moving on plain-colored surfaces. These are challenging to photograph due to their subtlety.
• Baily’s Beads: As the Moon almost fully covers the Sun, points of light appear around the Moon’s silhouette, caused by sunlight shining through lunar valleys. A fast shutter speed can capture this fleeting phenomenon.
• Diamond Ring: A brilliant point of light gleams as the last Baily’s Bead, resembling a diamond ring. This occurs right before totality and just after. Quick adjustments to exposure are necessary to capture the contrast between the bright “diamond” and the emerging or disappearing Sun.
• Totality: The Moon completely covers the Sun, revealing the solar corona. Remove the solar filter and adjust settings for lower light. Exposures can range from fractions of a second to several seconds to capture coronal details.
• Exiting Totality: The process reverses with another diamond ring and Baily’s Beads, followed by shadow bands as the Sun re-emerges. Solar filters must be reattached as soon as the diamond ring appears.

Each phase offers unique challenges and requires specific settings adjustments and timing to capture effectively.

Now that we have some knowledge about the total solar eclipse, we can start planning.

Helpful Apps for Planning:

First, we can start by figuring out the movement of the sun across the sky that day. In my case, for my area in Northeast Ohio. Thankfully, this is made a lot easier today by the use of helpful tools made by numerous people. Some examples of great tools to use are:

1. Sun Seeker
2. Photographer’s Ephemeris
3. Sun Calc

For this, I’ll use the Photographer’s Ephemeris, which is available both on desktop and as an app, which is great because you can access it easily from your phone while on the road.

Here is a quick overview of the Photographer’s Ephemeris:

The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE) is an invaluable tool for outdoor photographers who rely on natural light for their images. This application helps plan for photos by providing detailed information on sunlight, moonlight, and celestial events. Here’s a brief guide on how to use TPE based on insights from various sources:

• Understanding TPE’s Visual Indicators: TPE displays several horizontal lines on a map to indicate the direction of sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset. It also includes arcs showing the paths of the sun and moon across the sky, helping photographers plan the best time to capture their desired lighting conditions​​.
  
• Setting a Future Date for Planning: A standout feature of TPE is its ability to “time travel,” allowing you to set a future date and visualize the sun and moon’s positions for that day. This is particularly useful for planning shoots involving celestial events like eclipses, solstices, and meteor showers​​.
  
• Night Modes for Astrophotography: TPE offers two night modes. One is a light pollution filter that helps identify dark areas for clear night sky photography. The second mode displays star constellations, assisting in planning astrophotography shoots​​.
  
• Visual Search for Creative Planning: The app’s Visual Search feature allows you to input the sun or moon’s Azimuth and Altitude to find the perfect time and location for your shoot. This feature is especially useful for capturing specific landscapes with celestial bodies in the desired position​​.
  
• Basic Concepts and Getting Started: Upon launching TPE, the primary map pin indicates your calculation location, with day mode showing sun and moon information by default. Night mode, accessible by tapping the date at the top of the Map page, displays the moon, Milky Way, and major stars for night photography planning. You can easily search for locations, jump to specific times or events, and choose from different map types to aid your planning​​.
  
• Advantages and Visual Features: TPE graphically shows how light will fall on an area, assists in optimizing light usage, indicates the moon’s size and shape, and even provides shadows and elevation features for more predictable lighting conditions. The app also supports saving favorite locations and planning shoots in advance by allowing you to preview the sun and moon’s positions on future dates​​.

Planning the Shot:

In the case of this total solar eclipse, we can see that the eclipse will be visible across Northeast Ohio, from Cleveland, Lorain, Sandusky, Akron, Ashtabula, Mentor, Eastlake, Willoughby, and anywhere else in Northeast Ohio. Of course, it will be visible in tons of places, but I’m focusing on my little slice of the world for now. For myself and all of the other photographers and viewers in Northeast Ohio, this is fantastic news because we can simply walk outside to view the total eclipse. This is a first for any of us in our lifetimes living here.  

If we flip the map on Photographer’s Ephemeris to 3D mode, we can easily see the exact position at given points in time during the day. For the 2024 eclipse, we’re looking specifically at 3:16 PM on April 8, 2024 for the totality portion. Looking at this, we’re able to see the sun’s position, so we can start our next step; planning for the location of the shot.

Picking a Location:

After figuring out the sun’s location for the eclipse, I can now turn to my map, which I have over on Google Maps. I personally love using Google Maps for its simplicity and accessibility while I’m out and about. I use Google Maps to store all of my pinned locations, which I have been saving for years. This includes places I have already photographed or even places I have found while out driving, and taken note of to return to for a sunset or special event. 

You may already have a map of locations you have saved over time, which you’re able to reference, but if not, then now is a great time to get out, take some drives and find some good locations. Start pinning these locations, whether it be in something like Google Maps, or even a simple notebook, and get ready to pick one for the eclipse. For this, keep in mind the direction you will need to be facing to view the eclipse, which, in this case, from Northeast Ohio, will be an angle viewed to the southwest. When scouting locations, be sure to take note of anything that you may be able to incorporate into your scene, and try to visualize, as best as you can, how you may try and frame your shot, keeping in mind the position of the sun using a reference to its position as seen in the Photographer’s Ephemeris or any other app you may be using. 

Looking at the position of the sun, it will be quite high up in the sky at 3:16 PM on April 8th. For this, I’ll need to get a good vantage point that allows me to look upwards enough towards a subject if I want to capture something in the foreground with a longer lens. This of course makes things a bit more difficult, and in this case, with the sun being so high, I’m thinking it’s just not going to happen. However, I’m the kind of person that likes to do whatever I can to at least make an attempt at it. I mean, if I’m just going to end up shooting straight up at only the sun anyway, then as long as I have a clear view of it, any location I pick should work well, and most of the prep will then fall strictly to camera set up and settings, which I’ll go over in a bit. Besides, I’ll still have some wide shots I’ll be working with from another camera. That being said, I’m still going to do my best to pick a location that is both quiet and relaxing, and provides me with a subject that just MAYBE I can incorporate into one of the telephoto images. Of course, since I love photographing abandoned places, I’ll be doing my best to find an abandoned house or other structure, which I can incorporate into my shot. 

Side note: Remember to think about the shadows and light. I know this sounds obvious, but during totality, you’ll be presented with light in your scene that mimics that of late evening or sunset, as the sky and landscape darken significantly. This is good to keep in mind when thinking about the scene you’re going to be capturing.

Since I already have this extensive database of pins I’ve collected over years, I’ll want to reference my map and look for locations that stand out to me as places that could make for a great shot in regards to the subject at each location. For this, I’ll need to be facing slightly southwest, so this narrows my selection to only subjects that I know lie in that direction for my shot, clear of anything that may be blocking my view, of course.

After spending some time picking my location, I’m set to go and know where I need to be at the very least an hour (or more) prior to the eclipse. This will give me enough time to set up and ready my gear and my angle. My camera settings will all be set up well prior to even leaving my house, so I can be sure everything is optimized for when I arrive. I’ll go over camera settings later in this article. Keep in mind that I am picking my location from my map, which includes locations I have already spent, in most cases, multiple days scouting beforehand, which is crucial to picking the best location. I know these locations well, including the hike to get there if needed. Make sure to do all of this well before the day of the eclipse so you are prepared. 

Cameras I’ll be Using:

In the case of this total solar eclipse, I’ll be making use of four different cameras:

1. Nikon Z6ii with either my 50mm 1.8 or my 85mm 1.8. I may opt for placing this on a tripod as well, so I can capture the phases of the eclipse and combine them into one image later. I will not include a solar filter on this camera, as I will not be aiming it directly at the sun, but rather capturing a wider scene. I will likely make use of the intervalometer built into my camera. If you do not have one built-in, this could be a handy tool to look into as well. In short, the intervalometer allows you to capture a sequence of images in succession without needing to manually press the shutter button again and again, so you are able to set it and let it go for your desired length of time.  

2. Nikon z8 with a Nikon Nikkor Z 70-200 2.8. I do not currently have access to anything longer as far as lenses, though I might decide to rent a longer telephoto lens for the event, but in this case, I may just opt to purchase a 2x teleconverter for my lens to get a bit more distance. I’ve kind of wanted one anyway. I’ll have this camera on a tripod, ready in the location to shoot the eclipse. I’ll be controlling this camera either from a remote trigger or my phone, so I don’t bump it out of position by pressing the button. Longer focal lengths are prone to very subtle movement. I’ll most likely have a solar filter mounted to this camera up until the totality portion of the eclipse and will remove it upon totality, as the filter is not needed for this portion of the eclipse. Alternatively, I may just opt to shoot only totality with this and leave the phases up to my other camera without the use of a telephoto. 

3. Minolta x-700 – a 35mm film camera fitted with a 500mm lens – I’ll have this camera on a tripod as well, ready to shoot some photos. I chose to include this film camera, because the same dangers with burning a sensor in digital do not apply to film cameras, and I just wanted to include it for some extra fun.

4. A GoPro simply to record the entire eclipse as it happens. I’ll place this somewhere near just to get a good timelapse of the event as it happens.

Side note: If you have access to multiple cameras and telephoto lenses, you might as well just stick a solar filter on one, and nothing on the other, set both up on tripods, and don’t bother with the hassle of removing your solar filter for totality at all. 

Preparation for Capturing the Eclipse:

In the case of the total solar eclipse of 2024, totality will last only approximately three minutes, so preparation is key. In this section, I’m going to go over how I plan to photograph the eclipse, and tips for how to properly prepare.

First, let’s go over a brief overview of solar filters.

Solar Filters: Importance and Use

Solar filters are critical for both the safety of your eyes and the protection of your camera equipment (yes, even your phone) during the partial phases of a solar eclipse. Here’s an overview of why and how to use solar filters:

Why Solar Filters are Needed

• Protect Your Eyes: Viewing the sun directly without a proper solar filter can lead to serious eye damage or blindness.

• Protect Your Camera (phone cameras included): The intense sunlight can damage the camera’s sensor and internal components if pointed at the sun without a filter.

Types of Solar Filters

• Glass Solar Filters: Offer excellent optical quality but are fragile.

• Mylar Solar Filters: Lightweight and less expensive, but may offer slightly inferior optical quality.

• Solar Filter Sheets: Flexible and can be cut to size, offering a good balance between quality and cost.

Choosing the Right Solar Filter

• Optical Density: Look for a filter with an optical density of 5 or higher, ensuring it blocks enough sunlight for safe viewing.

• Fit: The filter should fit snugly over your camera lens or telescope. Filters that are too loose can fall off, while those too tight can be difficult to remove quickly at totality.

Using Solar Filters

• Installation: Attach the solar filter to your lens or telescope before pointing it at the sun.

• Focusing: Use live view mode to focus on the sun with the filter in place, as looking through the viewfinder can possibly be harmful to your eyes. Manual focus is preferred, as autofocus may have trouble finding focus through the dark filter without a solid reference for the subject. Use focus peaking to help you if it’s available in your camera. 

• Removal: Remove the solar filter only during totality, when it’s safe to view and photograph the eclipse without it. Be ready to reattach it as soon as totality ends.

Practice

• Practice: Before the eclipse, practice attaching and removing your solar filter. Know how to switch between settings quickly for the different phases of the eclipse.

Setting Up the Camera:

While some people like to set up different camera profiles for their settings to quickly recall them as the phases of the eclipse change, I’ll be sticking to a consistent f-stop and aperture throughout the eclipse, so I will only be changing my shutter speed, and removing a solar filter from whichever camera I have it placed on. What I will be doing, however, is including that auto-bracketing be turned on. This way I can make sure to capture bracketed shots, just in case I am able to make use of the varying exposures and merge them later if desired. If you’re unsure what any of this means or how it works, you can download a guide I’ve put together here that will walk you through this, among many other things. It’s helpful, though, to at least get a handle on what settings you may want to use before the day of the eclipse so everything is ready to go.

Before the day of an eclipse, on a bright sunny day, switch your camera to manual mode. Adjust the ISO setting between 100 and 200, set your aperture to f/8 or f/11, and affix a solar filter in front of your lens. Then, experiment by taking several short exposure shots of the Sun, varying from somewhere around 1/500 to 1/4000 of a second, to determine which exposure gives you the best image. Following this, switch your camera to automatic mode and take a few more photos to compare the outcomes with those taken in manual mode. This process will help you understand how your camera handles sun photography in different modes and prepare you a bit more for capturing the brighter phases of the eclipse effectively. I know it has been stated numerous times throughout this article, but I cannot stress enough that upon totality, remember to remove your solar filter, as it will not be needed for this phase of the eclipse.

While there is no single correct global exposure setting for totality, as it will vary widely depending on numerous factors, I’ve put together a quick guide you can reference below with some notes that could be helpful:

Notes on Exposure Settings

• Annular vs. Total Eclipses: The Sun’s intensity varies between these eclipse types. Annular eclipses maintain a constant brightness, requiring one exposure setting throughout. Total eclipses, however, necessitate a wide range of exposures to capture the varying brightness of the solar corona and the phenomena during totality.

• ISO and Aperture Settings: For annular eclipses, start with ISO 100 or 200 and an aperture of f/8. For total eclipses, consider higher ISOs (400, 800, or even 1600) and larger apertures (f/5.6 or f/4) to compensate for the dimmer light.

• Shutter Speeds: Use a range from 1/500 to 1/4000 second for annular phases. During totality, adjust shutter speeds dynamically to capture the full detail of the corona, starting with the settings used for partial phases and extending to longer exposures as needed. Reference the guide I mentioned above if you are not entirely comfortable with shutter speed or other camera settings.

Capturing Totality

• Remove the Solar Filter: Don’t forget to remove your solar filter at the beginning of totality; otherwise, your images will turn out incredibly dark or even black.

• Rapid Adjustments: Be prepared to quickly adjust shutter speeds during the transitions into and out of totality while keeping ISO and aperture constant to simplify the process. As mentioned earlier, this way, you won’t need to set up different profiles on your camera, but if you prefer to use that method, and are comfortable with it, then it’s still a great option.

• Exposure Sequences: Capture a range of exposures from very short to longer ones (up to a few tenths of a second or maybe even longer) to document the wide dynamic range of the corona’s brightness. This is why I will be using Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB).

If I were to set up two different profiles on my camera to switch between, I might set them up something like this:

Profile A (for the partial phases):

• Auto-bracketing on (5-shot brackets)
• ISO 100-200
• Aperture between f/8 and f/11
• Shutter speed most likely between 1/500 and 1/2000
• RAW image format
• Auto white balance

Profile B (for totality):

• Auto-bracketing on (5-shot brackets)
• ISO 400-800
• Aperture between f/8 and f/11
• Shutter speed most likely somewhere between half a second and 1/250
• RAW image format
• Auto white balance

Since I am bracketing, I would be setting my shutter speed somewhere between, where I’m comfortable knowing that it will bracket bright enough, and dark enough when the bracketed shots are taken so I can merge them for full dynamic range later. I may even do a longer exposure after capturing some initial photos, making sure to get the detail I want, but this will probably be done using the camera I will be situating for the wider shots, just to accommodate for the foreground or landscape.

Final Thoughts:

The journey to photograph a total solar eclipse is a fascinating blend of anticipation, preparation, and exhilaration. The process, while challenging, presents a unique opportunity for photographers to capture a moment in time that we are lucky enough to witness. The total solar eclipse, with its dramatic transformation from day to night, offers not just a test of one’s technical skills but also a chance to engage with the celestial dance in a deeply personal way.

One of the key challenges in photographing such an event lies in its unpredictability. The weather, a critical factor, can change the game entirely. Cloud cover can obscure the view, while clear skies can provide a perfect canvas for the eclipse. This unpredictability adds an element of excitement and a bit of gamble, encouraging photographers to plan meticulously while also preparing for the unexpected. Let’s just keep hoping for a clear day!

The necessity for specialized equipment, such as solar filters, and the need to adjust camera settings as the light changes, further add to the complexity of the task. However, it’s this very complexity that makes the endeavor so rewarding. Mastering the technical aspects, from choosing the right ISO and aperture settings to timing the removal of the solar filter at totality, is part of what makes capturing the eclipse so satisfying.

Moreover, the eclipse offers a rare opportunity to experiment with different photographic techniques. From capturing the progression of the eclipse phases to the dramatic totality, each moment provides a different challenge and a chance to capture a unique aspect of this celestial event. The fleeting nature of the eclipse phases, especially the totality, adds a sense of urgency and excitement to the photography experience.

Beyond the technical challenges, there’s an undeniable thrill in being part of a global community of observers and photographers, all united in their desire to capture this rare event.