Insider Blog: Safely taking photos of the total eclipse

While you're grabbing filtered sunglasses to view the upcoming eclipse don't forget to get extra gear if you're trying to snag some good photos. Taking good shots of faraway objects in space is difficult and the lighting changes dramatically during an eclipse.

Before anything, you should never look at the eclipse directly even in totality, always have a filter between your eyes and the eclipse. This includes looking through telescopes or phones; it's always best practice to have a solar filter for these sensitive instruments to prevent long-term damage. These filters also reduce blurriness and extra light during the eclipse and aid in better photo quality overall. You can even take extra filtered sunglass lenses and put these over your camera lens for a good filter.

But the filter is only one piece of getting a great photo. Consider using a tripod for the most stable shots and try for several angles of the eclipse. If you find that zooming in directly on the eclipse itself is too difficult try to widen the shot and possibly include surrounding scenery. When aiming at a bright object you'll also want to reduce the amount of light coming into the camera.

Above all make sure to protect yourself and your equipment while enjoying this rare event. The sun is dangerous at any time for your eyes so be sure you always have those filtered sunglasses on and your tools are protected.