Just like millions of other Americans today, I tried my hand at photographing the eclipse. Although Austin was several hundred miles from the area of total eclipse, the results here were expected to be, if not dramatic, at least worth the effort to photograph.
This weekend, I spent some time researching how to effectively and safely photograph the partial eclipse. I settled on creating a camera obscurra with a moving box. I cut an opening in the box to wedge in my camera to capture the image inside. This would allow me to photographing the scene without damaging my eyes, or my camera. Although I was excited to see an image in the box, the results were somewhat underwhelming.
After a couple of hours of photographic frustration, I walked away from my set up and noticed the crescent shaped images on the driveway, as sunlight filtered through the leaves of tree. At last, there was some proof of the eclipse.
I returned to my camera obscurra set up, but the images were much the same. When the moment of maximum eclipse had passed, I dejectedly grabbed my camera and took my gear inside. The television was on in the living room. A news reporter mentioned that an eclipse can cause unusual behavior in animals. I decided to check on my dog Snoopy. As usual, he had taken refuge from the summer heat by napping in the garage. When I entered the garage, I found my dog and an image to photograph – one that I could not have imagined or planned. Sunlight from the partial eclipse streamed through a hole in the garage and created a crescent shape on my sleeping dog.
In my photographic journey, I have learned the importance of planning and preparing for a photo shoot. I have also learned that sometimes the best photos are the ones you could not have envisioned or imagined. Photos are not taken, but received.
Matson Photo blog 
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