Inside Red Bull's High-Flying Eclipse Photo, Nine Months in the Making
In Spain, photographer Noah Wetzel collaborated with Red Bull Air Force athlete Mike Brewer to document a wingsuit flight during a total solar eclipse, a venture that took nine months to prepare. The stunning shot, captured over 84 seconds of totality, features Brewer soaring at 150 mph. Wetzel utilized a Canon EOS R5 II paired with a 600mm lens and employed remote flashes. The project required meticulous planning, including trials in Moab, Utah, and assistance from Spanish athlete Dani Román for terrain and flight path evaluations. To ensure precision, Wetzel selected the 600mm lens and utilized four wireless flashes to capture the moment. Backup photographer Dane Cronin provided an alternate angle, contributing to the 600 hours spent on this 'photographically impossible' image.
Key facts
- Photographer Noah Wetzel captured a wingsuit flight through a total solar eclipse in Spain.
- The image was taken during 84 seconds of totality, with the athlete traveling at 150 mph.
- Wetzel used a Canon EOS R5 II and 600mm lens from 1,400 meters away.
- The project took nine months and involved four test productions.
- Spanish athlete Dani Román participated in the eclipse flight.
- The flashes were set to 1/8 power to freeze motion via flash duration.
- The triggering system used PocketWizard transmitters and receivers.
- The team invested approximately 600 hours in preparation.
Entities
Artists
- Noah Wetzel
- Mike Brewer
- Dani Román
- Dane Cronin
Institutions
- Red Bull
- Red Bull Air Force
- PetaPixel
- Canon
- Godox
- PocketWizard
Locations
- Spain
- Moab
- Utah
- Alarilla