Photographing the Solar Eclipse
The 2017 Solar Eclipse from San Francisco, CA
This Saturday we will be witnessing the first of two solar eclipses coming to Texas within the next year. Although they will both be solar eclipses, they will be very different in the way they will look during the height of the eclipse. For the 2023 solar eclipse it is known as an Annular Eclipse. An Annular solar eclipse is different than Totality in that it occurs when the Moon is closer to its maximum distance from Earth in its orbit. If an eclipse happens during this situation, the Moon will appear visually smaller than the Sun and its shadow cast will not be long enough to reach Earth. This can also be known as the “Ring of Fire” and it takes about an hour and a half, as it goes from the partial phase, followed by a mesmerizing four-minute display of the sun forming a radiant ring, to being surrounded by darkness. The eclipse then gradually transitions back to a partial phase. Here is a time table of when the events will occur.
Safety First
DO NOT look at the sun with your naked eyes. Permanent damage to your eyesight, and even blindness, may result. ALWAYS wear certified solar viewing glasses when viewing the sun before, during, and after an eclipse.
DO NOT point a camera at the sun unless the optics are fitted with a certified solar filter. Optics can magnify the intensity and brightness of sunlight, and this can cause damage to your equipment.
DO NOT look through the viewfinder of an unfiltered SLR camera when it is pointed at or near the sun because of the increase in intensity and brightness of the sunlight passing through magnifying optics.
DO NOT look through the viewfinder of a rangefinder camera when it is pointed at or near the sun, as the optical viewfinder will not protect your eyes from the sun’s damaging light.
DO NOT point an unfiltered digital camera at the sun and use live view or an electronic viewfinder, due to the possibility of focusing concentrated, unfiltered sunlight at your camera’s sensor.
Safety First
During an annular eclipse, it is never safe to look directly at the Sun without specialized eye protection designed for solar viewing. Review these safety guidelines to prepare for Oct. 14, 2023.
What camera settings should i use?
Camera: Manual Mode
Lens: The longer the lens, the bigger the sun will be in the frame. (For the annular eclipse you will not be able to capture landscapes in your composition.)
F-Stop: f/8 - f/11 depending on your camera.
Shutter Speed: Between 1/1000 to 1/4 second depending the time of the eclipse.
ISO: Between 200-800
White Balance: Sun
Vibration Reduction: OFF when on a tripod
Auto Focus: OFF
Flash: OFF
Most importantly…
Have fun and enjoy. If you don’t have a solar filter then photograph the changing environment around you. During the 2017 Solar Eclipse I choose to photograph the landscape and wildlife during the eclipse instead. The animals became very still and the shadows on the landscape became very distinct. Here are a few images I captured during that time.
This will be the last annular eclipse that will be visible from the United States until June 21, 2039 and that will only be visible in Alaska. The good news is a Total Eclipse will be coming in on April 8, 2024, but after that we will not see another one in the U.S. until 2044. David Cook and I will be hosting a NANPA Regional Event to capture this rare event in April as well as the Texas Wildflowers. So come and join us for the best seats in the house. Space is limited and will fill up fast.
