Chasing the Moon’s Shadow (Solar Eclipse) to Spain
By Matt Beuhrer
On August 12, my wife, Karmyn, and I had the opportunity to experience something I will never forget—a total solar eclipse from a hillside in northern Spain. To see my photos, click over to my Photocircle at https://join.photocircleapp.com/DYWCEM2DXN.
I’ve been fortunate to photograph total eclipses before, including Kentucky in 2017, Chile in 2019, and right here in Tipp City in 2024. But this one was different. Totality would occur just before sunset, with the sun hanging low over the vineyards and mountains of Spain’s Rioja region.
After scouting several locations, we found our spot in the beautiful village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra. We set up on a bluff overlooking vineyards, with the historic village, church, and castle rising behind us. It was difficult to imagine a more beautiful setting.
As the moon slowly covered the sun, the landscape began to change. The light softened, the temperature dropped, and the horizon took on the colors of sunset. Then, for approximately 80 seconds, the sun disappeared completely behind the moon.
I had several cameras set up and had spent months preparing to photograph those precious seconds. But when totality arrived, I made a decision I’m very glad I made: I stopped worrying about photographs for a while.
Karmyn and I simply stood together and watched.
Photography allows me to preserve a moment, but sometimes the most important memories are the ones we put down the camera long enough to experience.
And our eclipse journey isn’t over. On August 2, 2027, Karmyn and I hope to be standing beneath the moon’s shadow once again—this time in Luxor, Egypt, for more than six minutes of totality.
Interested in seeing more of my photos? The Photocircle link has photos from the total Solar Eclipse and some of the surrounding bluff where we were located. You can download any of the photos by tapping the 3 dots at the top right of the album.
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