These are both mine, from the 2017 Eclipse and from Monday. 2017 inspired and kicked off my journey into astrophotography, so it's interesting to see how much I've developed my style since then.

I wonder who out there started their own journey on Monday?

The uncropped photo of Monday's HDR composite shot is available in print for a limited time. I use these print sales to fund future projects, so if you want to support my work and make sure I get to Spain for the 2026 one this is how! cosmicbackground.io/pages/total-ec…

Andrew McCarthy This is a fantastic composite you've created. You got a nice shout-out from kottke.org. I do think it's very important that anyone who shares just an image is clear about what it is, whether 'shopped, a fine art composite, or, increasingly, an AI-fabricated image. Builds trust.

dave kottke.org Yes. Using compositing techniques is how I was able to get a hyper-accurate starfield behind the corona- as well as getting this HDR look. The editing, color, etc is all aesthetic based on what I felt viewing the event. I want to make sure people know these aren't RAW.

Andrew McCarthy kottke.org The effect is fantastic, but just like most pictures of the Milky Way and Northern Lights, it's (of course) nothing like what a person will actually see with their naked eyes. Important to always repeat that distinction, I think. Thanks for sharing your passion with us!

dave Andrew McCarthy kottke.org But what is captured on a typical cell phone camera or even DSLR is often nothing like what we see with the naked eye, either. I know my cell phone shots were all underwhelming. This photo more accurately captures what I felt like I was seeing in the moment.

Ben Clark Andrew McCarthy kottke.org Our eyes are amazing, no doubt, but in the moment, you didn't see the surface of the moon, or many stars (perhaps only a couple planets), and the visible corona is not nearly as large.

dave Ben Clark kottke.org I did see the corona extending quite far out, faint lunar detail, and quite a few stars via binoculars and my 14” dob.

But recreating the experience for me wasn’t just about copying what my eyes saw, but the *feeling* of the event. I tried to make the photo bring back the…