HOW TO PHOTOGRAPH A
SOLAR ECLIPSE.

Choose the photograph first

A tight solar close-up and a wide landscape sequence need different lenses, framing and exposure plans. Decide whether the story is the Sun itself, the changing light across a place, or people reacting to totality.

A long lens makes the solar disc prominent but magnifies vibration and tracking errors. A wider lens gives context and is often the safer choice for a first eclipse because it demands fewer adjustments during the event.

Filter the lens correctly

Use a purpose-made solar filter fixed securely over the front of the lens for every partial phase. A rear filter can crack under concentrated heat, and a neutral-density filter is not a substitute for a certified solar filter.

Cover the optical viewfinder or use live view. Never look through an unfiltered optical system. Totality is the only phase of a total eclipse when the front solar filter is removed, and it must be replaced before the photosphere returns.

Build a repeatable camera setup

• Use a sturdy tripod and switch off lens stabilization when the camera is locked down.
• Focus manually on the filtered solar limb, then secure the focus ring.
• Shoot RAW, disable automatic flash and use a remote release or short self-timer.
• Bracket exposures during totality because the corona spans an enormous brightness range.
• Pack spare batteries, memory cards, tape, a lens cloth and a second timer.

Rehearse the exact timeline

Practise on the uneclipsed Sun with the filter fitted. Confirm framing, focus and exposure, then rehearse filter removal and replacement without looking away from the clock for long.

Automate only what you have tested. The most valuable result is often the experience itself, so let a reliable interval sequence run while you look up during totality.