It took two days searching to find a Baobab tree in an open field.
Camera: Fuji GX617 Panorama, Lens: Fujinon 90mm, Film: Agfa Optima 400 color negative, Exposure: 12 sec @f11, Tripod: Manfrotto
In July 2001 I drove into northern Zimbabwe to be on the ‘centerline’ to photograph my fourth total solar eclipse of the sun, one of the most unique and beautiful sites in nature.
The area was dotted with Baobab trees, a recognized symbol of Africa. Since my prior eclipse images have included a local tree as an identifying subject of the world location, for this eclipse it had to be a Baobab. As nearly all the Baobab trees in the area were overgrown with thick bushes it became a quest over the next two days to find ‘my tree’ in an open field and at the needed angle for my eclipse picture.
I finally found my tree standing in the middle of a newly harvested cotton field, a perfect setting.
On eclipse day, several hours before totality I arrived at the tree and set up the scene, placing my Fuji617 camera where it needed to be, loading film, setting my exposure and waiting for totality.
As the moon progressed across the sun during the last 20 minutes before total darkness my hardest decision was where exactly to place the sun in the final composition. As you see here, I settled on the sun being slightly off center.
It was 5 minutes of celestial beauty, then daylight come back and it was over.
This year I will be in Casper, Wyoming for the total solar eclipse across the USA on August 21, it should be spectacular.
See you on the centerline!