Very rarely do we get to relive magic in our lives, and often trying to create it results in the opposite. Fortunately, thanks to science and math¹², we have very accurate knowledge of when eclipses occur and where.

Erica and I started planning for this year’s eclipse right after we experienced the one in 2017 in Nashville. During that trip, I didn’t know what to expect, and while I was able to get some photos of the event, I wasn’t really prepared. This year, I really had one goal, and that was to get a superb fancy shot.

The Premonition Of Trouble

We travelled to Port Clinton, OH with some friends. I hadn’t been up this way in over a decade. I think after the 2017 eclipse, the news media made it sound like this was going to be a massive disruption. Schools cancelled, government services warned to have preparations in a car such as water, gas, etc. We arrived and found while there were some people traveling for the eclipse, it wasn’t like the nexus of Nashville in 2017.

In 2017, Nashville was one of the few major cities in the eastern United States. Many people travelled from the north, it was the first total eclipse in North America since 1991, and as we experienced, there were few major routes back north as people made an exodus from Nashville resulting in a 14-hour trip home³.

My Prep

I had seven years to think about what I wanted to do differently to capture the eclipse. I had better camera gear, along with more cameras to take video. I bought a fancy filter so I could point my camera directly at the sun without it bursting into flames and damaging the sensor. I would only have three minutes, give or take to actually capture totality. I needed to be ready.

Waiting

We actually planned to stay in Port Clinton a few days along with an extra day after the event in case there was a mass migration. We enjoyed some time at local restaurants and walked around up at Crane Creek State Park. Unbeknownst to me, there was a bald eagle nest! Following the adventures of the bald eagles at Big Bear Lake in California has been a winter hobby of mine, thanks to a live cam. I actually got to see one of the eagles in the nest, and walk directly underneath. It was huge. My mind still only thought of one thing: totality.

The Sun Totally Mooned Us

We fortunately had a nice little area right next to the lake where we could camp out and watch the sky. I set up my cameras, attached my fancy neutral density filter and was able to take a direct picture of the sun.

Then the moon started to jump in front and say “hey look at me!”

And then I went into frantic capture mode, looking through my camera, and through my glasses. While a partial eclipse is neat, nothing prepares you for totality. I only had my memories to draw upon from 2017. The temperature drops rapidly, all around you is sunset/sunrise, and the eeriest⁴ image of our sun totally blocked with a faint rim sits in the sky. The seagulls near us started squawking frantically as they don’t have calculators and maps to prepare them for these things. As I was capturing photos, Erica kindly reminded me to look not through the lens but with my own eyes, and I am eternally grateful for that. Even though I have photos to share, the experience is not remotely captured. It’s a glimpse and a reminder that as we live in a state of perpetual photography and sharing, simply experiencing things in the moment is better than any photograph.

The Goods

Here are some of my favorite shots.

I captured a time-lapse of totality. You’ll notice how the camera has auto exposure on and has to readjust as the sun is blocked, and as it reemerges.

I had another camera up to capture real-time video at the horizon without auto-exposure during totality; however, I forgot to reset my focus when I moved my camera⁵, so it ended up blurry. I was really bummed about this the day after because I will have to wait to 2045 to have another shot at this. I’ve compressed this video into a time-lapse so you can see the difference.

No Trouble Home

Fortunately, the warnings of travel delays did not manifest. All roads were relatively clear across all the major cities in the path of totality. We decided to head home early and sleep in our beds, as we didn’t have plans otherwise.

I saw so many posts of people sharing their experiences, which made me delighted because I think some people thought Erica and I sounded like lunatics⁶ when we tried to convey our experiences in 2017. I saw so many wonderful photos from professionals and friends alike.

Then I woke up the morning after and was met with this headline “Solar Eclipse Will Cost America Almost $700 Million in Lost Productivity” in which I thought, we’re doomed if this is news⁷.

The Cosmic Ballet Goes On

Erica and I joked since 2017 that “Path of Totality” would be a wicked heavy metal band name. So I made this tour poster, it’s been rattling around in my brain for a while.

I’m lucky I’ve experienced this twice in my life. The only word I’ve ever used to describe it is “otherworldly” but.. it’s happening right now on our world. I hope you got to experience it as well, and if you haven’t… it’s time to start planning.

If you’d like to see more photos, head on over to my Flickr page⁸. If you’re friends with me there, you’ll see some exclusive⁹ photos.

1. Sorry flatearthers, the Earth is round. Get a calculator. ↩
2. Actually we all know the real truth. The Earth is hollow, and inside the hollow Earth there exists a duplicate “hollow” version of every person. It’s rumored some of the “hollows” have replaced their topside counterparts. I’ve already said too much. ↩
3. The average time is around five hours. ↩
4. eeriest on Lake Erie… heh ↩
5. I was managing three cameras… things happen. ↩
6. … heh … actually that fits. ↩
7. Voting Day, and total solar eclipses should be paid holidays. CHANGE MY MIND. ↩
8. Yes, I’m still posting to Flickr in 2024. It’s the best site for actual photography. DEAL WITH IT SIMPLETONS. ↩
9. sluscys! ↩