How to Photograph a Solar Eclipse

Tip 1: view the solar eclipse safely with eclipse glasses

Our first tip is also the most important: put eclipse glasses on your nose. It is not recommended to look directly up at the sun during a solar eclipse, because this can damage your eyes. It is therefore wise to put on eclipse glasses, even when you are looking at the solar eclipse through your camera. These glasses filter UV and infrared light and therefore protect your eyes. If you do not have eclipse glasses, you can also look at the sun via your camera's live view. We really do not recommend looking at the sun through the viewfinder.

Tip 2: use a filter on your lens

In addition to wearing eclipse glasses, we recommend placing a filter on your lens. For example, you can use a special solar filter, a welding glass (no. 14) or a strong neutral density filter.

A special solar filter for an eclipse must have at least a so-called Neutral Density (OD) of 5.0. This filter is often made from material similar to eclipse glasses and offers the best protection for your eyes and camera. If you choose a welding glass (no. 14) or a strong neutral density filter, also wear eclipse glasses and never look through the viewfinder. The sunlight is still powerful and could damage your eyes.

If you use a filter, it is possible that your autofocus will not work properly. Therefore, it is best to focus manually.

Tip 3: watch out for melting hazards

Your lens captures all the sunlight, and this generates a lot of heat inside your camera. You can compare it to the effect of a magnifying glass in the sun. If you leave your camera pointed continuously at the sun, there is a chance that your gear will be seriously damaged. It is wise to turn your camera away from the sun from time to time or to shield your lens. For example, if you are recording a timelapse, you can place a white cloth over your camera, but still keep a close eye on whether your camera is getting too hot.

Tip 4: think carefully about what you want to photograph

A solar eclipse is always over faster than you think. It is therefore useful to decide in advance what you want to capture. A solar eclipse has three phases: first, the moon slowly moves in front of the sun until the sun is obscured to its maximum extent. Sometimes this is complete, but often the sun is only partially obscured. After that, the moon moves away from the sun again. Think carefully in advance about which phase(s) you want to photograph, because before you know it, it will be over.

Tip 5: choose the right lens

During a partial solar eclipse, you can take many different kinds of photographs. Once you know what you want to capture, you can choose the right lens. If you want to create a landscape photograph with the solar eclipse visible in the frame, it is best to choose a wide-angle lens.

The disadvantage of this lens is that the sun becomes a small dot in relation to the rest of the photograph. You can also choose to use a telephoto lens, which allows you to capture the entire phenomenon in detail.

If you choose a telephoto lens, it is advisable to use a tripod as well.

Already have an idea of which lens you want to use? Then take a look at our extensive range of lenses.

Tip 6: choose the right camera settings

It is wise to set up your camera properly before the solar eclipse takes place. For example, it is best to set the ISO value as low as possible, as there is already an abundance of light. You can therefore also use a relatively small aperture. It is also best to choose a fast shutter speed, because your camera only needs to capture the light for a short period.

Finally, you need to set the focal length of your lens. The longer the focal length of your (telephoto) lens, the more details you will be able to see in your photograph. If you are photographing with a lens of 400mm or more, you can make the sun appear large in the frame. Often, it is even large enough to photograph the eclipse up close. With a shorter focal length, the solar eclipse appears smaller within the overall image.

Tip 7: try making a video or a timelapse

You can also choose to make a video or timelapse of the partial solar eclipse. If you place a (video) camera on a tripod and let it record for two hours, you can capture the entire duration of the solar eclipse. Just make sure to keep an eye on whether your camera is getting too hot. If you then play the video back at high speed, it will look as though the solar eclipse is happening very quickly.

You can also take a photograph every five or ten minutes from the same setup. When you edit the images afterwards, you can place these photographs one after another. You will then have a timelapse of the solar eclipse. That is pretty cool too!

Tip 8: play with the light

Did you know that a ray of sunlight looks different during a partial solar eclipse? If you cut holes into a piece of paper and then hold it in the sunlight, the shadow will contain small crescent-shaped spots.

You can really let your creativity run free. You can also choose to create a photograph in which the sun is used as a football, or one that makes it look as though someone is holding the sun. Above all, be creative!