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Even smartphones can take great photos of the total solar eclipse on April 8.
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It’s important to scout a great location and practice your shots beforehand.
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For best results, shoot with more than just the sun in the frame.
Whether you’re on the ground or in the sky during this year’s Great American Eclipse, you can take stunning photos with a digital camera or smartphone. You just need to plan a little ahead.
“The last thing you want is to play it by ear because then you’re going to miss it,” said astrophotographer Jon Carmichael, who took what is considered one of the most striking solar eclipse photos ever in 2017. he told Business Insider.
Here’s how to get the best shots, according to photographers Carmichael and Andrew Studer, whose work has been published by National Geographic and BBC Earth.
1. Achieve wholeness
Tens to hundreds of millions of people across the United States will experience a partial solar eclipse on April 8. But a smaller percentage will get the life-changing opportunity to witness something called totality, when the moon completely eclipses the sun.
If you are already on the path to wholeness, you are in great shape. If you’re not on the path to totality, you can still get nice photos, but they won’t be as dramatic because even if the moon covers 99% of the sun, the sky is still significantly brighter than if the sun were 100°. % eclipse.
“This is literally a night and day difference,” Carmichael said, compared to a partial eclipse that would be visible across a larger swath of the United States.
More than 30 million people will be in the path of the totality that will move from Texas to Maine. You can check if you’re one of them with this helpful NASA map.
2. Research your location and then make a backup
The most important factor for great eclipse photos is something we can’t control: the weather.
When deciding where to watch the total eclipse, choose your ideal spot by taking into account the historical weather in early April, Carmichael said.
Then, have a backup location if the forecast is cloudy.
Even if you have to watch the eclipse from the side of the road, having clear skies is more important than a more picturesque but cloudy vantage point, he said.
3. Use apps to your advantage
There are many apps that can help you create a great eclipse photo.
Studer recommends PhotoPills, which allow you to determine the position of the moon and sun in advance.
Carmichael loves the Solar Snap app, developed by former Hubble Space Telescope Astronomer Doug Duncan, that acts as a solar filter for smartphones and lets you use long exposure to take great photos of the sky.
It is important to have a filter on your smartphone or camera. Otherwise, if you point it at the sun during an eclipse, too much heat may condense on it and the electronics may fail.
4. Consider renting equipment
It’s possible to take a great photo of a total solar eclipse with just your smartphone or a simple digital camera. However, if you want close-up shots of the sun and moon, you will need a telephoto lens.
Studer recommends renting one. He said a 200-millimeter (mm) lens is good for most shots, while a 400mm lens will reveal more detail, such as the sun’s corona or craters on the moon.
5. Switch to automation
You don’t want to spend all your time trying to take the best photo during the eclipse. You’ll miss the chance to appreciate this cosmic event without looking through a lens or screen.
“I guarantee everyone that this will be the best moment you’ll ever see in your life,” Carmichael said.
With that in mind, Carmichael recommends using a tripod and adjusting your camera settings so it can automatically take photos while you take some time for yourself.
Totality time during this eclipse will be up to 4 minutes and 26 seconds, depending on your location. You can even take a few hands-on photos, then enjoy the totality for yourself if you time it right.
6. Practice 24 hours before
Once you find the perfect spot, head to the area 24 hours before the eclipse.
“It’s really nice to spend the day before planning anything,” Studer said.
The Sun will be in almost the same spot during the eclipse; so use its location to plan where you’ll stand, how you’ll frame your photo, and the angles you’ll take it from.
7. Don’t forget to wear glasses for your phone
Make sure your equipment is secure before you start shooting on eclipse day. This is especially important if you’re taking photos with a smartphone that has a sensitive light sensor, Carmichael said.
The simplest solution is to hold a pair of eclipse glasses over the phone’s lens to help filter the light. If you’re using a camera, a solar filter can help you take a great photo without damaging it.
8. Include other topics besides the Moon and the Sun
Although the moon and sun are the stars of the eclipse, including other subjects in your photo helps provide context, according to Studer BI.
He adopted this approach with his famous 2017 photograph of a rock climber in the background of the eclipse.
Whether it’s a dramatic rock formation, a tree, or the profile of a loved one, the juxtaposition of an object and the sun is powerful.
“Having an object in the image makes it more fun, more unique, and more special to the photographer,” Studer said.
9. Zoom out
The famous photo that Carmichael took in 2017 had taken shape in his mind long before the incident.
He knew he wanted a wide shot that included not only the eclipse but also the shadow of the moon and the shape of the surrounding land.
His advice for capturing shots like this is simple: “Zoom out,” especially if you’re on a mountain or high vantage point.
In his famous photo, Carmichael was thousands of feet in the air on a Southwest commercial airliner.
10. Look around you
Carmichael said a lot of things are happening around you while your eyes are focused on the sun during the eclipse.
During partial periods of the eclipse (before and after totality), shadows take on a distinctive crescent shape, a dramatic 360-degree sunset effect occurs, and animals often behave strangely.
All of these events can make for great photos, Carmichael said.
11. Enjoy it
Another total solar eclipse will pass the continental United States in 2044, but it usually takes about 1,000 years for the path of totality from a solar eclipse to return to the same point.
For many, the April 8 eclipse will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so take the time to enjoy it.
“It’s the perfect moment to stop, look up at the sky and appreciate something so miraculous,” Carmichael said.
Read the original article on Business Insider