How to photograph the solar eclipse
with your phone

Photographing the total solar eclipse of 12 August 2026 from Catalonia is an opportunity that will not come around again for generations. One minute. Maybe two. The Moon will completely cover the Sun over a path that crosses the heart of Catalonia, and you will have in your pocket the best tool to immortalise a historic phenomenon: your smartphone. But doing it well — without damaging your camera or your eyesight — requires preparation.

First things first: protecting your eyes and your camera

This point is non-negotiable. Never point your phone camera at the Sun without protection during the partial phases of the eclipse. Direct sunlight can permanently damage the device sensor and cause irreversible eye injuries.

The minimum essential protection is a pair of ISO 12312-2 certified solar glasses. They are the most practical option for most people: they protect your eyes and can also be held in front of the phone lens during partial phases, fixed with adhesive tape. Make sure they have no scratches or damage before using them.

You will find good-value packs on Amazon. What matters is that the box or the arms clearly state EN ISO 12312-2:2015 and CE marking with an identifiable European notified body — that guarantees the filter is genuine and traceable, not a imitation. Avoid any that do not display this certification even if they are cheaper.

For astrophotographers with DSLR or mirrorless cameras who want maximum optical quality, specialised film filters (such as Baader AstroSolar) or high-density screw-on filters are available from astronomy shops. For your phone, certified glasses work perfectly.

Planning: where to be and when to shoot

Photographing the eclipse with quality results starts weeks beforehand. The path of totality on 12 August 2026 crosses municipalities including Valls, Reus, Cambrils, Tortosa and the Ebro Delta. The closer you are to the central axis, the more seconds of totality you will have available.

Recommended planning tools:

• NASA Eclipse Explorer — interactive maps with the exact path and totality times by location.
• eclipsicatalunya.cat (Generalitat de Catalunya) — official observation points within the path of totality.
• PhotoPills or Sun Surveyor — exact position of the Sun at any location and time of day.

Arrive at your chosen spot at least an hour early. Set up the tripod, test your settings and get familiar with the surroundings before the spectacle begins.

The 4 contacts: what to do at each phase

Every total eclipse has four key moments. Knowing them in advance is what separates a professional series of shots from a gallery of blurry images:

Phone settings: professional mode

Automatic mode will not work during the eclipse. With the solar filter on, the frame will be nearly black and the camera will try to overexpose. You need full manual control.

The tripod: not optional

During totality you will be working with slow shutter speeds and low light. Any movement will ruin the shot. A tripod with a phone adapter makes the difference between a sharp image and a blurry one. Also use the 2–3 second timer so that the vibration of pressing the shutter does not affect the result.

There are two clear profiles depending on what you need:

Beyond the solar disc: creative techniques

Photographing the eclipse does not just mean capturing the Moon covering the Sun. There are equally powerful images that require no special filters:

• The shadow sweeping across the landscape — seconds before totality, you will see the darkness arriving from the horizon at great speed. Turn the camera and capture that movement.
• The surroundings during totality — the colours of the sky, disoriented animals, people looking up. These are contextual images that media outlets always seek out.
• Timelapse of the full eclipse — set up a second phone on timelapse with a fixed filter for the entire duration. Capture the complete event without distracting yourself.
• Crescent shadows under trees — every gap between leaves acts as a pinhole camera and projects the shape of the eclipse onto the ground. A detail that almost nobody photographs.

Editing and post-processing

If you shot in RAW, your eclipse images will need processing. The basic steps in Lightroom or any RAW app:

• Recover highlights to avoid burning out the solar corona.
• Lift the shadows to reveal details of the surroundings during totality.
• Adjust the white balance according to the filter used — in RAW this takes seconds.
• If you have a series of shots during totality, stack them in layers at 50% transparency to compose a single image that captures the full corona sequence.

Which glasses to buy: the quick guide

Eclipse glasses are the most critical accessory — and the easiest to get wrong. Prices rise in August and uncertified options proliferate. Buy them now.

Checklist: before 12 August

• Certified solar glasses EN ISO 12312-2:2015 + CE with identifiable notified body — for your eyes and as a phone filter
• Tripod with phone adapter (lightweight option or stable option)
• Camera app with Pro/Manual mode installed and tested
• Location confirmed within the path of totality
• Exact C1, C2, C3 and C4 times for your municipality (NASA or eclipsicatalunya.cat)
• Alarm set one minute before C2
• Practice run with your settings using the Sun in the days before the event
• Battery at 100% and sufficient free storage
• Second device for timelapse (optional but highly recommended)

No photograph is worth as much as the experience of witnessing totality with your own eyes. Set the camera running, hit play, and spend at least 30 seconds simply looking. No screen. No filters. The eclipse of 12 August 2026 over Catalonia is a phenomenon that will not happen again in this generation.