Total Eclipse at Katahdin

Photograph by Kenneth Rieke

April 8th, 2024: While the world planned to visit Texas to view the eclipse, I bet it all on northern Maine. In a field normally outnumbered by cows, I stood surrounded by over a thousand enthusiasts and astronomers who'd canceled plans at the last moment when the weather changed. Set up my tripod and my 3D-printed solar filter system I designed myself, and shot a timelapse of the entire event from early in the morning until after dark. Though it was cold, everyone was friendly and shared stories and tips, eclipse glasses (I'd printed a pair for myself too using the remaining solar film), and we all agreed it was one of the most incredible experiences to witness in our lives. I've been all over the world, and this event still left me speechless. I spent hours in Photoshop afterward cleaning up light leaks (lessons learned, photography is an iterative process) to produce this final image. The composition shows the total eclipse over a snow-clad Mt Katahdin in Maine, in early spring. In the foreground, I included other photographers and onlookers because the community was part of the experience and their awe was mine, too.

After I'd finished stacking the shot, I submitted to a local art gallery for the first time, encouraged by my professional artist wife. My framed photo was not only accepted in the show, but featured prominently and sold on the opening night, kicking off my journey into working with galleries and getting better and better at both creating photos and presenting them.

I'd like to say one more piece: I despise AI. I loathe LLMs. I never use anything generative and actively work in my community to fight data centers and AI use wherever I can, because of what it does to environments, what it has stolen from the arts, and what it does to critical thinking for generations to come. Art belongs to thinking, breathing beings alone. I'm inspired to capture photos of nature, landscapes and wildlife to honor and remember the way things were, before climate change transforms them into whatever it is to come. Once, there were whales. Once, there were snows in April under a total eclipse, and we shared food and batteries and protective glasses to watch in awe.