Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm, 2x III.
F 8.0, 1/125, ISO 200, 400 mm.

After the experience of the 2017 Great American Eclipse, with totality twenty or so miles from home, we knew we had to try to observe and photograph it in 2024. The discussions and planning took some foresight and luck.

Arkansas, and eventually, Russellville became our target destination. I had silly thoughts that if the cloud cover and weather weren’t good there we could make a run to any nearby location with better skies in the hours before the eclipse started. We didn’t need to do so, but traffic is a thing.

We booked rooms in Branson, Missouri for the day before the eclipse, with the intent of leaving by 3:30 a.m. to arrive in Russellville early in the morning. The reality was that we left at 4:00 a.m. and arrived at our observation site by 7:00 a.m. Apparently the drive on Arkansas Highway 7 is supposed to be quite scenic. We have no idea, because it was pitch black when we drove it.

Friends in our company had found our site, a plant nursery on the west side of Russellville. Our hosts limited their guests to twenty-five vehicles. And they treated us very well. There is such a thing as Arkansas Nice.

By 7:30 a.m. I had picked out a spot for our group, using a compass app to check for any obstruction of the view.

The early morning National Weather Service cloud cover forecast was quite good. The reality was better. Perfectly clear at the start of the eclipse.

Our setup. The cameras/lenses on the left are covered to keep the Sun from heating them up.

While we were setting up and during the partial phase of the eclipse we’d get visits and questions from others at the site about our equipment and where we were from. We’d invite them to watch us as we took photos during the partial phase.

Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm, 2x III.
NiSi Neutral Density Filter ND100000(5.0) 16.6 stops UV/IR Cut
F11.0, 1/8000, ISO 200, 400 mm.

Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm, 2x III.
NiSi Neutral Density Filter ND100000(5.0) 16.6 stops UV/IR Cut
F 8.0, 1/8000, ISO 200, 400 mm.

Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm, 2x III.
NiSi Neutral Density Filter ND100000(5.0) 16.6 stops UV/IR Cut
F 8.0, 1/8000, ISO 200, 400 mm.

Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm, 2x III.
NiSi Neutral Density Filter ND100000(5.0) 16.6 stops UV/IR Cut
F 11.0, 1/3200, ISO 200, 400 mm.

Canon 5D III, Tamron 150-600 mm, 1.4x.
SolarLite Film,/Silver-Black Polymer Film (580-630 nm)
F 10.0, 1/80, ISO 400, 840 mm.

Canon 5D III, Tamron 150-600 mm, 1.4x.
SolarLite Film,/Silver-Black Polymer Film (580-630 nm)
F 10.0, 1/80, ISO 400, 840 mm.

Canon 5D III, Tamron 150-600 mm, 1.4x.
SolarLite Film,/Silver-Black Polymer Film (580-630 nm)
F 11.0, 1/60, ISO 320, 840 mm.

Totality was a whole ‘nother thing. Despite months of practice and check lists of settings it was impossible to run two cameras (I was going to try three). It was four minutes and ten seconds of hectic. I figure I only got 20 percent of what I intended to get. It was a lot of fun trying to get there.

Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm, 2x III.
F 8.0, 1/5000, ISO 200, 400 mm.

Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm, 2x III.
F 8.0, 1/1000, ISO 200, 400 mm.

Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm, 2x III.
F 8.0, 1/320, ISO 200, 400 mm.

Canon 5D III, 2.8 70-200 mm, 2x III.
F 8.0, 1/125, ISO 200, 400 mm.

Previously:

Everybody talks about the weather, nobody does anything about it (March 28, 2024)

So, there was this total solar eclipse on Monday (April 9, 2024)