When I created Terra, Luna, and Sol, I wanted to capture the sublime drama of the 2024 Great American Eclipse in Little Rock, Arkansas, in April 2024. I was joined by three of my photographer and videographer friends and traveled from Oklahoma City to Little Rock. I photographed the Moon in perfect silhouette before the Sun, while fierce rays of solar light broke along its edge with breathtaking intensity. That brilliant burst glowed in electric white, ringed with spectral tones of cyan, cobalt, violet, and soft magenta, transforming the eclipse into a scene that felt both scientific and sacred.
The title of this piece was inspired by the ancient Latin language and myth. Terra is the Latin name for Earth, the living world from which I watched the heavens. Luna is the Latin name for the Moon, long associated with mystery, rhythm, and divine femininity. Sol is the Latin name for the Sun, the source of light, warmth, and life itself. Together, these names gave the image a timeless grandeur and honored the three celestial bodies whose perfect geometry made this moment possible.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun with extraordinary precision, temporarily veiling the solar disk and revealing the radiant corona beyond. That alignment is rare, fleeting, and unforgettable. In this image, the powerful sunlight peeking from the Moon’s side felt to me like a cosmic flame cutting through darkness, a reminder that even in shadow, light remains unconquered.
As a work of astrophotography and fine art nature photography, Terra, Luna, and Sol preserves not just an astronomical event, but a moment of awe I experienced when the Earth, Moon, and Sun stood in perfect harmony above the American sky.
