In 2017, I opted not to travel to witness the total solar eclipse and ultimately regretted the decision. The location I was at only experienced a partial eclipse. I wasn’t going to make the same mistake twice, especially since the 2024 eclipse would be the last total eclipse visible from the United States for many years. Little Rock, AR, was the closest location where I could experience totality, so I made plans to travel there.

As the days leading up to the eclipse approached, it became clear that the weather would present its own series of challenges. The forecast showed clouds covering much of the path of totality, with a small exception in a tiny sliver of northeastern Arkansas. Days before the eclipse, I canceled my hotel reservation in Little Rock and tried to move further north, only to find that hotel prices had surged to astronomical levels. This forced me to stay two hours away in Memphis, TN.

The night before the eclipse, I had the chance to explore Beale Street, enjoy some great food, and set up my camera’s custom functions. Since this would be my first time photographing an eclipse, I needed to be prepared for capturing phases like the Diamond Ring or Bailey’s Beads, which require quick action.

The next morning, we headed to Harvey, AR, a very small town in almost the middle of nowhere. When we arrived, we quickly realized that many others had the same idea, as we parked in an open field next to the interstate. I set up my camera and tripod, continuously checking the back of my camera to track the sun's phase and snapping occasional shots.

As totality approached, the temperature dropped, and the light took on an almost anemic brightness, as if someone were slowly dimming the lights. Shadow bands began to appear across the field, making the sunlight ripple across the ground, similar to the effect seen on the bottom of a swimming pool. When totality began, cheers erupted from all around, and darkness enveloped us. It was a surreal experience to look up at the sun without any protective eyewear and admire its beauty.

It was truly an incredible experience—until I got home. After reviewing the hundreds of images I took, I realized I had shot the entire eclipse in JPEG rather than RAW. I was devastated. Although I managed to get one image I was happy with, I couldn’t recover any additional details that might have been present. I can’t believe I forgot to adjust the settings to shoot in RAW. I learned a very valuable lesson: always double and triple-check your settings. I suppose I’ll just have to try again for the next eclipse!