Don't bother taking pictures of the total eclipse!
Tens of thousands of professionals, from National Geographic to Nature to the BBC, will be taking marvelous photos and HD video of the event. You'll miss the whole thing fooling around with your camera, tripod, etc.
Snap a quick pic with your phone if you must, but I would be taking pictures of the crowds who stare in awe, the landscape turned dark, or other personal experiences.
You've got a possible maximum of over two minutes of totality, so sit in a comfortable chair with your neck supported and watch the mystery of perfect cosmic alignment unfold before your very eyes!
Watching a partial solar eclipse in the Grand Canyon National Park in May 2012. � Erin Whittaker
