The April solar eclipse brought unexpected emotion

To see how people reacted to the April 8 solar eclipse was more interesting to me than the eclipse itself.

I’ve photographed the sun and moon more times than I can count. I’ve photographed planets and satellites and comets and meteor showers and constellations and things I couldn’t identify in the night sky. They’ve all been interesting and held my attention for the time I was making the exposures. Then I moved on. I get more excited and emotional by the stories of the people I meet on assignment, not by the stars.

So, I wasn’t expecting to see anyone react any differently when the solar eclipse hung overhead for a couple of hours on April 8 this year. I was shocked when my camera setup was overrun by emotional onlookers as I tried to photograph the event in the Harper College courtyard in Palatine.

My digital, mirrorless camera was fitted with a 400 mm lens, solar filter, mounted on a sturdy tripod and had fresh batteries. I had researched the best way to make the exposures. I thought I was ready. But I didn’t know the event would be so emotional and uplifting for so many people, and for me in the end.

The courtyard was packed with people on the sunny afternoon. Some were dressed in costume and danced to music and posed for selfies. Some brought lunch and gathered in small groups. Some stood in silence, hands over their mouths as the eclipse started. Many audibly oohed and aahed like they were watching fireworks. Some applauded from lawn chairs they carried from their trunks.

I tracked the moving eclipse with subtle adjustments and regular clicks of the shutter. But I was not enthused by the scene in the sky. Then I realized two or three people were standing behind me, watching the digital screen on the back of the camera. Then more people gathered. Someone asked if they could photograph my screen with their cellphone. Then they lined up to photograph the screen. More people came. They asked questions. Not about the technical setup of my gear, like I usually answer on assignment, but about the eclipse itself.

They were laughing and smiling and bouncing on tiptoes. I had to ask people to step back so I could make adjustments to the camera. I wanted to wander and make photos of the crowd as they partied under the overhead show, but I couldn’t risk leaving my camera alone with the crowd as people eagerly tripped over each other to get a chance to look at and photograph my screen.

I stepped away briefly to make this photo with my cellphone when the crowd briefly thinned. It was incredible to see the genuine emotion that these folks were experiencing to the solar eclipse. I’ve never been that moved by the cosmos. It’s interesting to me, but not emotionally moving. It was different for the people in the courtyard that day.

At the end of the afternoon, a gentleman, probably the most excited of all the people who approached me that day, hugged and thanked me with tears in his eyes. He was shaking and smiling and bouncing and babbled as he shook my hand and thanked me for sharing the experience. Then he scampered away, talking excitedly with his friends.

That was the emotional part for me.