A Guide to Safely Photographing and Observing Solar Eclipses, Part 2

Have you been Practicing shooting the Sun?

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I just got my new ball head mount for my carbon fiber Manfrotto tripod this week. The ballhead (for those who don’t know) screws onto your tripod and allows you to mount your camera to the tripod, holding it securely. Visit my Amazon store to check out this Manfrotto Ball Head.

As you’ll see in my video I’ve started practicing and it’s a good thing because I ran into issues, my first time photographing the sun. (I listed these down below)

Even with a good tripod, you will see that I could induce movement in the image which means a soft image. So I have to use my Canon Remote Switch RS60 E3 to try and keep the vibration of the camera to a minimum.

The shot below was taken on Wednesday 3/13/24 and while it is hard to see here, sunspot region 3607 is visible on the western portion of the sun. I’m not an astro-photographer but I consider this pretty cool.

I’m using the LEE Solar Eclipse filter (out of England). It’s a 20x stop density filter and is only good for eclipses. Basically, no light except the sun gets through this filter.

As I get started on April 8th, I plan to shoot 5 shot groupings, better known as Auto Exposure Brackets. The camera will shoot 5 shots with one balanced for the exposure and then two exposed brighter and 2 exposed darker, giving me five different exposures.

I plan to take 5 sets of 5 shots, and each shot will be in raw format, taking up 22MB of space. Therefore, for each set of 5 shots, I’ll need a total of 110MB of space. Since I intend to take at least 150 such sets, I’ll need around 2GB of card space. To ensure that my card can handle the load, I bought a new SanDisk Extreme Pro SD card, which is fast and has a storage capacity of 128GB – more than enough for my needs. Additionally, I have two 64GB cards as backups in case of any issues.

The primary reason for using this technique is that as the moon moves in front of the sun, the image will gradually become darker due to the reduced amount of sunlight. This method provides me with an excellent opportunity to capture a well-exposed shot even in this challenging scenario.

The whole process from First contact (the moon begins to touch the sun’s disk) until “Fourth contact” (as the moon no longer overlaps the sun) can take about 2.5 hours. But the most critical portion is the total eclipse, which can take 3 to 4 minutes. So, to say I’ll be busy is an understatement.

Lessons I’ve learned so far

The first big problem I ran into was that I was getting a reflection of the sun coming back on the sensor. The images were taken a day apart, and the settings for the image on the left were: ISO 1000, f6.3, and shutter speed 0.8 sec (slow). The image on the right was: ISO 1000, f8, and 1/800 sec.

I prefer a less bright image, and I like to see any visible sunspot regions (they will look like dust on my sensor), but those are on the sun (near the equator on the left side of the image).

I saw in several photo communities that people were having this problem (very common). I’m not sure if my opinion is valid, but I feel the culprit is the shutter speed. In general, on both days when my shutter speed was faster than 1/50th of a second, I did not see a reflection of the sun.

Camera movement

As I noted above, the other issue is camera movement induced by pushing the shutter release. Even if you choose an inexpensive shutter release like my Canon Remote Switch RS60 E3, you should minimize vibration.

Extras

Extras cover everything, Extra batteries, storage cards, water, a chair, rain coat, sunglasses, well, you get the idea. IF… IF we have clear skies (fingers crossed), you don’t want to be standing there realizing a $10-$20 part kept you from recording what might be the event of your lifetime.

Why so much preparation?

To be honest, unless you are someone whose job it is to travel the world to record total solar eclipses, these things are RARE! at least in New England. I saw the partial eclipse in August 2017 and I did not buy a filter for my camera in time so this time. I’m getting everything I need now because… I’m 65 next month and the next total eclipse is not till August 2044 when I’m 85! I would hope that I’m clear of thought and spry enough to see it again. But another nail in that coffin is that the 2044 eclipse will only be seen in the Dakotas at sunset or Canada.

So those are the lessons learned (so far) and the physical items needed to film the total solar eclipse. Next, we’ll look at preventing damage to your eyes or your camera.

Safety for your eyes and camera

Discover the essential safety precautions for observing and photographing solar eclipses, including the importance of eye protection and tips for safe photography.

Importance of Eye Protection During Solar Eclipses

Ensuring proper eye protection during a solar eclipse is crucial due to the risks associated with direct sun exposure. Solar retinopathy, a condition that can lead to permanent eye damage or blindness, underscores the importance of utilizing special-purpose solar filters like eclipse glasses and handheld solar viewers. These protective measures serve as essential safeguards, shielding the eyes from harmful solar radiation that can cause irreversible harm. For instance, looking at the sun during an eclipse without adequate eye protection can result in severe eye injuries, highlighting the significance of using approved filters and glasses to prevent such risks.

https://science.nasa.gov/eclipses/safety Check out what NASA has to say about safety.

Moreover, supervising children and inspecting eye protection devices before use are fundamental steps in maintaining eye safety during solar eclipse observation. Children, in particular, may be more susceptible to eye damage as they may not fully comprehend the dangers of staring at the sun without protection. By closely monitoring their eclipse viewing practices and ensuring the integrity of their protective gear, the risk of eye injuries can be significantly reduced. Additionally, educating children about the importance of eye safety during solar eclipses can instill lifelong habits of protecting their vision during such extraordinary astronomical events.

When photographing a solar eclipse, it is vital to use an approved solar filter (with at least 16 stops) over the camera’s lens, except during totality, to protect both the eyes and the camera. Additionally, employing a tripod can help stabilize the camera and prevent blurry images caused by camera shake. Understanding the camera’s manual settings, utilizing the bracketing feature for multiple exposure levels, and mastering the white balance function are essential for capturing high-quality eclipse photographs.

For instance, using a remote shutter or setting the camera on a timer to avoid camera shake is a practical tip for ensuring sharp and clear images during the solar eclipse. By practicing beforehand and familiarizing oneself with the camera settings, photographers can enhance their skills and be better prepared to capture the unique moments of the eclipse.

Safety Guidelines by NASA for Solar Eclipse Viewing

When viewing a solar eclipse, NASA emphasizes the importance of protecting your eyes at all times to avoid any potential damage. It is crucial to remember never to look directly at the Sun through the lens of a camera, binoculars, or a telescope without the appropriate solar filters. For instance, using solar filters specifically designed for cameras can help prevent the harmful effects of the intense solar radiation on your eyes and equipment. Taking this precaution ensures a safe viewing experience and reduces the risk of eye injury during the eclipse.

Moreover, NASA advises eclipse viewers to opt for indirect viewing methods such as pinhole projectors. These simple devices allow individuals to observe the eclipse indirectly, projecting an image of the Sun onto a surface without directly looking at the solar phenomenon. Additionally, seeking expert advice when using solar filters with optical devices is recommended to ensure proper installation and functionality. These safety measures, coupled with following specific guidelines during each phase of a total solar eclipse, contribute to a safe and enjoyable viewing experience for spectators of all ages.

Here are two bonus items

First, for those who are going to use their cellphones to memorialize this event, you are in luck. You can skip the filters IF you don’t zoom in on the sun. If you are like me, and you zoom in, you should get the lens filters that are in my Amazon store.

The reason to use a filter is this. THE SUN IS DAM BRIGHT! This is zoomed in to 30 percent magnification… Nope, nothing worth seeing here and my eyes were watering to view this on my screen…

DON’T do it. Instead…

put your glasses over your camera lens.

On the left is no magnification and a better rendition than having it blown out. Or more to my liking, on the right, where I zoomed to about 75 percent. and I filled the screen. I actually like the tree branches to give the shot some substance.

I can’t say for sure if zooming into 100 on my Samsung S22 Ultra will burn your sensor out. But I paid lots of money ($1,200) and I would rather hold a $3 pair of geeky solar eclipse glasses over my lens and protect the sensor.

Do you doubt anything will happen? Here is a YouTube video where the photographer puts an unfiltered camera on a zoom lens, choose for yourself.

Planning Ahead and Reserving Prime Viewing Locations

If you waited this long, and you are waiting for the prices to come down… Well, that is not the way things work… In fact, I just looked in Burlington, Stowe, Saint Albans, and Jay Vermont.

Yes, there are still places to stay at but the average price is north of $1,000 PER NIGHT!!!

In fact, out on Grand Isle VT, you can get an entire condo for $5,000 per night or $11,885 for Saturday through Monday. But the nice part is the Sun’s path and totality will run right over you (more or less)

I suggest you get over to my website and hit my thrifty Lodging page. If you thought things got expensive during the fall foliage season in New England, well this is a one-day ticket and the prices are up across the board.

we’re up in Vermont right now and you can find prices down near Killington and the prices are nearer to $150 a night but you will be driving an hour to get north and into totality. BUT… this is a BIG event and on that Monday morning tens of thousands will be driving to a very small area to have a chance to be in the path of totality… so get up there early and … wait. Killington to St Albans is normally an hour and on the 8th… maybe 2-3 hours!

also as the time draws near people will most likely pull to the side of the road clogging the roads even further… prepare and then prepare some more!

Here are some useful links to do research with.

Links to the my other articles

A Guide to Safely Photographing and Observing Solar Eclipses, Part 3

A Guide to Photographing and Observing Solar Eclipses, Part 1

Jeff “Foliage” Folger

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