MADRID, SPAIN — In the meticulous world of astrophotography and wildlife documentation, success is usually measured in preparation, patience, and predictable tracking. But when Canadian photographer Liron Gertsman and Texas-based bird photographer Tobias Yoder set their sights on Spain for a total solar eclipse, their months of exhaustive planning culminated in a moment of pure, cinematic drama.
Working against the odds—and coming within a mere 30 seconds of total failure—the duo successfully captured what may be the defining wildlife-astronomy crossover images of the decade: a razor-sharp total solar eclipse perfectly framed by a historic Spanish church bell tower, topped by an active white stork’s nest, with the bird itself gracefully silhouetted against the blinding corona.
The feat represents a masterclass in modern photographic logistics, proving that even in an era of algorithmic planning and high-tech mapping tools, nature still holds the final, unpredictable cards.
Main Facts
The successful expedition to Spain was years in the making, born from a digital friendship sparked by independent successes during the April 8, 2024, Great North American Total Solar Eclipse. During that event, Gertsman captured the award-winning image The Frigatebird and the Diamond Ring, while Yoder independently secured a strikingly similar avian eclipse photograph thousands of miles away.
Recognizing a shared obsession, the pair connected via Instagram direct messages the very next day and resolved to collaborate on the next major celestial alignment: the August total solar eclipse visible over Spain.
The Core Subject: The white stork (Ciconia ciconia), an iconic Spanish resident with a breeding population exceeding 50,000 pairs, famously nesting atop historic rural architecture like church bell towers and castle spires.
The Location: A carefully vetted, highly specific church bell tower in rural Spain, selected from hundreds of pinned satellite locations.
The Gear: Gertsman utilized a Canon EOS R5 II paired with an RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens; Yoder shot on a Nikon Z8 with a Nikkor Z 180-600mm f/5.6-6.3 VR lens, both operating near the 500mm focal length.
The Window: Totality lasted a fleeting 76 seconds at approximately 8:30 PM local time.
Chronology: A Year of Planning Down to the Wire
Phase One: The Virtual Scouting Mission (2024–2025)
Following their 2024 breakthrough, Gertsman and Yoder established a working partnership that included joint photography expeditions to the Pacific Northwest and Hawaii. However, their primary focus remained fixed on Spain. For over a year, the duo scoured satellite maps and wildlife databases, pinning hundreds—potentially thousands—of church towers and stork nests located directly within the path of totality.
Recognizing the limitations of standard tools like PhotoPills, Yoder—who possesses a background in software development—custom-built a proprietary web application. This tailored app allowed the photographers to simulate the virtual Sun and eclipse to precise scale within the viewfinder frame, ensuring exact spatial compositions months before setting foot in Europe.
Phase Two: Boots on the Ground in Spain
Arriving in Spain over a week prior to the eclipse, Gertsman and Yoder rented vehicles, split their master map in half, and embarked on intensive ground-truthing missions. Driving from nest to nest, they evaluated structures for two critical criteria: architectural profile alignment with the eclipse trajectory, and confirmed local stork habitation.
Most prospective sites failed inspection due to asymmetrical architecture or absent wildlife. However, one specific rural church checked every box. Yoder digitally verified the alignment, prompting Gertsman to agree immediately: this was their target.
Phase Three: The Final 90 Seconds
Despite rigorous preparation, uncontrollable variables remained. During reconnaissance visits in the days leading up to the eclipse, the resident stork had occasionally returned late to its roost.
As the partial eclipse commenced and ambient light plummeted toward the eerie twilight of totality, the tension mounted. With just two minutes remaining until totality, the nest sat completely empty.
"Two minutes out, I was starting to feel really iffy," Yoder admitted.
At 90 seconds before totality, a speck appeared on the horizon, heading directly toward the bell tower. Just 30 seconds before the Diamond Ring effect and the emergence of the solar corona, the white stork touched down in its nest, completing the composition in the nick of time.
Supporting Data and Technical Execution
Capturing a high-speed celestial event alongside erratic wildlife requires exceptional command of equipment and split-second choreography.
Equipment Strategy
Liron Gertsman: Relied primarily on the Canon EOS R5 II. While acknowledging that the older Canon R5 performs marginally better in extreme low-light environments, Gertsman prioritized the R5 II’s superior electronic-shutter performance to shoot in full continuous burst without shutter shock.
Tobias Yoder: Trusted his Nikon Z8, leveraging its robust electronic viewfinder and reliable autofocus tracking in low-light conditions.
The Backup Setup: Guarding against total failure or equipment theft, the photographers purchased used Nikon D610 DSLRs at a local shop. They programmed these units with built-in intervalometers, concealed them in brush and fabric at a secondary wide-angle location 100 miles away, and successfully automated bracketed exposures as an insurance policy.
The Dance of Totality
Totality lasted only 76 seconds. Because shooting at 500mm magnifies the Earth’s rotation, the Sun shifted rapidly within the camera frame. Gertsman and Yoder had rehearsed their physical movements dozens of times: shooting side-by-side, taking turns sliding behind each other’s shoulders to maintain uninterrupted alignment without breaking the composition.
However, the plunging darkness of totality introduced an unexpected hurdle, making it exceedingly difficult to visually confirm crosshair alignment through the viewfinder. Despite these hurdles, both photographers secured their frame-defining shots.
Official Responses and Reflections
Reflecting on the experience, both photographers emphasized that the emotional weight of the project stemmed from its high-risk nature.
"We decided that if it’s not cutting it close, we’re probably not setting the bar high enough for these really ambitious photos," Gertsman noted. "It finally felt like we set the bar at a spot where it was tough to clear. It was a real challenge."
For Yoder, the near-miss arrival of the stork elevated the artistic success of the project beyond a mere technical exercise:
"For me, much of the magic in art and photography lies in what feels just beyond my understanding and control, and for that reason, the shots that barely happened are my favorites."
While Gertsman admitted he was mentally prepared to accept failure—finding solace in the overarching travel experience with his girlfriend, Victoria Cirone, and his fellow photographer—the ultimate payoff vindicated over a year of sleepless planning.
Implications for Wildlife and Astrophotography
The Gertsman-Yoder collaboration points to an evolving frontier in nature photography. Historically, wildlife photography and astrophotography have existed as distinct disciplines: the former demands patience in terrestrial habitats, while the latter requires precise astronomical calculation and specialized telescope or telephoto setups.
By fusing these genres, Gertsman and Yoder are pioneering a niche that requires cross-disciplinary expertise—mastering animal behavior, meteorology, celestial mechanics, and custom software development. Their success demonstrates that the future of elite nature photography lies not just in capturing what is naturally occurring, but in anticipating rare intersections of planetary alignment and animal biology with mathematical precision.
Ultimately, the images captured in the skies above Spain serve as a reminder that while technology and software can point the way, true artistic triumph often relies on holding your breath, trusting your preparation, and welcoming a healthy dose of last-second magic.
