How to experience and capture the total solar eclipse
If you want to capture the total solar eclipse on April 8, you need to be prepared!
You already have the most important piece of equipment: your smartphone.
To find out about the rest, I consulted with Jefferson Graham of PhotoWalks TV.
He travels the world in search of the perfect picture and was at the last total solar eclipse in 2017.
“It’s daylight like this and then boom, it’s night and then boom it’s day again and it happens so fast and it’s so quick and so unusual that it’s really fascinating to be there,” said Graham.
His recommendation? It’s best to leave the sun shots to NASA but capture the scene instead, and consider taking a video of the eclipse, too.
“Enjoy the experience. Get pictures of people, all the people looking up at their glasses and the whole scenery,” said Graham.
He showed me the right tools, including a tripod with a phone mount. I like this inexpensive gadget which incorporates both.
Then, you’ll want to get a photo filter to protect the senses on your smartphone.
Finally, you’ll need glasses to wear during the eclipse. According to the NASA scientist I interviewed, he says it’s important to wear glasses before and after the total eclipse for eye safety. You can take them off only during totality.
Make sure the glasses you get are ISO-certified.
Graham’s tip if you must capture a snapshot of the sun? Use burst mode!
With your phone held horizontally, you drag the shutter button instead of pressing it. On iPhone, you drag it down. On Samsung, you drag it to the right. This will take a rapid succession of shots, which you can go through later.
Want something more involved? HESTIA turns your smartphone into a telescope. For $399, they’re selling a solar eclipse kit with express shipping.
“It is the best companion for the total eclipse on April 8 in the US,” Adrien Daurenjou of Vaonis told me at this year’s CES.
After, you can use it to capture photos of galaxies, nebulas, and planets.
The Eclipse App lets you explore viewing events and provides an exact countdown to totality based on your viewing location and expected cloud cover.
Another website to check for cloud cover is Solar Eclipse Tracker by Excarta. Their tool uses AI to see where the skies might be clear along the path. They expect 3.7 million people to travel to locations to witness the eclipse.
EclipseTracks.org lets you explore an interactive path of the total eclipse and lets you see past and future eclipses. It’s never too early to plan for 2044!
One more website loaded with resources: The Planetary Society.
Don’t forget those eclipse glasses! They cost a few bucks online, but you can get a pair for free at Warby Parker. All locations of the glasses store are giving away solar glasses starting April 1, while supplies last.
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