Total Lunar Eclipse: March 14th, 2025

Last year we were treated to a solar spectacle we haven’t seen since 2017, and this year, to kick off Spring, we got a great lunar show as the moon was totally eclipsed by Earth’s shadow.  The DC area lucked out, with a nearby storm system going wide, leaving the skies clear for the entire red totality.  It’s been a few years since I saw a Blood Moon eclipse, and this one looked like a cataract peering through the black curtain of night sky, or at maximum totality as though Mars had entered our orbit for the night.

I used a slightly different capture process for this photo than I typically do for astrophotography, which allowed me to capture more detail at a much higher ISO than I would normally shoot, and allow me to avoid the noise normally found natively at those ISOs.  The result is this image, which is a single exposure with the stars visible behind the moon, not a composite or blend of multiple exposures.

Total Solar Eclipse: April 8th, 2024

You probably remember my Solar Eclipse photos from 2017.  If you don’t, this is a reminder of what Totality looked like in Niota, Tennessee.

This time around the weather wasn’t going to be as cooperative; a problem most of the US’ totality path suffered.  In the weeks and days leading up to the 2024 Solar Eclipse, I monitored the cloud forecast like so much of the country did, and it seemed that my original target of Erie, PA, along with most of the Northeast save for Maine and Vermont, would inevitably have some degree of cloud cover ranging from 50-90%.  The nearest guaranteed clear sky to me was going to be Indianapolis, which was simply too far away to be feasible on short(ish) notice, especially considering the outbound traffic (18hrs) will be around double the inbound travel time (9hrs).  Disappointed, I chose not to travel more than a day-trip distance from home for this eclipse due to the equally disappointing totality centerline weather.

Following this late, final decision to not travel far out of state for the eclipse, I had other interesting eclipse viewing options on my radar.  Top of my list was an event at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility, which not only would feature telescopes to view the solar surface up close, but also to watch three sounding rocket launches into the moon’s shadow during different phases of the eclipse.  I’ve watched livestreams of Wallops launches for quite a long time, and have even seen and photographed a few visible from my backyard at night, but had never made it down to the launch facility.  I considered this, since the weather in the DC and Chesapeake regions seemed about the same, however ultimately decided agains it because I didn’t think the amount of driving time and inconvenience merited seeing three small and fast rockets launch in daylight with over a 5+% reduction in eclipse visibility - DC saw 89% eclipse, and up over 90% if you were in Leesburg, VA, while Wallops was down to 84% thanks to just an extra ~2hrs away from the totality line.

While making these very overthought choices, I saw an article from the 2017 eclipse with people viewing from the National Mall - the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum was hosting an eclipse watching event on the Mall agin this year, but that was beside the point for me - I decided that if I couldn’t see totality again this year, and knowing that anything less than totality is honestly disappointing, then the story should be more focused on the people watching the eclipse.

I made my way in to the District just as the eclipse was starting, and knew I was in good company when I saw people on every streetcorner with eclipse glasses or cameras.  Entering the street from one of my usual parking spots in Federal Triangle, workers from the offices in the Ronald Reagan Building were gathered in Woodrow Wilson Plaza watching the moon progress over the sun.  This included Customs and Border Protection Officers that work in the office and Global Entry Enrollment Center inside the Reagan Building.  Walking toward the National Mall, people were gathered on benches on the grounds of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

As I stepped onto the National Mall, it was clear a lot of other photographers had my same idea for setup location: the tip of the Washington Monument’s shadow, with the aim of capturing the eclipse and monument in the same image.

After I’d found my spot, set up my camera, and was dialing in my equipment, a couple other nearby photographers asked if I was with Reuters or AP or another wire or media agency, because they said another Reuters photographer had just shot a photo from this location with my exact same jury-rigged contraption of modifying eclipse glasses to fit over my lens (rather than using an expensive and long-sold-out dedicated solar filter - eclipse glasses are tiny solar filters, just not in the correct size for mounting to a lens assembly).  If I had been surely planning to visit totality again, I’d have purchased a dedicated solar filter weeks prior, but it wasn’t looking likely due to seasonal weather even then.  Instead I had built the simple contraption at home and left mounting for on-site.  If I was thinking like a wire photographer, I must be thinking the right way.

The time of maximum eclipse was fast approaching and finally here, and the sun was moving as quickly across the sky as the moon progressing before the sun - mid-way through the peak of the eclipse I had to move positions twice to keep the sun visible from hiding behind the Washington Monument.  Peak was immediately obvious to me, with the same uncanny and hair-raising dip in luminosity and vibrant change of color rendering leading up to totality in 2017.  It’s difficult to visualize in a picture, but it feels like you’re wearing sunglasses when you aren’t, and images during this short time appear as though they have been HDR-to-SDR overprocessed as was popular in the 2000s-2010s, with soft shadows.

I captured the moon coming and going, with and without the solar filter.  Although solar photography gets all the talk, I think my standard un-filtered photography of the 2024 Solar Eclipse, with DC’s partly cloudy skies above the Washington Monument, are the highlight.  To me these images feel ancient; reminiscent of sights societies have witnessed through the ages beside their great monuments.

Once the sun was fully visible again, I had clear view of something I’d been noticing while shooting the eclipse: I was capturing sun spots.

Once the eclipse had passed DC, and the crowds had left the Mall, I decided to enjoy the weather and enjoy the nearby sights - I can’t remember if I’ve ever actually stood under or touched the Washington Monument before, but I did today.  Like The Gateway Arch, it increasingly feels like a structure that shouldn’t be capable of freely standing so tall the closer you get to its base.

This 2017 Solar Eclipse was sadly nowhere near as memorable as my 2017 experience of Totality, but after seeing the results from many spots across the US, including Cleveland and Erie, the two areas I had eyeballed for travel, it seems I made the right call in staying local, and would have ended up even more disappointed had I committed to the travel.  At least this way I can say I’ve experienced a solar eclipse both in and outside of totality now.

Looking forward to 2044!  Truly fortunate would be Iceland in 2026!

Total Solar Eclipse: 2017 Remastered (2024)

Friends, I made it to totality seven years ago, but won’t be this time around.

For this magical Solar Eclipse Day, 2024, I have fully remastered my hero capture of Totality I was fortunate enough to witness in 2017.  This updated version using the latest software and available techniques brings out more detail in the Sun’s undulating corona, and offers even greater sharpness than I was able to achieve in 2017.  I’m sharing this remastered image with you here, and sharing with you highlights of my 2017 experience of totality.

I monitored the cloud forecast for the last week like many of you also surely did, and it seems that my original target along with most of the Northeast, save for Maine and Vermont, will have some degree of cloud cover ranging from 50-90%, with the nearest guaranteed clear sky being Indianapolis; that is just too far away to be feasible on short(ish) notice, especially considering the outbound traffic (18hrs) will be around double the inbound travel time (9hrs).  “April showers bring May flowers,” as the saying goes; 2017’s total solar eclipse was in Summer, offering most of North America an unobstructed view of the spectacle with the marjos exceptions being oceanic influences in coastal areas in Oregon, oceanic thunderstorms in South Carolina, and mountain plain meteorological effects in Wyoming.

For today’s 2024 solar eclipse, I debated traveling to NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility to watch them launch three sounding rockets during the eclipse, however I’ve decided against that as well since it would take me even further away from the eclipse, marking an 8% drop in magnitude.  Instead I think I’ll be enjoying the eclipse around the monuments in DC, and possibly capturing something dramatic through our predicted 50% cloud cover.

If you’re in the totality path and manage to get a clear sky, be in the moment and enjoy the show - the 2017 Solar Eclipse was truly a moving experience.  For the remaining majority of us that are under Springtime cloud cover or outside the narrow totality path, make the most of what Mother Nature shines upon us, and remember that while as rare as a solar eclipse is, an unobstructed view of this eclipse is shaping up to be a coin toss.

Wishing all you aerospace, astronomy and meteorology nerds a beautiful Eclipse Day, and be sure to follow me everywhere @DavidBuerkPhoto, where I’ll update you with whatever interesting sights I do capture of our 2024 Eclipse!

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Total Lunar Eclipse Supermoon - January 20th, 2019

Did you see tonight’s supermoon total lunar eclipse?  I braved the 4ºF wind chill and got you a few photos, and was reminded of the last eclipse I watched: the total solar eclipse, from Niota, Tennessee two years ago. Unfortunately I had some clouds start moving overhead during totality, and I couldn’t feel my fingers anyway, so I was happy to call it a night and warm back up.

If you’re interested in prints or wall art of my astrophotography, you can order by clicking here.

Best of 2017

Each year I publish a year-in-review which shows the highlights of my year in photography.  2017 is a year I am very happy to see end; it has been the most challenging personal year of my life, bringing bad news and personal injury which unquestionably held me and my photography back this year.

As some of you may know, I fell and tore a ligament in my knee in May, which culminated in surgical intervention to replace the ligament in October.  Luckily I have an excellent surgeon (he served as Surgical Team Chief for President George W. Bush while he was in office) and I am still reportedly progressing well through physical therapy.  I am doing well now, but being knocked off my feet for a month after the injury and for two months after surgery took a serious toll on my work and morale.  I am expected to make a full recovery and be back to normal mid 2018, but this injury with such a slow recovery time has been very disheartening, even with a cutting edge new surgical method employed which was less invasive and is allowing for a quicker recovery than previously able with this relatively new ligament reconstruction I've had to have.  This is why I haven't posted too many pictures this year; most of my work has been straightforward photoshoots with existing clients since I've had to be selective with what photoshoots I've taken on during my recoveries.   If my 2017 can teach you anything it is don't dislocate your bones and tear ligaments - 0/10, would not recommend.

This isn't to say 2017 was all bad; I did quite a bit of great photography before, and after (and during, for that matter) my various adventures in knee problems.  I spent about ¼ of the year recovering from knee injury and surgery, but the other ¾ of the year had quite a lot of photography.  2017 was a year about change, and that change began in January, even before the 20th, which began bringing even more change and seemed to set the tone for the rest of the year.  My knee didn't change until five months into the year, but every month held some kind of change; just two months after that quite possibly the biggest thing that has happened in my photographic career happened, pointing to the future from my past; 2018 is here, and I am eager to move forward to that future beginning now.

Washington Dulles International Airport Manager Christopher U. Browne addresses Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority guests as he "Departs the Pattern" and steps down as Airport Manager after 29 years with the Airports Authority.  Chris is now Deputy Director of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

A protestor gives a white rose to an arriving international passenger.  White roses are traditionally known to represent purity, innocence, sympathy, and spirituality.

Following President Trump’s executive order implementing a travel ban on seven countries, protests initiated at international airports across the United States where individuals affected by the rapidly enacted ban were detained. The Trump administration justified the executive order as part of the “extreme vetting” of immigrants promised during his campaign, while those opposed to the ban question the constitutionality, motives, and execution of the ban. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine (D) was on-site denouncing President Trump’s travel ban in a press conference.

Internationally arriving passengers exit the International Arrivals Building to a sea of cheering protestors welcoming their arrival after clearing customs.

Following President Trump’s executive order implementing a travel ban on seven countries, protests initiated at international airports across the United States where individuals affected by the rapidly enacted ban were detained. The Trump administration justified the executive order as part of the “extreme vetting” of immigrants promised during his campaign, while those opposed to the ban question the constitutionality, motives, and execution of the ban. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine (D) was on-site denouncing President Trump’s travel ban in a press conference.

Tom Veirs, in his glassblowing studio, giving a demonstration on how patterns are made in extruded glass, such as wine glass stems. Tom retired in May, 2017.

Captain John Prater with a ceremonial cigar in the cockpit of his United 787 Dreamliner upon landing his final commercial flight before retiring.

Adrianna McVay graduates with a Bachelors of Arts in Biology from George Mason University.

Jockies on the main straightaway approach the finish line at the Virginia Gold Cup.  2017 hosted one of the rainiest, muddiest Gold Cups of recent history.

Myself wearing a knee immobilizer at a portrait photoshoot two days after my initial knee injury.  The next day I would meet my orthopedist and find out the extent of the damage.

The doctor told me I was truly lucky that I'd only torn one ligament and had no other damage; the MRI showed no loose bodies, no damaged cartilage, and no torn menisci; all extremely common injuries with the type of fall and injury I experienced, but was able to avoid from sheer luck.

In October, later in the year, I would undergo a successful MPFL reconstruction surgery to stabilize the kneecap and prevent future dislocations, instability, and additional damage.

While this picture may be a personal low point ironically placed in a "Best of" post, this was a life-altering event, and more than qualifies in this "Year in Review."

Michaelangelo Pistoletto's "Venus of the Rags" on display at the Smithsonian's Hirshorn Museum.

Succulents growing in a flowerpot in Washington, DC.

Bokeh of exhibit lighting inside the National Museum of the American Indian.

An Operations Manager listens to an airfield radio while walking between two Plane Mates at Washington Dulles International Airport.

Terry McAuliffe, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, speaking at Air India's inaugural event at Washington Dulles International Airport; "We don't believe in walls; we believe in bridges."  The comment alluded to President Trump's recent efforts to build a border wall between the United States and Mexico.

Air India's 777-200LR departing Washington Dulles International Airport for the first time.

Polo players competing at the Great Meadow Polo Club.

"A Planespotter’s Dream Gig: A Look into the Life of an Airport Photographer;" an article on AirlineGeeks.com profiling my work as an aviation marketing photographer.  Although my photography has been featured in many articles and publications, this marks the first time a publication has written an article specifically about me and my work.

A nighttime aerial image of T. F. Green Airport in Rhode Island.

Grapes growing on 200 year old vine at Newport Vineyards, a winery in Newport, Rhode Island.

Fishing vessels docked at Galilee Salt Pond Harbor in Narragansett, Rhode Island.

Alyssa McGuire posing with a moped on her birthday on Block Island, Rhode Island.

A blood red sky at sunset in Fairfax County, Virginia.

In Niotta, Tennassee a man uses a paper plate to safely view the projection of the 2017 solar eclipse after the solar filter for his telescope broke mere days before the eclipse.  Solar filters were in high demand, and became unavailable months prior to the day of the eclipse.  The ray of sunlight emitted from his telescope's eyepiece was hot on the skin when placed in the beam.

The sun half eclipsed by the moon as seen from Niotta, Tennessee.

Totality of the 2017 solar eclipse as seen from Niotta, Tennessee.

The Washington Redskins Burgundy & Gold Club restaurant and bar at Washington Dulles International Airport.

Portrait of Ryan Ewing, owner and founder of AirlineGeeks.com.

Ryan Ewing, owner and founder of AirlineGeeks.com, walks on the airfield at Washington Dulles International Airport.

Local DC Brau and Atlas District Common beers on display for sale at Ronald Reagan National Airport.

Portrait of Cyrina Yarbrough, Marketplace Development Marketing and Customer Service Manager at Ronald Reagan National Airport.

Orville, NASA's flying squirrel mascot, marshals in a Southwest Airlines 737 at Washington Dulles International Airport.