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Salem photographer’s iconic eclipse photo to be showcased on astronomy textbook

The picture of rock climber Tommy Smith standing atop Smith Rock State Park's famous Monkey Face rock at the moment of totality swept the Internet and social media in the days following last summer's event.

It’s been one year since Salem photographer Andrew Studer captured one of the iconic images from last year’s total solar eclipse.

The picture of rock climber Tommy Smith standing atop Smith Rock State Park’s famous Monkey Face rock at the moment of totality swept the Internet and social media in the days following last summer’s event.

“A lot of work went into it, and I still remember the goosebumps when the shot we’d visualized actually happened,” said Studer, a 2013 graduate of Sprague High School. “It’s very rare that everything comes together like that.”

Studer, already a well-known photographer and videographer, said the eclipse shot gave a “big boost” to his work and that he’s sold a few hundred prints of the image.

But perhaps the most unique legacy of the image is that it will grace the cover of an astronomy textbook distributed to college students worldwide.

The textbook is the 11th edition of “Universe,” published this coming January. The book is studied mostly in astronomy classes, but also by first-year physics and astrophysics majors, said Robert Geller, the book’s lead author.

The 10th edition of the textbook is currently used at Clackamas Community College in Oregon.

“The first half of the textbook is planets and moons, and the second half includes galaxies, black holes and the big bang,” Geller said. “It’s used by students all over the world.”

Geller said the picture immediately grabbed his attention as both an astronomer and somebody who loves rock climbing at Smith Rock State Park.

“You couldn’t mix astronomy and rock climbing any better,” Geller said. “It’s an amazing eclipse picture in its own right, but to also have the outline of the rock, rope and person was just golden.”

Universe Cover by Statesman Journal on Scribd

Setting up the picture took a lot of work, Studer said. He coordinated with a team of rock climbers in advance so they'd be at the perfect spot on Monkey Face — the feature at Smith Rock in the photo — during the moment of totality.

Studer said Ted Hesser coordinated with the climbers, Martina Tibell and Tommy Smith. They communicated over radio to get Smith in the right spot on the rock.

“We weren't 100 percent sure it would work,” Studer told the Statesman Journal last year. “Totality is so short that we were either going to have it, and it would be great, or completely miss it.”

The picture is also gracing the cover of a book of essays about the eclipse called “Chasing the Great American Eclipse.”

As for Studer, he’s still working as a freelance photographer and videographer. He travels to exotic destinations worldwide, honing his ability to capture people amid nature’s most dynamic scenes.

But it will be difficult to top the eclipse picture, he said.

“It’s one of those life moments that really sticks out,” he said. “The moment when totality hit, the temperature dropped and everybody was cheering … I’ll clearly remember it for the rest of my life.”

Credit: Andrew Studer
Andrew Studer is a photographer and videographer from Salem. (Photo: Andrew Studer)

Note: Ted Hesser did much of the work in coordinating the photoshoot and took a similar photo that has also circulated widely online. Read about the details in this story.

Zach Urness has been an outdoors writer, photographer and videographer in Oregon for 10 years. He is the author of the book “Best Hikes with Kids: Oregon” and “Hiking Southern Oregon.” He can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors.

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