Project Overview
This piece captures the fleeting yet awe-inspiring moment of a total solar eclipse, told through a sequence of over 70 RAW photographs. Using the Sony A7R II with a 1000ND filter, I documented the full progression of the eclipse—from the initial contact to totality and the return of light.
The final composition is a horizontal timeline that showcases each stage with clarity and motion. Beyond documentation, the piece becomes an artful arrangement that reflects both scientific precision and visual storytelling. To surprise the audience, I created an inverted version of the final image, transforming shadows into glowing light—giving the work an ethereal, cosmic quality.
Shooting Process
- Setup & Gear
• Camera: Sony A7R II with standard kit lens
• Filter: 1000ND solar filter to safely shoot the eclipse
• Tripod-mounted, with a 3-second timer (no remote trigger) to minimize shake
• Wore solar eclipse glasses to safely observe and time each phase
- Capture Strategy
• Shot in 3–5 minute intervals throughout the eclipse
• Used exposure bracketing (underexposed, properly exposed, overexposed) to capture all light details
• Manually adjusted settings based on light intensity at each phase
• Captured over RAW photos during the event, covering the full progression of the eclipse—from partial phases to totality and back
Design Process
- Photo Selection & Editing (Lightroom)
• Imported all RAW files into Adobe Lightroom
• Selected the most visually balanced image from each bracketed set
• Made minimal edits (contrast, white balance, shadows) to preserve the natural sky feel
• Exported all chosen images at full resolution for final composition
- Composite Assembly (Photoshop)
• Brought selected images into Adobe Photoshop
• Aligned and arranged them horizontally to simulate the arc of the eclipse over time
• Adjusted spacing and masked overlaps to ensure clean transitions
• Smoothed out the background for visual consistency
- Creative Twist – Inversion
• Created a tonally inverted version of the final composition
• Flipped black to white and light to dark, transforming each eclipse stage into a radiant celestial form
• This version served as a conceptual reimagining, offering a fresh visual and emotional interpretation of the eclipse
Social Media Content Creation Process
Total Solar Eclipse Composition
Medium: Photography + Post-Production
Tools Used: Sony A7R II, 1000ND Filter, Tripod, Solar Eclipse Glasses (for viewing), Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop
Deliverables: High-resolution photo composition for social media + print
Tools Used: Sony A7R II, 1000ND Filter, Tripod, Solar Eclipse Glasses (for viewing), Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop
Deliverables: High-resolution photo composition for social media + print