Don’t do this…
It’s a completely new concept for me. Additionally, I don’t have the equipment in my kit to shoot it. So, I would either need to buy it or rent it for the event.
The biggest reason, however, is that I have four kids. We’ve got glasses to view the eclipse but I’m worried about their ability to use them correctly and the temptation to look at the eclipse without the glasses. That’s a much more important task for me than capturing what would likely be a rather average photo of the eclipse. We are actually going to modify our eclipse glasses with a paper plate to prevent incorrect use by our 7 and 9 year old girls. Our 3-year-old won’t even be allowed outside during the event.
And finally, I’m not worried about capturing the eclipse myself because I know that there are going to be so many great images from photographers across the country. I’ll especially be interested in sifting through our Reader Photos Roundup the following week. I’m genuinely excited about seeing the amazing photos that are going to be coming in after the eclipse.
If you are going to be in a viewing area, what are your plans for the eclipse? To photograph or not to photograph? If you are shooting it, what’s your gear setup look like? I’d love to know.
I’m not going to photograph it either.
Leaving my camera at home.
My wife and I are going to Zuma Beach in Malibu.
We plan to sit and enjoy the wonderful event…however it unfolds in our area.
It’s a shame you don’t see it for the educational value it affords – especially when you’ll be almost total.
Make a pinhole camera to observe the sun on a piece of paper. Explain how lenses work in a tangible way. Make a kind of orrery using balls of styrofoam on chopsticks – let the kids decorate the globes in advance to show the earth and moon. Make a small intense light source that will cast a hard shadow – demonstrate how the moons umbra travels across the earth as their paths intersect.
Put on your dad/teacher pants and get with it man!
No, I won’t miss this eclipse. I’m not a pro, only a hobbyist, had an attic darkroom as a teenager in 1954 and I’m still going at 77. Is this like when all the third graders went out to recess one kid sulked inside because everyone else was having so much fun? If you’re a photographer this is a great opportunity. Not just pics of the eclipse but millions of related photo-ops: nature, science, art and human interest.
You don’t need special equipment to photograph the shadows the eclipsed sun will cast… or the people gathering for the event.
Seriously, take your camera with it, even if you don’t shoot directly at the sun or even during the eclipse.
(You too @William)
I think I have a strong enough filter for my GoPro, so I’ll try that maybe. I’m working that day. Driving some seniors to Red Lobster for lunch, so if I can slip out with my GoPro and filter I’ll do it
I did think about a real shoot, but I figured the couple of hundred bucks for the filter – I have a great lens, would be such a useless purchase if that day was rainy or cloudy.
In eastern PA we will see approximately 80%. I contemplated attempting to photograph but ruled it out when I saw the investment required to secure a proper filter for my 100-400. As a mere hobbyist I will enjoy seeing photos of other accomplished artists and do not feel compelled to capture my own. I have glasses distributed at a lecture in our local library, so I do hope to at least experience it–assuming the weather cooperates.
You can make a pinhole in a lens cap and use that to capture the event.
Then the age old solution is take a piece of glass and smoke it with a candle or other sooty flame.
That’s what we used when I was a kid to look at the sun. I see no reason the lens can’t be focused to infinity and the glass held over the lens. Nowadays you could use a couple of sheets of window tint film.
Don’t believe the hype on “harmful radiation”. For the length of time you’ll look it’s insignificant – y’all do know that *all* glass blocks UV right?. I’m over 60 and have specifically asked my eye doctor to test for damage since I did in fact do this a lot when I was a young teen. Zero scarring or other damage.
Finally Harbor Freight sells dirt cheap welding face masks you can easily remove the glass from that and have no fears of any “radiation”.
http://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Pinhole-Lens-for-Your-SLR-Camera
Speaking as an “old” photojournalist…I will indeed be photographing the eclipse. I will not be photographing the moon/sun…But…I know there will be great images of other people viewing the event.
First stop for me will be the local grade school where kids will be grouped looking up with funky glasses.
I’m sure other images will appear. Let others shoot the sun…I’ll take the people images…
PS: I’m planning on taking a small step ladder. Hopefully I can position myself above the kids so they are looking up, almost into the lens.
I built my own solar filter about 5 weeks ago. I ordered a piece of solar film, about $8, and bought a step-up filter ring, about $6. Then I cut out a circle from the solar film (the sheet was 8″ square) and glued that circle with Elmer’s Glue to the inside lip of the step-up ring. Viola! A 77mm solar filter for $14. The filter is for the “before and after” part of the eclipse. No filter is needed for the total eclipse—the filter is so dark that I’ll have to take it off for the total eclipse; otherwise, no picture. I’ll be using the Panasonic GH3 with the 100-300mm zoom lens, mounted on a tripod. Also extra cameras will be on hand to take photos and videos of humans and their reactions, and the 360-degree “sunset” effect on the horizon.
Good stuff Rich. I hope you’ll share some shots in the Readers Photos Group on Flickr.
I’m not familiar with Flicker, I’ll have to look into that
Here’s our roundup last week: http://www.photographybay.com/2017/08/13/reader-photos-roundup-august-13-2017/
I’ll be atop Scaly Mountain – not far from Clemson, SC which is ground zero. Like Rich, I made a filter some weeks ago, have tested it and determined exposure levels. Eclipse photo gear – for partial eclipse
Camera: Canon T6i. Lens: Canon EF 300mm f/4L with 1.4× tele converter and Mylar solar filter.
Settings: f/8 1/160 sec, ISO 100, mirror lockup (settings could vary with last minute tests).
For near total and total eclipse without filter a new exposure will be determined and bracketed ±1?3 f-stop a few minutes before totality.
I hope every photographer goes for this one – no shortage of material. Thousands of people are already here in the Clemson area and thousands more are expected. I live in the tiny community of Long Creek, SC and 2,000 tickets have been sold at just one location. Many people from Florida and some even from Maine already here. All cabins and campsites sold out, many doing primitive camping on the beautiful Chattooga River in the National Forest that surrounds Long Creek.
It’s pretty crazy around Knoxville too. The 100% viewing is just a little south of us, but we are in the 99%+ viewing area.
We’ll be on a farm near Camp Rawls, SC. I believe we’ll have about 1:50 of totality. I thought about heading towards Lexington, SC — but the idea of snarled traffic nixed that one.