Lunar Eclipse, Blood Moon, Supermoon on a overcast night
What could be more exciting than the Lunar Eclipse, Blood Moon and Supermoon all occurring in the early evening when the weather was not too cold or hot? I was so excited to get to photograph this rare event when I would not have to be up at all hours of the night.
Having put in an early request to the forces of nature for clear skies and calm wind, one never knows what to anticipate when it comes to nature photography. On the afternoon of September 27, 2015, the eastern sky was showing a few broken clouds but not enough to obscure the eclipsing moon. However by sundown, it was beginning to look more overcast and I was still hoping the moon could shine through with a bravo performance as it usually does, rising over the Gillis Mountains at Walker Lake.
Approximately 18:30 PDT, I drove over to where I had a clear view of the lake and sky. The clouds had grown heavier and were now beginning to take on nice pastel colors.
To the west, thin clouds over the silhouetted
mountains were dazzling the sky with a fiery sunset.
The thing with nature photography is, there will be countless hours of boredom followed by moments of excitement, exhilaration and maybe even sometimes, sheer terror. This night was beginning to look like it would test my patience with a gray, featureless, moonless sky.
Because the clouds were so thick, I decided to try my Nikon 80--200 2.8mm lens over the 500 4.0mm that I normally use for lunar photography. I had rather have the larger aperture on the shorter lens and then crop the photograph as needed when I processed the RAW digital negatives in Lightroom.
After a 30 minute wait, I finally saw a small
red disk peering through the clouds.
When the moon is bright, my exposure will
be anywhere from 1/400 second, upward to 1/2000 second, with an f/5.6 aperture.
I set the camera on Manual Mode and began to bracket my exposures adjusting the
seconds for the best exposure.
I kept hoping that the moon would finally make its debut through the curtain of clouds. As dramatic as it was watching the dim red glow against the darkness of night, I wanted just one clear shot of the eclipsing moon.
I kept hoping that the moon would finally make its debut through the curtain of clouds. As dramatic as it was watching the dim red glow against the darkness of night, I wanted just one clear shot of the eclipsing moon.
As much as I was challenged to get a sharp focus, the lightning with the overcast sky did allow for some nice effects.
Around 8:30 PM, the moon had risen higher and was starting to become lighter. The evening zephyrs were starting to blow so I took my final exposure at f/5.6 of 0.5 seconds.
As challenging as this lunar eclipse was, it was a nice evening to be outside. I will never forget the time several years ago when the wind was so strong that I did not get one clear shot due to camera shake. With nature photography, you rely on your technical ability and the rest is up to the whim of nature.
What
an exciting and interesting photo-adventure this day has been. I love
it when I am drawn to an area and not knowing what to expect I get
treated to new experiences.
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Photography places me in the moment where I can share that moment in time. It becomes a life story as represented by my interaction with the scene. The happiness and beauty or the sorrow and strife; how I focus leaves a lasting impression that might touch the viewer on a spiritual level.
"Reflecting Nature's Artistry"
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