Lisbon, this is for you!
When planning for the eclipse, I decided to capture it in a cityscape environment. I had been tempted to drive to Spain and shoot the totality like everyone else. I had even booked an overpriced hotel room already.
In the end, I decided to stay and capture a unique moment in the place I call home. Capture something that I will want to put on my wall.
And I’m glad I did, since otherwise this photo would never exist. I was the only photographer out there. And this moment will never be repeated.
What Lisbon Actually Saw
The total eclipse of 12 August 2026 crossed northern Spain. Lisbon sat outside the path of totality and got 94 percent instead. Peak came at 19:36, the crescent sun ten degrees above the horizon, dropping into the span of the 25 de Abril Bridge with the light already gone heavy and gold. Sailboats crossed the reflection while I worked.
Why the Cityscape Was the Harder Shot
Totality photographs are interchangeable: a black disc and a corona against an empty sky. Nothing in the frame tells you which country you were standing in. An eclipse set inside a skyline can only exist in one place, and only for the few minutes the sun holds that position over the bridge.
More Nights Over Lisbon
Lisbon rewards anyone willing to plan around the sky. I shot the lunar eclipse over Lisbon during the PhotoPills meetup, and the full moon rising behind Belém Tower, a once-in-five-years alignment.
Thank you, Lisbon.
