21 Aug 2017

[Actor]

On Monday, 21 Aug 2017 there will be a total eclipse of the sun. Maximum totality will be at 18:25:29.7 UT at a point about 20 kilometers NW of Hopkinsville, KY. The duration of totality will be 2 minutes 40 seconds. Hopkinsville, KY is about a half day's drive from my home in Ohio and I plan to be there on that day.

How do you photograph an eclipse? After spending all the money on travel and lodging it's definitely not a point and shoot situation. I'm going to use film. Focus is infinity of course but what about exposure? I'm only going to get one chance and I don't want to trust automatic anything. I think metering the sun before the event would produce underexposure. I'm thinking of using several cameras and bracketing a lot.

I've got almost 8 years to work this out.

 

[icassell]

Are you sure you're going to use film? How do you know what digital technology will yield in the next 8 years?

 

[robertwsimpson]

talk about planning ahead!

 

[Actor]

Are you sure you're going to use film? How do you know what digital technology will yield in the next 8 years?

I may shoot some digital but I definitely want to shoot film. Some other members of the family are going so I'll have plenty of assistants. A medium format TLR would be great; no problems with parallax at that distance. Maybe some 4x5 with a pinhole. Don't want to plan for too much. I've only got 2:40 and I want to spend part of that time using the two cameras I was born with.

 

[robertwsimpson]

I'd be frightened to point my camera at the sun. My film camera, not a biggie, but my digital? ehhhhh.... there's delicate stuff in there, methinks. Sunlight CANT be good for a sensor.

 

[Actor]

talk about planning ahead!

I'm also planning an end-of-the-world party for a few friends and family on the evening of 20 Dec 2012. According to the Mayan calendar the world is going to end the next day, which would pretty much spoil the eclipse shoot.

 

[robertwsimpson]

They don't say the world is going to end, the calendar itself ends. That's just bad planning. -10 pts to ancient Mayans.

 

[icassell]

talk about planning ahead!

I'm also planning an end-of-the-world party for a few friends and family on the evening of 20 Dec 2012. According to the Mayan calendar the world is going to end the next day, which would pretty much spoil the eclipse shoot.

Well, as long as the moon and sun are still around ....

 

[Actor]

They don't say the world is going to end, the calendar itself ends. That's just bad planning. -10 pts to ancient Mayans.

The Mayans didn't say it but the History Channel is sure playing it up that way. They've even got this new series The Nostradamus Effect.

 

[robertwsimpson]

lol I know. People will believe whatever the History/Discovery Channel tells them.

 

[christopher walrath]

Why? It's not real?

 

[christopher walrath]

No, read up on photographing Total Solar Eclipses. The longer the focal length, the better. Best with 500mm on up for 35mm formats. You can't view the eclipse directly. So that needs to be figured out. And pray for no clouds.