Shooting the eclipse

Photographers share plans, tips ahead of April solar eclipse 

By Holly Riddle

Photographers around the country are gearing up to capture the total solar eclipse this April 8, and for those who also love shooting the outdoors and the Adirondacks, the event is a dream come true.

New Jersey-based Dan Stein specializes in astrophotography. Since he heard the Adirondacks would be in the path of totality for the upcoming eclipse, he started plans to capture the moment.  

Stein aims to photograph multiple Adirondack settings during what he calls a “once-in-a-lifetime celestial event” — but since the eclipse’s duration of totality is limited to a few minutes, he’s put together a strategy to allow him to be in multiple places at the same time.

“I’ve scouted a few mountains that work for the shots I’m envisioning,” he said. “I’ve built a vandal-resistant box that my camera[s] will be housed in, in a very leave-no-trace-friendly way.” Stein plans to place three camera boxes in different places. They’ll be set to start shooting just as the first partial phase hits and stop when the eclipse is done. He’ll shoot the event live from a fourth location.

Other photographers are planning to hike to singular desirable viewpoints around the area, though most interviewed for this article were hesitant to reveal their exact plans.

Potential obstacles

The high chance of clouds on eclipse day leaves some planning backup locations outside the Adirondacks. “One of the biggest worries I have is that the weather could be bad, so I am looking at Burlington, Vermont, as a backup plan,” said photographer Janice Prichett. Stein listed Maine and Texas as his backup plans. 

While some photographers plan to avoid crowded places during the eclipse, Prichett isn’t concerned. “I’m confident that the crowds won’t be a problem for me, as the sun will be high in the sky, so, when I zoom in, they won’t be in the way. I also think that having some people in the images can be a good thing,” she said.

William Adamczak, a landscape and wildlife photographer with focuses on the Adirondacks and astrophotography, likewise said, “If you’re looking to get close-in photos of the sun, any field will do, and there are plenty around. If you’re looking for a landscape photo as well, then you’ll need to choose more carefully. In that case, steer clear of the most popular areas and don’t advertise where you’re going.”

Outdoor photographer Carl Heilman II, will be taking into consideration the traffic that comes with crowds, when formulating his eclipse strategy.

“My final plans might be very much last-minute, and completely dependent on weather forecasts leading up to the event. If the weather is nice in the region of totality, expect traffic that could be considerably heavier than July 4 holiday traffic,” he said. 

Essential gear and tips

The photographers we spoke with noted the importance of using solar filters for safe viewing.  Heilman recommends Baader AstroSolar Film “to filter the sun’s light to what is acceptable to view by eye, or photograph with a camera.”

Heilman added the following advice: “It should be noted a person can ruin their camera sensor if they are not using a strong enough filter to reduce the light reaching the sensor. A simple neutral density filter is not enough. A person would need multiple ND filters to reach the approximately 15 stops reduction required for telephoto photos of the sun in a clear sky. Mirrorless cameras don’t have a shutter, so the sun is shining on the sensor continuously any time the camera and lens are pointed toward the sun. Also – a solar filter is not needed for photographing the sun during totality, but is required for any direct sunlight during the progression of the eclipse.”

Photographers differed on whether or not they felt it possible to capture the eclipse with a cell phone camera. Prichett and Adamczak are doubtful of the potential results, with the latter explaining, “While the ability of the phone to photograph the world around us has improved greatly, it’s still rather limited. A phone will be good only for photographing the wide landscape around you. If you want photos of the sun itself, you’ll want a camera and lens combination that has a focal length of 300mm or better, at the very minimum. Otherwise, you’ll be looking at a tiny spot on your screen.”

Stein, though, is confident it can be done (and has a tutorial on his website, danieljstein.com, to prove it). He said, “I’ve tried holding the solar filter from [eclipse] glasses up to my phone and [the photo] came out… My best advice is, when the sun’s out, get outside with your solar filter and phone and practice shooting the sun. If you can hammer out how quickly the sun will move in your camera setup and how hard it is to find…you can get the hang of shooting an eclipse quickly.” 

These photographers’ biggest tip for shooting the eclipse, though? “Don’t let photographing the eclipse ruin the experience of just watching this phenomenal event,” said Prichett.

Heilman agreed: “In the end, what is most important is to enjoy the experience of totality. If you get some great photos to help relive the experience once it passes, all the better, but don’t sacrifice your experience to get the photos.” 

Photo at top provided by Carl Heilman II.

Editor’s note: This story has been updated to clarify the purpose of neutral density filters.