Eddie Chan on Lunar and Solar Alignment Photography (Community Member Feature)
Credits: All images in this post by photographer Eddie Chan aka @eddiemarkhampyro
Intro
When we look up at the sky, we usually see the sun and moon as distant, everyday background elements. But for urban landscape photographers who specialize in alignment work, these celestial bodies become precise design tools.
Contributor Eddie Chan (@eddiemarkhampyro) has been turning heads across the Greater Toronto Area with a stunning series of silhouette shots capturing people, architecture, and vehicles perfectly framed against massive lunar disks and glowing suns. We messaged Eddie to pick his brain about his creative evolution, the technical hurdles of shooting alignments, and why this demanding style of photography is ultimately all about the chase.
From the CN Tower to the Cosmos
For many photographers in Toronto, the iconic CN Tower is the ultimate alignment subject. But after years of framing it, Eddie found himself looking for a fresh creative spark.
Eddie says: “For these silhouette moon alignment shots I’d like to be far enough from the subject where the moon is large enough to fully envelop the subject but not so far that you can’t make out the people. I’ve moved to this type of moon alignment photography as I was getting a bit uninspired with my CN Tower alignment photos. Although I love the CN Tower as a subject, I wanted to chase something a bit different to satisfy my creative juices.”
Capturing a human silhouette tucked perfectly inside the lunar disk requires high-level precision. It is a mix of art and science where timing is everything.
Eddie explains: “Catching people inside the moon is an exact shot. The moon and people have to be at an exact spot at an exact time with weather and lighting conditions needing to be perfect. Since it’s all about the chase for me, this type of moon alignment photography was a great match.”
The Gear and the Grind
Success in alignment photography doesn’t happen by accident—though, as Eddie notes, a little bit of luck never hurts. It requires the right kit and a willingness to fail, wait, and try again.
Having a long telephoto lens that works great in low light, a great alignment app, like PhotoPills and the proper editing software is essential to capture an image like this. A lot of luck is essential too!
The patience required to land these shots can take years to pay off. Describing a hard-won sunrise alignment along Steeles Avenue that finally came together after years of attempts, Eddie shared: “Well this only took five years to get. Okay maybe four, I can’t remember anymore. I’ve been chasing this alignment along Steeles Ave for quite some time and this morning was finally the day. When first arriving it looked like clouds were going to thwart this shot once again. But as it got close to sunrise, lo and behold the sky was actually clear. FINALLY! Traffic was a bit of an issue this morning but safety over everything.”
The Joy of Community and the Learning Curve
Beyond the technical gear and the lonely hours spent scouting locations, one of the greatest rewards of alignment photography is sharing the experience with fellow creators.
One of the joys of alignment shooting is seeing those who are new to planning alignments come out and get the shot while doing the entire plan on their own,” Eddie reflects. “When you first begin you struggle to understand but slowly through trial and error you figure it out. And when you do it from start to finish and you get THE shot you feel like a million bucks. Congrats @mappelphotography for planning this perfectly.”
Credits and Thanks
Big thanks to our contributor Eddie Chan aka @eddiemarkhampyro
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