Photographing the annular solar eclipse recently was a great challenge and a fun adventure. If you’ve yet to photograph a solar eclipse I highly recommend it. Not only is the sight of the eclipse amazing, there is invariably a great energy in the air from other photographers and viewers. This photo was taken toward the end of the eclipse after most people left. A word to the wise and a pro tip: never leave until the last bit of light has faded. Only at the tail end of the eclipse did the sun dip down into the clouds. The result was a much more dramatic image.

Partial solar eclipse as seen at the tail end of the May 2012 annular eclipse – Lassen National Forest, California