FORT WORTH, Texas — Photographer Matt Otero has worked for the Associated Press in its Dallas bureau for nearly 30 years.
During that time, he had covered annular and partial solar eclipses, and was ready for the challenge of photographing the only total solar eclipse of this magnitude that he would likely cover in his career ( The next bilateral solar eclipse). In the US he is expected to be in 21 years).
Speaking about the creation of this extraordinary image, he said:
why this photo
My job is to create and curate eye-catching images that draw the viewer in and communicate through my lens to the eye and brain.
That’s part of the magic of AP. Our work travels on a truly massive scale every day, from the field to audiences around the world.
Millions of people are interested in historic and widely photographed events like this solar eclipse, so anything I create will immediately attract attention and be as quick as possible after the moment has passed. I knew I needed to ship it.
At AP, we joke that 1 millisecond is the deadline.
Modern cameras can take a large number of photos, so you need to manage and edit the best selection very quickly. In the minutes and seconds before the eclipse, clouds drifted in and out.
I thought I would be hated and nothing would happen. Eventually the clouds opened up and I took this photo by letting the clouds part for a few minutes to let some light into my camera.
How this photo was made
Prior to the eclipse, I had drawn an article for AP about research at the Fort Worth Zoo on how animals respond to darkness, so placing me there for the actual eclipse has been decided.
Since we were just inside the totality boundary, the event would be a little faster than locations near the center of the national path.
I have various neutral density filters because I have photographed annular solar eclipses before and the moon was further away in Earth’s orbit so it didn’t block out the entire sun.
Bright sunlight “rings” will ring the moon, but you won’t see the spectacular corona like you would during a total solar eclipse.
I used these filters to create a solar filter to use with my new 200-600mm lens (which will become my main camera).
I also had a wide-angle camera and a medium-range camera, both of which were mounted on tripods and activated by remote control.
I read everything I could about photographing total solar eclipses. I tested gear, shooting position, and sun position.
A sun tracking app helped me know where the sun is in the sky. Since the sun was at a very high angle in the sky, I decided that the best position was to lie on my back and look up.
I practiced lying on a yoga block and mat, holding a camera with a long lens, and trying to stay as still as possible.
To get the richest look from the camera and reduce the possibility of digital noise, use a slower shutter speed (1/50 sec) and an aperture of 6.3 ISO (160) to better show the sun’s potential. I chose to photograph it. Prominence — A reddish trail of plasma that loops from the surface of the Sun.
I brought my yoga mat and prepared a small lunch for myself and a reporter working in the zoo gallery.
As Totality transitioned, there were some technical issues that needed to be resolved. Changing to hardwire when the remote control stops working, and repositioning the tripod to frame the sky. Where will the sun be again?
I sometimes describe my job as looking through straws, but it’s still a cloudy day.
I had read other pictures and talked about how quickly the burst phase of light of the eclipse passes, and wow, it was faster and more dazzling than I expected.
As I “prayed and sprayed” and fired the frames and watched the ever-changing light, I might have heard a gasp. There were times when I said to myself out loud, “I can see the fire.”
Thankfully, the clouds remained open enough for us to get a good look.
As soon as the giant shadow passed, I tagged the best photos in my camera, took them to my laptop for quick editing, and sent them to the editors at Photo Desk.
Why this photo works
Visual communication is timeless and requires no translation.
This photo captures a fleeting moment as solar energy and light struggle to avoid the far side of the moon.
It feels like a secret peek into the universe and the celestial dance of Earth, Moon, and Sun, all revolving around each other at an incomprehensible speed.
This photo is reminiscent of ancient Native American rock art depicting solar eclipses as seen by our ancestors just as we do.
