Lunar Eclipse 26-5-21

I've always found eclipse photos fascinating, especially those that beautifully document the various stages and colors during its evolution. Witnessing an actual eclipse is an experience beyond just the peak moment; it is about the entire metamorphosis from start to finish.

Eclipses are not that common here. They are even rarer to be seen in clear skies throughout the eclipse, which you need for this image. This is my 3rd attempt over the past 10 years. With better lenses, more experience, a better sensor and a help from a few friends, the quality improves each time.

“But dance you do, and image by image you get a chance to build the sequence. ”

For this eclipse shoot, a friend and I decided to take our 100 to 400 canon lenses with cameras attached into the square in the city centre. The word got out and we were soon joined by 10 to 15 other photographers. Add in people that stopped in for a few minutes at a time, it was quite a large group. All of us braving the near zero conditions to enjoy and capture the spectacle.

The biggest issue, when capturing an eclipse is the amount of light that the moon reflects when it starts to turn red. Required exposure times grow, ISO’s increase as you try to dance in the exposure triangle. If your shutter speed gets too slow then the motion of the moon in the sky blurs the image. ISO too high then you lose detail. But dance you do, and image by image you get a chance to build the sequence.

Thanks everyone for a great night, maybe next time it will be with a star tracker.