The stargazers among you may already be aware of the solar eclipse due to take place on March 20^th. The most significant of its kind for 16 years, the eclipse is only expected to be partially visible from Europe with a total eclipse to be seen in Svalbard in Norway and the Faroe Islands.

During the last eclipse in Britain in 1999, viewing events were organised across the country and while there perhaps hasn’t been as much of a buzz running up to the event this time round, there occasion is set to be marked in a number of places up and down the country. One spot that’s sure to be a great spot for the spectacle is Leicester, which is home to the National Space Centre and has been chosen by the BBC as the venue for a special live broadcast.

An eclipse is one of those of nature that is breathtaking to witness nevermind capture on camera and owning your own canvas print of the eclipse would certainly help you remember the moment. However, as there are health and issues with looking directly at the eclipse there are certain does and don’ts you must follow if you want to photograph an eclipse, whether it’s partial or total. Nikon has a fairly comprehensive guide to solar eclipse photography on their site, which shares potential camera settings as well as lots of information about eclipses themselves. You can check out the guide here.

In the meantime, here are the main things you need to know about eclipse photography

Solar eclipse photography does and don’ts

• Be sure to pick up some solar specs for you and any other family members who want to witness the eclipse, it’s not safe to look directly at the sun.
• To prevent damage to your eyes, you shouldn’t be looking directly at the sun through your camera during partial eclipse, so you’ll need to use a solar filter. You can also use the camera’s live view or LCD so that you’re not looking directly at the sun. If you do the latter, you’ll need to be careful not to do so for more than a few moments as it could overheat your camera, so this is really only for establishing your settings.
• Though most people want to get a shot of the ‘ring of fire’ moment when the moon blocks the sun, the run up to the eclipse is in many ways just as interesting to photograph. It can also make a great series of prints on canvas. Make sure you capture the whole event by getting there early and getting into position with the essentials like a tripod.

Have you photographed a solar eclipse in the past or are you planning to capture this one for canvas? Do you have any tips you’d like to share?