Are you going to see the eclipse in August?

Last minute change. I will fly to Denver on Sunday morning, stay in Denver [that is as far north that I could find a motel], get up early, drive to the eclipse, drive back to Denver the same day, and fly home on Tuesday. No, I will not take photographs, I want to concentrate on the viewing. Others can do the photography.

Sirius Glass said:

Last minute change. I will fly to Denver on Sunday morning, stay in Denver [that is as far north that I could find a motel], get up early, drive to the eclipse, drive back to Denver ...

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My best wishes to you that you can get into the band of totality.

I know many people in Oregon &Washington who tell me "99% totality is good enough". Well, no, it really isn't if someone has a chance (as they do) to see 100%. Why? Because 99% is only about 5% of the excitement and awe that 100% gives you.

I

Theo Sulphate said:

My best wishes to you that you can get into the band of totality.

I know many people in Oregon &Washington who tell me "99% totality is good enough". Well, no, it really isn't if someone has a chance (as they do) to see 100%. Why? Because 99% is only about 5% of the excitement and awe that 100% gives you.

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I have never been one to settle for 99% especially when 100% is so close. With eclipeses that 1% makes a big difference.

Does anyone have a suggested starting parameters for ISO, shutter speed, and aperture, assuming the use of a genuine solar filter over the front of the lens?

wiltw said:

Does anyone have a suggested starting parameters for ISO, shutter speed, and aperture, assuming the use of a genuine solar filter over the front of the lens?

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Without waiting for replies to my question, I decided to look it up with Google!

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora/photography/tips-and-solutions/how-photograph-solar-eclipse

So it seems like ISO 100 with f/8 set on the lens would be a good start, with 1/4000 as the fastest speed needed while the sun is partly covered., and 1/60 capturing the corona at 0.1x solar radiuses.

Here are a couple useful links:
http://www.mreclipse.com/Totality2/TotalityCh12-3.html
http://www.astroadventures.net/exposure.html

I saw a total eclipse here in Germany in August 11th in 99!
It was breathtaking, and I had no desire to take any photos at all. So just enjoy the moment!
All these photos (often better) taken you will see them later all over the websites...

wiltw said:

Does anyone have a suggested starting parameters for ISO, shutter speed, and aperture, assuming the use of a genuine solar filter over the front of the lens?

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On a previous page of this thread I posted a copy of the KODAK exposure recommendations.

I did some tests of my solar filter last week (using one of those cameras capable of creating histograms). If I get a chance I will track down the settings that worked best (I am out of town for the weekend). The problem is that my solar filter may be quite different from everybody else's. If you have access to a digital camera with manual settings, I would use it tomorrow to determine the best settings for analog use.

Where I live, totality will only be 50 seconds, so I anticipate taking three bracketed exposures in a row and hoping for the best. I can always buy a print by a better photographer.

I anticipate primarily photographing the partial portions with a digital camera (I figured this is safest since it is better to burn out a sensor than my retina). I will take 3 quick analog exposures at totality since film has great latitude (I am still trying to decide between B&W or C-41).

I drove down to Louisville Ky, and will be on the road Monday morning to Nashville to view the eclipse with my daughter. The one big variable is how long will the drive take? Normally it's 2.5 hours, but with the massive inrush of people to the eclipse zone, it's not at all clear how bad the traffic will be! How early to leave in the morning is the big question!!

Here in Honolulu it will peak at about 31% at 6:35 am, when the sun is just above the horizon, presuming I can get to a place that has a view of the horizon at 80 deg E at that hour. Doesn't sound like much, but it might be worth doing a little scouting with The Photographer's Ephemeris, and if I'm awake and don't have to drive too far, I could head out somewhere to see the partial eclipse at sunrise.

NYC here- thinking we're about 75% ...I'm trying to figure out how many ND filters I need to stack to get a few good shots without modifying with the UV and IR. I have previously photographed the sun with a few ND filters (4 stops maybe?) @ various apertures and an 87D with great success- I looked through the lens (briefly) and I can still see fine today so thinking it's probably safe..I've also sandwiched an 18A (uv only) and an 87D together to get some nice sun shots with my ancient Nikon D100 and a 300MM prime with a 1.2x tele-extender. No time at this point to even source a solar filter so I'll have to deal with what I have. Also have some EIR in the freezer, do I dare burn a roll of something so incredibly valuable? I think maybe so for an event like this..

I am sitting in the motel in Denver which is as close as I could get at the last minute. I will get up super early in the morning and drive hoping to miss some of the traffic jam.

I've been in eastern Idaho for the past four days, just sitting here on the centerline of the eclipse. I suspect many people have done what I did and are already in place. I'm not noticing any unusually heavy traffic (either in person or from Google) and I don't think things are going to be as crowded as predicted.

Motels, RV's, flights, etc., were booked a year in advance people tell me.

I realized that driving a little further than I planned will add 30 seconds to the eclipse, and possibly hours to the drive back.

RattyMouse said:

I drove down to Louisville Ky, and will be on the road Monday morning to Nashville to view the eclipse with my daughter. The one big variable is how long will the drive take? Normally it's 2.5 hours, but with the massive inrush of people to the eclipse zone, it's not at all clear how bad the traffic will be! How early to leave in the morning is the big question!!

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I live in Nashville, so I'll just be going out on the back porch when the appointed time arrives. I am not planning to take any photographs. I think NASA has it covered.

Sirius Glass said:

I realized that driving a little further than I planned will add 30 seconds to the eclipse, and possibly hours to the drive back.

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Will the experience and memories be worth it? A question only you can answer.

Or... you can use the time to plan your April 8, 2024 vacation to Mazatlán.

I hooked up my camera to take a long exposure of some sort



Quick question though, is the old trick of taking two pieces of exposed and developed B&W film still valid or that's considered unsafe these days?

Cholentpot said:

Quick question though, is the old trick of taking two pieces of exposed and developed B&W film still valid or that's considered unsafe these days?

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These days, probably not... However, but that's not an example to follow, Years ago I watched a partial eclipse using several layers of heavily fogged C41 negative... That's theorically "verboten", because developped color film doesn't contain silver, and then let pass infrareds, but i didn't suffer of any eye injuries...
Maybe I'm lucky !
But, I don't know why use of a fully developped B&w film is forbidden.
I wish to you all, eclipse chasers or simple Watchers, a big clear sky, and a great dark Sun !!! Here, things are on the way..

Raphaël on Idaho

Did some scouting at sunrise this morning to find a good spot. Shot digital to evaluate exposures, and tomorrow I'll shoot color in digital mainly to post to my stock site and 6x7 B&W with my 2x3 Technika for printing. I'm treating it as a sunrise over the ocean that will happen to have a partial solar eclipse in it. Based on this morning's exposures, I made myself a film exposure guide with adjustments for reciprocity, but I can also just spot meter the area adjacent to the sun, like I normally would for a sunrise/sunset.

Raphael said:

These days, probably not... However, but that's not an example to follow, Years ago I watched a partial eclipse using several layers of heavily fogged C41 negative... That's theorically "verboten", because developped color film doesn't contain silver, and then let pass infrareds, but i didn't suffer of any eye injuries...
Maybe I'm lucky !
But, I don't know why use of a fully developped B&w film is forbidden.
I wish to you all, eclipse chasers or simple Watchers, a big clear sky, and a great dark Sun !!! Here, things are on the way..

Raphaël on Idaho

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I dug up some Tri-x bulk from the 70's. It should have some silver in it I think. It's soaking in Rodinal right now to get 'em nice and thick. My eyes seem to be fine after testing yesterday.

The drive into Franklin Kentucky went smooth. Now just killing time waiting for totality. The sky is clear and blue. This. Will. Be. Amazing.

I do believe we should make a separate gallery just for eclipse pictures

I poked a small hole in a black card and then used it like a pin hole camera to project the image of the sun on a white piece of paper. Interesting way to view. I also noticed where the sun shone through tree leaves it projected pictures of itself all over the ground. Not totally blacked out here, otherwise it would have been interesting to see stars for a minute.

Awesome doesn't even describe it.

About 15 minutes before totality, it became noticeably cooler, more breezy, and the sunlight had less intensity - as if there were smoke or haze obscuring the Sun even though the sky was completely clear. Someone unaware of an upcoming eclipse would have, at this point, felt the lighting was a bit odd. Shadows were becoming indistinct and the shadow of one girl's hand with outstretched fingers showed multiple smaller finger shadows. Shadows of leaves were crescents.

So, it was quite amazing to see the darkening within the last three minutes. From a high vantage point looking west, I saw the approaching dark shadow about 15 seconds before totality. From about 3 minutes before to three minutes after, I recorded video of the surrounding plain of Rexburg, Idaho. The cheers from fellow eclipse watchers were my clue that totality had arrived.

The surrounding landscape, totally dark, had a ring of light on the southern horizon.

Looking up at the fully eclipsed Sun, I was astonished at how bright the corona was and how eerie the black disc of the moon appeared. I have to say it was a bit scary to look at because I wasn't sure when our 2m 17s of totality would end. Since my eclipse glasses still showed blackness, I'm sure my last naked-eye glimpse of that eerie sight was still full totality.

I think I'm the only one who photographed the eclipse with an Exakta. I made just two quick photos of the Sun at totality, using Ektar 100, 1/250, f/5.6 with the CZJ 50mm/2.8 Tessar.