The partial solar eclipse in the UK this August promised to be quite an event. It was the first since the total eclipse of 1999, which I was lucky enough to witness while on holiday in South Wales. This time, I planned to go to my local beach in Aldwick, West Sussex. Unfortunately, I left a bit too late to get the mandatory eclipse glasses, so I had to rely on Plan B, which I hadn't yet formulated. As a backup, I had a couple of ND filters that would probably do the trick.
From past experience, I knew that the following days' social media posts would be filled with images of the eclipse in its various stages (which I found not very exciting) or time-lapse shots from exotic locations (more interesting, but not really my style).
As a big fan of Martin Parr and Dougie Wallace and their “in-your-face” street photography style, I began to formulate a plan. I decided to photograph the people who congregated on the beach, engrossed in watching the eclipse unfold. However, I want to emphasise that, despite my admiration for their work, the thought of putting a camera in someone's face fills me with dread.
While waiting at the local café for the event to start, I noticed a diverse group of characters gathering together. This group included people of all ages and ethnicities, which sparked my interest. The organiser, a young man and his partner, had posted a meetup on Eventbrite to watch the eclipse, and they had received quite a response. I asked him if it was okay for me to tag along and take some photos, which I would be happy to share with him. He readily agreed, and in return, I was given a couple of pairs of eclipse glasses—win-win!
As the moon began its journey across the sun and everyone started putting on their glasses, it became apparent that I could stand really close to—and in some cases, right in front of—the spectators, and they couldn’t see me at all! What a bonus!
The entire eclipse lasted about 15 minutes, but it was certainly a worthwhile experience. Unfortunately, the next notable one in the UK won’t be for another 50 years!
