Newsletter #133 - Totality Amazing
Solar Eclipse - April 8, 2024
It wasn’t looking good. Clouds were in the forecast. For me to see the sun in totality during the solar eclipse was going to be a roll of the dice.
My spot was Delta Lake State Park in Oneida County, NY. It was a serene setting with a perfect view of the southern sky.
I set up early and was feeling optimistic. The clouds were high and wispy. The sun was shining. In this location, the eclipse was set to start at 2:10, with totality lasting between 3:23 and 3:25. If the sky held, I’d be good.
At 2:48, I pointed my phone at the sun through my goggles. The eclipse was on its way.
But at 3 PM, the clouds really started to get thick. The sun was getting more and more obstructed with each passing minute.
At exactly 3:23, right at the starting moment of totality, dark clouds passed over the sun. You could hear people all around the park screaming and yelling in disappointment. The sun became fully enveloped by the clouds. Hope for seeing the sun eclipsed by the moon seemed lost.
The darkness of the totality was surreal. The temperature felt like it dropped ten degrees. The air was still and silent. The lake turned to glass. The birds stopped chirping, and their sounds were replaced by the spring peepers, a sound you typically only hear at night. It was amazing.
If I didn’t get to see the sun in totality, this moment alone was worth it.
But then, people started screaming. The clouds were parting.
It was just enough for me to go back to my camera and make some pictures. I didn’t even know what to do. I was just turning dials. What ISO do I use? Is it dark or light right now? Why won’t my lens focus?!
The clouds parted for exactly 22 seconds, during the peak of totality. I had no idea if I got anything good. Maybe I did. I think I did… It looked kinda interesting on the back of my camera.
That moment was unlike anything I had ever experienced. In fact, no photo could ever do it justice. I had been in a partial solar eclipse in the past. That experience is definitely cool. But this was different. This felt bigger. It was life-altering.
When I got home a few hours later I looked at my photos.
I think I made a good picture.
If you are interested in purchasing a photographic print of my solar eclipse photo, I have made two sizes available. They are printed, signed, and numbered in my studio. Click here for more details.
Technical note:
All of the photos in this newsletter, except the final photograph, are screenshots from videos. I am currently working on a short video where I will talk about this in a little more detail and give some behind-the-scenes commentary. Subscribe to my YouTube channel to make sure you don’t miss it.
The final eclipse photo was made with a Sony A7RV with a 200-600mm lens. No filter.
Special thank you to Kristen Neufeld for the production assistance on this trip.
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Julia Sforza proofreads this email.
Zach Vitale didn’t notice the eclipse, because he lives in darkness all day.
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as someone with a debilitating case of Low Interest in the Eclipse Disorder (or just LIED), your picture of the eclipse was indeed good. the little bit of clouds still looming about enhanced it as well, I think.
Jaw actually dropped