By Gail Hinshaw
Total Lunar Eclipse
By Gail Hinshaw
Canon EOS 5D Mark III
Foreground: 24-70mm f/2.8 II USM Lens; 47mm; 6.0s; f/4; ISO 200
Full Moon: 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM Lens + Extender EF 2x III; 140mm; 1/160s; f/11; ISO 100
Penumbral: 70-200mm + Extender; 140mm; 1/80 sec; f/10; ISO 125
Totality: 70-200mm + Extender; 140mm; 1/60 sec; f/9; ISO 160
This was the most amazing night! A lot of planning had gone into the Total Lunar Eclipse of May 2021 to achieve this image which I had envisaged, as I wanted to record the progression of this event through all its stages.
I needed a good foreground subject to match the majesty of such a rare occurrence and these painted silos were just perfect.
The star tracker didn’t want to co-operate, and I was fearful the whole concept might not work, but just as the Moon was rising it all came together to capture the images of the Moon at each stage which were then blended together in Photoshop to produce each individual Moon exposure which was then positioned within the arc above the silos.
The final composite image is one of the most challenging and rewarding images I’ve ever captured.
Don’s response
Gail Hinshaw’s beautifully orchestrated story on a lunar eclipse is, as she notes above, the culmination of meticulous planning and resourceful execution on the night.
Yes, the moon was captured at longer focal length than the setting, but I have absolutely no objection.
Due to the way our visual apparatus works, the moon always “feels” much larger than it actually is. And Gail’s lens choice was a faithful replication of how the moon felt that night. It also allowed her to fit the entire progression of the eclipse into her frame in a balanced way.
An inspiring, if daunting piece of work.
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