7 ways to photograph the 2026 total solar eclipse - from smartphone to telescope

Key Points:

• The total solar eclipse on August 12, 2026, will pass through eastern Greenland, western Iceland, and northern Spain, attracting many first-time eclipse photographers eager to capture the event.
• Photographers are advised to practice beforehand or use simple equipment like smartphones, as preparation and simplicity often yield the best images; safety precautions such as using eclipse glasses are essential to avoid eye damage.
• Various photographic approaches include taking smartphone shots with solar filters, wide-angle landscape photos during totality, capturing crescent sun projections during partial phases, and using telephoto lenses for detailed images of the solar corona.
• Experienced photographers often use exposure bracketing with telephoto lenses between 200mm and 600mm to capture the corona's details, while wide-angle sequences can document the eclipse's progression alongside the surrounding environment.
• Partial eclipses visible across Europe and northeastern North America offer additional photographic opportunities, though they lack the dramatic effect of totality; creative methods like projecting crescent suns can produce unique portraits of eclipse watchers.