How to Photograph the Solar Eclipses Book Reviews

How to Photograph the Solar Eclipses by Alan Dyer Book Summary

Learn how to photograph the coming solar eclipses in 2023 and 2024 with a wide range of techniques and camera gear:
• Simple phone cameras
• DSLR and Mirrorless still cameras (for stills and video)
• Wide-angle lenses and telephotos
• Telescopes, both tracking the sky and untracked
• The book covers techniques for both the October 14, 2023 annular eclipse and the April 8, 2024 total eclipse.

In this 350-page ebook, you’ll learn:
• What to expect to see and what to shoot.
• How to shoot simple grab shots and eclipse “selfies.”
• What types of cameras are best.
• What tripod features are best.
• What filters to use and when to remove them.
• How to shoot wide-angle still images.
• How to set up time-lapse sequences.
• How to frame scenes for time-lapses and composites.
• How to plan great shots above scenic landmarks.
• How to shoot close-ups of totality.
• What focal lengths are best for framing the Sun.
• What types of telescopes and mounts are best.
• How to align tracking mounts in the daytime.
• How to focus and avoid image blurring from sky motion.
• What the best exposures will be.
• When to shoot on auto exposure vs. manual.
• How to set video cameras for maximum detail and dynamic range.
• How to plan shoots with single or multiple cameras.
• How to automate a camera.
• Tips on last-minute moves to avoid clouds.
• What can go wrong and how to avoid the common mistakes.
• How to capture the eclipse and still see it!
• And finally … The biggest chapter at 68 pages covers processing eclipse photos, from simple wide-angle scenes to complex multi-exposure stacks and composites.

The book contains:
• Dozens of sky charts made specifically for the 2023 and 2024 eclipses, for sample locations along the paths, to show how to frame the scene with a range of focal lengths, and for planning your shoot.
• Active links to websites for equipment suppliers and for detailed eclipse maps and times for your site.
• Step-by-step tutorials take you through processing, from basic developing of Raw files, to assembling time-lapse movies, and stacking images for composites, plus blending of multiple exposures with HDR software and luminosity masks.
• The ebook is expanded by 50 pages from the original 2017 edition, with updated content to cover new camera capabilities and the latest software.

What’s in the book:
Chapter 1: Introduction
• A summary of the techniques the book explains.
Chapter 2: The Eclipse Experience
• What you will see and experience during the eclipse, both with the naked eye and through optics • Eclipse etiquette
Chapter 3: Where to Go
• Where you need to be in the path of totality • Plan B options
Chapter 4: 2023: Shooting the Annular Eclipse
• How to capture the October 14, 2023 annular solar eclipse • Choosing filters • Shooting wide-angle composites • Shooting telephoto and telescope close-ups
Chapter 5: 2024: Shooting Wide-Angle Stills
• How to capture the April 8, 2024 total solar eclipse • Choosing cameras and lenses • Choosing exposures and other settings • Framing options, for capturing easy but dramatic wide-angle scenes and panoramas
Chapter 6: 2024: Shooting Close-Up Stills
• Choosing cameras, lenses, and telescopes for detailed close-ups • Tracking mounts vs. untracked tripods • Setting up a tracking telescope • Focusing tips • Recommended exposure sequences • Framing the corona • Practice tips for shooting the Moon
Chapter 7: 2024: Shooting Composites
• Planning a multiple exposure composite • Framing the scene • Wide-angle vs. close-up sequences
Chapter 8: 2024: Shooting Time-Lapses
• Setting up wide-angle and close-up time-lapses • Framing the motion of the Sun • Tracking the Sun • Controlling the camera
Chapter 9: 2024: Shooting Video
• Video options using DSLR or Mirrorless cameras • Setting exposures. Setting video options: 8K vs 4K vs 4KHQ • Setting contrast curves
Chapter 10: What Can Go Wrong?
• Common equipment and user malfunctions! • Checklists • Operating multiple cameras and shooting plans • Automating a camera • Cloudy options • Contingency plans
Chapter 11: Processing Eclipse Images
• Workflows • Photoshop basics • Developing Raw images • Processing wide-angle scenes and close-ups of the corona • Processing time-lapse sequences • Stacking composites • Blending multi-exposure blends with HDR and luminosity masks • Creating composites
Chapter 12: Conclusion
• Advice for eclipse newbies • Future eclipses • Where to learn more – for detailed maps and information on your site
About the Author
The author is a veteran of 16 total solar eclipses, shooting each one with a variety of camera and techniques. Alan is a contributing editor to Sky and Telescope magazine. His eclipse images have been featured in many magazines and books, and his eclipse videos have been used in Discovery Channel TV documentaries. He is author of the ebook How to Photograph and Process Nightscapes and Time-Lapses and co-author of the widely acclaimed print book The Backyard Astronomer’s Guide.

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How to Photograph the Solar Eclipses (Alan Dyer) Book Reviews 2023

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