It’s almost time for the Great American Eclipse, which is happening Monday, August 21. Millions of Americans are eagerly anticipating this once-in-a-lifetime event, and no doubt many are wondering if they can sneak a selfie in during the experience. Most experts recommend putting your phone down and enjoying the brief celestial event, but plenty of people are still going to be snapping selfies.
So if you do plan to take a photo during the eclipse, here’s some advice from Nathan Yanasak and Jeri Ann Beckworth from the Department of Radiology and Imaging at Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia.
- Lower your expectations - The eclipse will look tiny in your photos, so focus on getting wide views with the sky and atmosphere included.
- Keep your solar eclipse glasses on - Safety is crucial! Don’t look directly at the sun and don’t take off your safety glasses.
- Be quick - The totality period is only about two minutes and 30 seconds or less, so snap your selfie fast so you still have time to take it all in.
- Practice adjusting your camera’s control exposure settings - Get to know your phone camera’s settings and practice before the eclipse.
- Consider downloading an advanced phone app, such as ProCamera - It’ll give you more exposure settings and features.
And when it’s time to actually take the eclipse selfie, here’s what to do:
- Switch your flash from “Auto” to “On.”
- Turn on your front-facing camera, so you see yourself on the screen.
- Move around so that you see the moon over your shoulder.
- Use your right hand to adjust the exposure to the moon and hold.
- Use your left hand to take the photo.
- Then put your phone away and enjoy the moment, even if you didn’t get the photo you wanted.
Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution