NASA Urges the Public to ‘Shoot the Total Solar Eclipse’ — And Drops Five Tips. 

NASA has published a new video on YouTube packed with simple advice for those who want to photograph the partial and total solar eclipse on Monday, April 8.  “It’s a perfect opportunity to capture unforgettable images,” writes Mara Johnson-Groh at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, in a blog post. That’s not strictly true. In fact, the best advice to anyone about to witness their first total solar eclipse is easy—don’t do it. Time spent fiddling with cameras during the few minutes of totality is time not spent experiencing the view of the solar corona. However, NASA knows that this kind of advice is roundly ignored, so offers these tips for photographing the eclipse—if you must:

1. Safety First: Looking directly at the sun is dangerous to your eyes and your camera.  Use a special solar filter to protect your camera and solar viewing glasses to protect your eyes.  Remove the filter at totality to see the Sun’s outer atmosphere.

2. Any Camera Is a Good Camera: The photographer matters more than the camera.  Use a tripod for stability and a delayed shutter release timer to avoid blurry images.  Focus on the human experience of watching the eclipse.

3. Look Up, Down, All Around: Look around to capture the eerie lighting and shadows during the eclipse. Capture wide-angle photos to document your eclipse experience.

4. Practice: Know the capabilities of your camera before eclipse day. Experiment with adjustable exposures and manual focus for crisp shots.  Test camera settings on the un-eclipsed sun beforehand.

5. Share: Share your eclipse experience with friends and family. Tag @NASA to connect your photos on social media and share them with NASA.