It was freezing cold outside. And dark. Not the kind of dark that just comes with night but the dark that happens when the earth passes between the sun and the moon.
It was February 20, 2008, and I was in our new temporary home in Gaston, Oregon, an hour west of Portland, in time for the total eclipse of the moon. Brent and I stood in the cold for hours to photograph and watch this rare event.
NASA explained that the difference between this eclipse and other annual eclipses is that this one was first visible to the majority of people on the planet, covering the Americans, Europe, Africa, and western Asia. The full eclipse happens only when there is a full moon and only if the moon passes through some portion of Earth’s shadow, when the earth, sun, and moon are in total alignment.
We are used to seeing solar eclipses, where the moon blocks the sun for a few minutes. A lunar eclipse lasts for hours as the earth blocks the light hitting the moon. No special glasses are required for a lunar eclipse, unlike a solar eclipse. The previous total or full lunar eclipse was three years before. The next one is April 15, 2014.
There are two shadows that the earth cats on the moon, an inner an outer shadow. It is the inner shadow, the umbra, that happens when earth blocks all direct sunlight from reaching the moon, making it totally dark. If the moon passes through the umbra, it is a partial eclipse. If the moon passes through both the umbral (outer shadow), then a total eclipse occurs. We were in for a total eclipse.
As the moon passes through the various stages of the eclipse, it turns from red to dark brown and dark gray. That is what we experienced.
For us, it was a rare enough event as clouds didn’t interfere with the show. Continue reading
Filters are popular accessories, but use them wisely and carefully. They enhance, affect and change the image we see through the lens. There is a lot of debate about the use of filters and the “reality” of images enhanced by them. Just remember to use filters like using spices in cooking. A small amount can make the dish but too much will spoil the meal.
A graduated neutral density filter is “half” of a filter. The gray coloration on the plastic or glass is found on one half and gradually fades out to clear to the other half of the filter. This filter acts as an equalizer between a too bright sky and a too dark foreground. It is wonderful for sunsets, mountain top scenics with a dark foreground. It can be used to darken the bright sky in the background or to darken the bright rocks in the foreground by using it upside down. In addition to the graduated neutral density filter, which is gray with no color shift, graduated filters are available in several colors: Blue (for skies), Tobacco (for sunsets), Sunset colors (for sunsets) and more.
A diffusion screen softens the harsh light of the bright sun and produces a cloudy day feeling. Made of a translucent material and placed between the sun and the subject, it doesn’t cast dark shadows, but simply softens and slightly cools the quality of light reaching the subject. Consider using with 81A or 81B warming filter to warm up the image. Chiffon allows a lot of light through and white ripstop nylon allows for more diffusion. Using some form of frame and prop holds the cloth away from the subject and leaves hands free to work the camera. Or have a friend hold the cloth for you.
Like a filter, a reflector can enhance your subject by providing more light and focusing it on your subject. It can add color, too. Reflectors can be anything from a white piece or paper to a reflective fabric. They direct the light to the subject and work like fill flash to light the side away from light source the side in shadow. They may be used with a diffusion screen to create side lighting or just to block the sun and create shade. A gold reflector adds warmth and a golden light to the subject and can make it glow. A silver reflector adds a cool white light and other colors can be used as well.
While we rarely use flash, we do use it to create fill flash. This is when the flash is used at less than full power to fill in the shadows and give a more even exposure. The newer and more expensive flashes will often have a fill flash setting to allow simple control of the flash ratio.