So last night I played cricket. I did my usual – hung around for a bit and scored fuck all – but it was during the biggest solar eclipse since 1999.
I was fortunate in seeing the Solar Eclipse back then. We were about 20 miles away from totality at the time (on holiday in Weymouth) and seeing it go so dark was surreal. This photo was taken at around 10am!
Last night was still impressive. I thought I tried getting a few photos, but it seems I got lucky with a few reflections in my phone camera.
I may have fried the lens (though to be honest I’m never great at taking photos, and it feels like I got away with it), but rather fry my lens in a once in a lifetime moment than my eyes.
I managed to get a couple last night that I’m really pleased with. The best of which is probably: https://danq.me/2026/08/12/eclipse/#lightbox-p-image-29894-0
I didn’t get any good ones in 1999. Not of the eclipse, anyway: just of people having fun in Paris.
I wonder what changed in the intervening 27 years and a day that made me change where I focussed my lens: from the people to the phenomenon.
I suspect “People have turned out to be more difficult in the years” probably suggests why 😂