HOW TO VIDEO SHADOW SNAKES (Solar Eclipse Shadow Bands)

Shadow bands are subtle optical phenomena visible during a solar eclipse with very light contrast that are difficult to capture on video because they are too bright during the day to properly expose for their low contrast.

• During daylight, the contrast is too light and blown out by sunlight • Manual or shutter priority mode must be set up the night before • Cannot adjust camera settings during the eclipse when the sun is overhead

Dr. Kelvins diluted gray paint with white multiple times to create a reference that matches shadow band contrast, testing through several iterations to find the correct very light gray tone.

The contrast of shadow bands is so faint that proper camera calibration must be done at night, approximately 10-15 minutes after sunset when ambient lighting matches the eclipse shadow band brightness.

• Use manual exposure mode • Prioritize fast shutter speed (250, 500, or 1000 per second) • Open aperture as wide as possible (f/2.8 or wider) • Set ISO around 400

Shadow bands move quickly and change rapidly, so a fast shutter speed prevents motion blur and captures fine detail of their movement.

Set up your camera the night before at sunset on a light gray reference panel, adjusting aperture, ISO, and shutter speed until you can see fine variations in contrast between the gray samples.

Once properly calibrated the night before, leave all camera settings unchanged for the next day during the actual eclipse.

• Use a white sheet as the background • Place a pink line down the center of the sheet along the eclipse path axis • Keep the light gray calibration reference visible in the frame

Position the camera on the west side pointing toward the east, aligned with the direction shadow bands will travel along the eclipse path.

Video along the long axis of the sheet in the direction the shadow is moving, with the camera positioned to capture the full length of the sheet.

Keep the light gray calibration panel visible in the shot so you can compare actual shadow band contrast to your calibration reference later.

Use the solar eclipse timer app to know exactly when to start recording, marking shadow bands at 3 minutes before totality.

• Start recording approximately 3 minutes before shadow bands appear • Shadow bands should occur about 60 seconds before totality • Continue recording for 60 seconds after totality ends

Shadow bands are brief and fast-moving, so precise timing using the eclipse app ensures you capture the phenomenon during the window when it occurs.

Compare your recorded footage to the light gray calibration panel you kept in frame to calibrate exposure settings for the next eclipse event.