A solar eclipse is an exciting astronomical event that, if you are lucky, you may have the opportunity to witness a handful of times in your life. People travel across the globe for their chance to see this significant event and it is over within moments - preparation is the key if you want the chance to memorialise your opportunity with photography.
With the following tips and tricks, hopefully, you are prepared to capture some stunning solar eclipse photographs.
What is a solar eclipse?
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and earth, causing those standing in the shadow of the moon to experience a moment of eerie darkness - it's almost as if everything on earth stands still for a moment.
This phenomenon is possible due to the coincidental fact that the Sun is 400 times the size of our moon, but also 400 times further away - if not for this, the solar eclipse would not be so perfect.
When is the next eclipse?
The Ningaloo Eclipse is just around the corner, on the 20th of April 2023, and we are in luck, as the best place to view it happens to be on our shores, in Ningaloo WA to be exact.
While the complete lunar event will last 3 hours, the true eclipse will last about 62 seconds. This is enough time to get some excellent images if you are ready to fire.
The best solar eclipse photography and viewing equipment
Whether you want to attend the solar eclipse viewing as a casual observer or you want to take professional-level images, here are the essential items of gear that you will need to consider packing.
Eclipse glasses: First things first, you should NEVER stare at the sun directly, or through your camera's viewfinder, as this can cause serious damage to your eyes. If you want to be able to enjoy and take in the eclipse, without stress, a pair of eclipse glasses, which can be found online, are a very good idea.
Telescopes and Binoculars: Both binoculars and telescopes can be used to get a closer view of things both in the sky and on land, but once again, it is very dangerous and damaging to your eyes to use these devices to view the sun directly. The only way that you can use a binocular or telescope to get a clearer and more detailed view of the eclipse is by using a special Solar Filter, which is usually available separately.
Smartphone Holder: If you own a telescope, you can use its powerful magnification to capture close-up, detailed images of the eclipse, using your always-available smartphone. While some telescopes include a smartphone holder, for others you will need to purchase the holder separately.
Digital Camera: Any camera can capture an image of the eclipse, but keep in mind that magnification is a major factor in how dynamic the image will be. A compact digital camera with a small zoom will only be able to render the eclipse in a small portion within your frame, so if possible, use a big zoom digital compact camera, such as the Nikon P1000, or a mirrorless or DSLR camera that you can mount a telephoto lens on.
Telephoto lens: As above, if you have selected a mirrorless or DSLR camera model, the next addition to your kit is a long-reaching telephoto lens. How long should your lens be? It really comes down to your budget, and what is available for your camera. Do some investigating, and if you already have a telephoto zoom lens, consider extending your reach with the use of a teleconverter.
Tripod: When working with long focal lengths, a tripod is a must for cutting down on any blur, and it will also come in handy when perfecting and maintaining consistent framing for any image sequences that you plan to capture.
ND filters: As your camera will be pointed directly at the sun during the entire event, for much of your shooting you will be dealing with an overwhelming amount of light. So you don't overexpose your images, an ND filter can be used to cut down on some of the light and allow you to use a manageable shutter speed. Make sure you familiarise yourself with how to install and remove your filter quickly though, as if it is on during the total eclipse, you will have the opposite problem, and the ND filter will cause you to underexpose your images.
Camera settings to help you master Solar Eclipse Photography
Use Manual settings: Coming to terms with using your camera in full manual mode, or at the very least aperture priority, will set you up for the best success when it comes to solar eclipse photography. As detailed below, having an understanding of ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed will ensure that you are prepared to photograph the eclipse as it progresses and conditions change, and you are not standing there fumbling with your camera.
Start with a low ISO: An ISO of 100 or similar will allow you to utilise the fast shutter speeds necessary to aim your camera towards the daytime sky, and it will also ensure your images are as low in noise as possible.
Use a fast shutter speed: This will differ depending on what stage of the eclipse you are shooting. As you are aiming your camera at the full sun early on in the eclipse, you will need a very fast shutter speed, such as 1/1000th of a second or higher, while as the total eclipse occurs and everything becomes dark, be prepared to lower the shutter speed considerably.
Use a moderate aperture: Aim for the sweet spot of your lens, which is usually around f5.6 to f8. This will allow you to adjust your other exposure settings accordingly and will yield a nice sharp image.
Use RAW image capture: A RAW file is basically an uncompressed file. The beauty of this is you have more latitude to make edits and adjustments to your image. You can tweak brightness, exposure, contrast, white balance and more, without degrading the quality of the image at all.
General solar eclipse photography tips
Find a comfortable spot with a good vantage point: As mentioned above, the full event will last a few hours, so make sure you find a spot that is comfortable, that has plenty of space for you to safely store your gear, and most importantly, provides a good view of the sky!
Be prepared for changes in lighting: The strange thing about a solar eclipse from a photography point of view is that for a long period, the changes will appear to be slow, and you'll have plenty of time to compose and adjust your settings, but when the total eclipse happens, you will have to move quickly if you want to get the best shots. Our advice is to have some idea of the settings changes that will be required, and exactly how to do so on your camera so that when the time comes you are not caught by surprise.
Take plenty of shots: Modern digital cameras offer you the opportunity to capture plenty of images, thanks to the availability of high-capacity memory cards. Make sure you have plenty of space on yours and don't forget a spare battery or two, so you can take plenty of images at each stage of the eclipse. Consider adjusting your framing and composition regularly, so you can choose your favourite images after the event, and also bracket your exposures, so you will have less work perfecting your images during editing.
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