The first eclipse I remember was in 1979. I’ve seen a few others, but never a total eclipse. Partials are great, but I was prepared for something amazing today. We gathered up the family, were blessed with a last minute hotel room in SC and found a great watching spot on Monday. The folks at David Hellams Community Center in Greenville, SC were fantastic.
As the moon slowly began covering the sun, the daylight took on a crisp and surreal quality. The temperature dropped and I couldn’t wait for totality.
I had honestly expected it to look nothing like pictures I’ve seen or videos I’ve watched. I was prepared for clouds and a “meh” experience.
This topped it all.
The shots I got of the corona do not begin to compare to what it was like to look upon those photons with my own eyes. I hope you enjoy these pics. It was an amazing day.
Two minutes of totality. Now I’m hooked. I’m already planning for 2024.
For those curious about details, I shot these on a Canon T6i with a 200 mm zoom lens. I rigged up a simple filter using a solar filter and some cardboard. When totality happened, I removed the filter for the corona shots. I kept the ISO around 6400.
My gear setup with DIY filter holder
$10 filter worked great
Tripod and remote shutter control are a must to minimize shake and blur
Me taking a pic of me taking a pic (insert “inception” sound herem)
My fave of the day
