Capturing the Cosmic Dance:
My Journey to Photograph the Total Solar Eclipse of 2024

As I reflect on the past year, I'm overwhelmed with emotions, memories, and a sense of profound accomplishment. It's been a whirlwind journey filled with anticipation, preparation, and finally, the exhilarating experience of witnessing and photographing the celestial spectacle of a total solar eclipse.

As an avid photographer, I’ve always been drawn to celestial events that allow me to witness the grandeur of our universe. The total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024, promised to be a rare and extraordinary moment, and I was determined to seize the chance to photograph the sublime dance of the Sun, Moon, and Earth through my lens. My family and friends shared their anticipation of seeing the images I would create. Suddenly, there were expectations for something I had never attempted before.

Research and Planning

My preparations started well in advance, a yearlong endeavor that required meticulous planning and research. I scoured articles, read books, and attended a Cuyahoga Valley Photographic Society presentation given by my friend David Watkins in November of 2023. His presentation was crucial in understanding the different phases of a solar eclipse as well as the gear, camera settings and filters needed. I give credit to Ron Skinner, longtime friend and tireless leader of the Cool Photo Ops group, for his information, guidance and inspiration.

There were two main events to prepare for: the partial phase (when the Moon starts covering the Sun) and totality (when the Sun is completely blocked). I needed to know the exact timing for my location. I compiled a complete list of the exact times, down to the second, ensuring that I would capture crucial images throughout the entire two and a half hour event.

Practice Runs

As the fateful day approached, excitement mingled with nervous anticipation. Would the weather cooperate? Cloudy, rainy days are typical this time of year in Northeast Ohio, but the forecast looked promising. Would all my preparations pay off? A couple of days leading up to the eclipse, I practiced photographing the Sun using a solar filter. Capturing the Sun’s details required precision, and I didn’t want any surprises on the big day. Little did I know that this seemingly straightforward task would prove more challenging than anticipated. Simply locating the Sun through the viewfinder proved to be a formidable challenge. And then came the intricate task of micro-focusing on the Sun which was most difficult. The Sun, in its relentless journey across the sky, proved elusive. Every 30 seconds, it shifted its position by half its apparent diameter. Maintaining precise alignment became a constant challenge to achieve correct exposure. 

The Day of the Eclipse

April 8th dawned with a clear and beautiful sky, promising an auspicious start to our eclipse adventure. By afternoon, thin clouds invaded the sky. It wasn’t the ideal situation, yet hope lingered. I knew even imperfect conditions could still yield successful results. With camera in hand and heart pounding with anticipation, my wife and I made our way to the chosen location outside my home where I had a pristine vantage point offering unobstructed views of the sun and sky. We had deliberately avoided the chaos of traffic and crowds, opting for the quietude of our familiar surroundings.

The journey from partial eclipse to totality was a delicate dance between patience and precision. As the Moon’s shadow encroached upon the Sun, I snapped away, adjusting my camera settings in-between. Each frame captured the gradual dimming. And then, in a breathtaking moment of totality, the world was plunged into darkness. Birds fell silent, stars emerged in the midday sky, and a sense of awe washed over me like a tidal wave. I removed the solar filter and began to capture the beauty and intensity of the eclipse – the corona ablaze with fiery light, the ethereal glow of the solar prominences, the surreal landscape bathed in an otherworldly twilight.

As the eclipse drew to a close and the sun emerged once more, I couldn't help but feel gratitude for the privilege of bearing witness to such a miraculous event, and a relief, knowing each frame I had captured was more than a photograph; it was a memory etched in light. 

The 2024 solar eclipse was more than just photographs. It was an experience that would stay with me for a lifetime. And as I look back on my yearlong journey to photograph the total solar eclipse of 2024, I am filled with a sense of profound gratitude for the opportunity to capture a moment of cosmic beauty and share it with the world.

Post Production

After transferring the images to my computer, I was happy to discover I had successfully captured the entire eclipse sequence. Admittedly, I stumbled slightly at the onset of totality, but  I regained my rhythm for the remainder of totality. A couple of effects that happen just before and after totality (Baily’s Beads and the Diamond Ring) were a little obscured by those thin clouds that were present. Imperfect yet magical, I did manage to capture them.

I selected 16 images to represent the visual chronicle of the eclipse. That was the easy part. But then came the creative part: how could I encapsulate the essence of the Great American Eclipse of 2024 in a handful of frames? Ideas swirled, each sparking another, and soon I found myself immersed in a whirlwind of possibilities. Nine distinct designs emerged—one eclipsing the other in brilliance. It was as if the cosmos whispered, urging me to create not just the celestial mechanics but also the intangible magic.

All of the 2024 Total Solar Eclipse images are available to see and purchase prints and other products at the following link. Total Solar Eclipse 2024

Doors and Storefronts of Medina, Ohio

Medina, Ohio is a historic town with a charming square and many unique buildings. All around Medina Public Square, you will encounter some of the most interesting and quaint specialty shops and boutiques in the country. I wanted to capture the beauty and diversity of uptown Medina by creating a composite photograph using individual pictures of its doors and storefronts. I devoted a fall afternoon to walking around Medina Square, photographing more than 24 storefronts and doors.

In 1967, a group of Medina citizens concerned about the loss of character of the uptown area began a grassroots effort to return Public Square to its historic appearance. Today, the restored Public Square is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Looking up at the architecture of the buildings, you will see a Medina Public Square rich with stories about bygone times, creating a sense of nostalgia for visitors and residents alike.

Arriving home that late October afternoon, I downloaded the pictures to the computer. I was pleased to have captured so many great pictures, but I knew it would take a lot of work to edit each one. I was also far behind in my editing work from other photo shoots, so this project had to wait its turn. Finally, four months later, I completed the project I set out to do. The result is a stunning composite photographic series of doors and storefronts of Medina, Ohio, that reflects the historic and artistic charm of the town. The collection includes a vertical panoramic of 24 doors, a standard-sized vertical print of 16 doors, three horizontal prints of 8 doors each and 4 square prints of 6 doors each.

View the Medina Doors and Storefronts

 

 

 

 The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway

The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR) is one of the oldest and longest scenic tourist excursion railways in the country. The train runs through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park from Independence to Akron.
The Cuyahoga Valley Railway began operations in 1880, transporting iron, coal and passengers from the Tuscarawas River Valley to Cleveland, Akron, and Canton. In 1989, a mutually beneficial partnership began for the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park.
Locomotive #6777 and #6771 approaches the train station at Indigo Lake. The train was built in Canada in 1959 by Montreal Locomotive Works. The CVSR purchased #6777 in 1994 and #6771 in April, 1993. The locomotives have a 12 cylinder 251, 1,800 horsepower diesel engine.

Part of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway's fleet is a California Zephyr trainset consisting of 5 stainless steel passenger rail cars, which were built in 1948 by the Budd Company in Philadelphia, PA.

Silver Solarium was built in 1948 by the Budd Company for the Chicago, Quincy & Burlington Railroad as CB&Q #377. It was one of the six dome/sleeper/observation cars specifically built for the California Zephyr. the Silver Solarium has been fully renovated and has been operating as a private car, delighting passengers with stunning views from its Vista Dome and observation lounge. The observation lounge seats 11 in classic railroad lounge chairs, and the Vista Dome car seats 24 in booth seating at tables. CVSR acquired the car in September, 2018.

The California Zephyr, also known as the Silver Lady, was a pioneer in luxury passenger train travel. Dubbed “the most talked about train in America,” the California Zephyr made its inaugural eastbound run on March 20, 1949 with service between San Francisco and Chicago that covered 2,525 miles and took an average of 2.5 days to complete.
The California Zephyr offered sophisticated dining experiences with linens and china; sleeping compartments that ranged from the elegant staterooms complete with bathrooms, showers, drawing rooms, and bedrooms, to the cozier “roomettes”; and Vista Dome cars with windows on every side—including the ceiling—to provide breathtaking panoramic views of the passing mountains, rivers, and countryside.
The California Zephyr operated as a passenger train for 20 years, and its 77 cars were later sold to different companies and private owners. Over the years, the majority of these stainless steel cars have all but disappeared from America’s railways, having been sold off, scrapped, or simply left in storage and fallen into complete disrepair. CVSR’s acquisition of the trainset will enable us to preserve a vital piece of our nation’s railway history that was at serious and imminent risk of being forgotten.

You are invited to view these images Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway

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