Eclipse of 2024 in Jackman Maine by Robert Akers Photography

Photographing a Total Eclipse in Jackman, Maine

This was not something I had really planned on doing.  I was way to busy with the photography of my business until my nephew said he was coming to Maine to watch the eclipse.  After, that it wa,s “Let’s do this”.  However, I was not prepared with the right equipment. I had no solar filters or a sky tracker.  The next thing I know I am online buying all kinds of equipment, those I had just mentioned and more.  Next, I am on the phone with fellow photographers to figure out how to use my star tracker and watching youtube videos on plan a more than two our photo session with the Sun.  This took a week of research and practicing to feel somewhat like I might get some good shots.  Some equipment didn’t arrive until a couple of days before the big day.

The Big Day

Before I knew it, I was up at the crack of dawn…not really, but close.  We were on the road to Jackman, ME.  Three and a half hours to get up there and hour to find the right spot.  Then, set up and wait an hour for it to start.  It was a slow start but then the time went buy at a good pace.  Every Two and a half minutes I set off a bracketed capture of 7 images with a 1/3 stop difference in shutter speed.  This was to account for changes in exposure that might be to subtle to notice or changes I did not anticipate.   And then we were off to the races.  Running two cameras and removing the solar filter I had to recalibrate exposures and push the buttons.  Going back and fourth between the Zoom lens camera and the short lens kept me moving.  After that, Filters back on, recalibrate exposures and back to bracketed bursts every two and a half minutes.

Conclusion

Wow !!!!!!  what an experience!!!!!  Totality was an new and crazy way to experience life on earth for a little over 3 minutes. But, no good experience comes without a price.  The backed up traffic gave us a 10 hour ride home, 3 times longer than the drive up.  And yes, it was worth it!

If you think this was great you should see what I can do with your family  Click Here