About the Image(s)

Aboard an 84-passenger ship sailing the calm Pacific between Mazatlán and Cabo San Lucas, I witnessed the April 2024 total solar eclipse from a truly spectacular vantage point??”directly on the centerline. Though I had experienced several eclipses before, this was my first attempt at photographing one.

My plan was simple: dedicate just one minute to photography, then put the camera down and savor the eclipse with my own eyes. Before setting out, I studied the ideal camera settings for handheld shots during totality??”no tripod, just intuition and preparation.

As the Moon slipped in front of the Sun, I raised my camera to the sky and fired off a quick burst of frames. The gentle motion of the ship meant many shots were slightly off-center, but this one stood out. I love it for the way it captures what a total eclipse always feels like to me: as if a hole has opened in the sky, offering a glimpse into something beyond.

Technical details
Sony DSC-RX10M4
600mm
f/4.0 | 1/1000 sec | ISO 1600
Hand held, manual