Last night, my sister (who is a photographer based in Pennsylvania) and I decided to try and capture an image of the full moon rising. My sister is visiting for the Thanksgiving holiday and the coincidence of a full moon in late November on a perfectly clear night with temperatures in the low 60s was impossible to resist. The result is posted below.
Moonrise, Washington, DC
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Keep shooting….
Last night was Friday the 13th, and I was hoping to get lucky with the crescent moon as it was going down in the western sky. Catching a crescent moon at twilight is kind of tricky, because you have several factors to consider. For example, if you want to capture the rising crescent, you will be shooting at dawn a couple days before the New Moon. If you want a moonset, then it will be at sunset a couple days after the New Moon. Other factors include the location of the moon on the horizon, size of the crescent, and the time of the setting or rising sun. All of these can be determined with one of the various smartphone or tablet apps such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE).
Most of the factors looked promising for the crescent after sunset on the 13th. It was two days past the New Moon and, according to TPE, it would be lined up fairly well with the Jefferson Memorial with the Tidal Basin in the foreground. The size would be a little smaller (<5% illumination) than I would have liked and a bit higher in the sky (9 degrees), but otherwise there seemed to be a lot of potential. So I headed down to the Tidal Basin to see what would happen.
(Technical Data: Nikon D800E on tripod with 70-200mm f/2.8 lens extended to 125mm. Five separate exposures at varying speeds (0.3 to 0.8 sec) @f/8, ISO 400; Images merged in Photoshop during post processing)
I started shooting about 10 minutes after sunset and stopped about 55 minutes after sunset. The best results were at about the 35 minute mark, seen above. Those looking closely will see the three spires of the USAF Memorial on the right side of the image.
Keep Shooting….
When you are trying for the classic moonrise over the city of Washington, DC, everything has to go perfectly. Several of us made the effort on October 26th, knowing the weather would be bad on the following night, the night of the full moon.
We also knew before we arrived that conditions would not be perfect because the moon was coming up 15 minutes before sunset and it likely would be too high in the sky by the time the twilight blue was at its peak and the illumination of the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and US Capitol were in balance with the ambient light still in the sky. We also knew that the clouds could pose problems.
But, when we arrived, there was an additional problem. The Marine Corps Marathon had been held on the previous day and our chosen location (near the Marine Corps Memorial) was also the location of the finish line for the race. A massive disassembly effort was underway.
Unexpected Obstructions, 20 Minutes before Moonrise
Another Surprise
Passing Truck, 4 Minutes after Moonrise (not visible yet)
But, aside from the occasional passing vehicle, there was nothing that was directly obstructing the view. By 6:15, the official time for the sunset, the moon was already pretty high and it was still too bright to see the illumination on any of the buildings below us.
Clouds obscuring the moon at Sunset (6:15 PM)
At 6:30, the twilight was a nice blue color, the clouds had abated, but the moon was too high.
Ideal Twilight, 15 Minutes after Sunset (6:30 PM)
So the only solution was to back off the focal length, and take the full scene and then do some post processing cheating. The image above was taken with the telephoto zoom extended to 200 mm and the moon in its actuual location at the time. The image below, taken a few seconds later with a 145 mm focal length, shows the moon in a decent location. But it was just “moved” down during the postproceesing from where it was at the time the image was taken. Not a bad result, but not something I will post on my website or offer for sale.
“Manufactured” Moonrise over Washington
Lessons Learned:
Keep Shooting….
As we continued up Route 47 to the waterfall at Kirkjufell, a series of intermittent showers began to tantalize us with a series rainbows shimmering in the fjord (Hvalfjörður, which is about 30 km long and 5 km wide). We finally found a place with enough room to park off the road, but as we scrambled out of the vehicle we were immediately buffeted by extremely strong wind gusts. Nevertheless, a complete rainbow hung over the water and we would not be deterred.
Rainbow over Hvalfjörður fjord, Iceland
This was the last we saw of any sunshine on this day. By the time we reached the waterfall, the wind was approaching gale force (my opinion, based on the fact the rain was going more or less sideways). But extreme weather can be an exhilarating experience and while I captured no memorable photos at this waterfall, I’m not likely to forget the power of the wind and rain during my brief excursion around the falls.
Based in Hellnar for the night, we headed out to Arnarstapi for a twilight photograph of the Gatklettur Rock, a natural arch formed on the beach. The rain had slackened, and the dark clouds provided a foreboding scene. Two members of our group can be seen in the lower left corner of the first image, prviding a sense of scale.
Gatklettur Natural Arch from Overlook
Gatklettur Natural Arch, Close View from Overlook
Since the images of the horses were well received, here is one more which I suspect is an equine interpretation of the verb “photobomb.”
I failed to mention in the previous post that the horses were located in a large pasture along Route 47, about 7 km northeast of the intersection of Route 1 and Route 47.
To be continued….
My previous post about a week ago featured a sunrise image of the Jefferson Memorial taken last April. So it might be appropriate to look at some additional images of the Memorial, but this time with the moon, especially since there was a full moon last night.
Moon Rising over Jefferson Memorial (July 31, 2015)
The conditions may not have been perfect, but they were pretty close. There was absolutely no breeze, so the tidal basin would produce a nice reflection. The sky was clear, ensuring that the moon would be visible.
When photographing the moon, I prefer to use a telephoto lens to emphasize the dramatic effect of the moon. The foreshortening effect makes the moon seem larger, especially if the camera is fairly distant from the primary subject which in this case was the Jefferson Memorial. Last night, however, the location of the moonrise on the horizon dictated that the ideal place from which to shoot would be fairly close to the Memorial. To get the entire Memorial, its reflection, and the moon in a single image would force the use of a lens no longer than 100mm. But to emnphasize the moon’s size, it would be necessary to shoot with a 200mm setting.
The solution, of course, is to use the photomerge technique in Photoshop, Lightroom, or one of the several plugins available for this purpose. The above image represents four separate images merged in Photoshop. (Technical data: Nikon D800E on tripod with 70-200mm f/2.8 lens extended to 200mm. Four exposures each at 1 sec., f/16, ISO 400)
Now there is another way to acquire a larger moon, which is considered by some (including myself) as a form of cheating. An example is shown below.
Moon Setting Over Jefferson Memorial (April 5, 2015)
In this case, the moon was exceptionally bright and would be extremely overexposed. While HDR might be one option, there was a 7 or 8-stop difference between the correct exposure for the overall scene and the exposure needed for the moon. Instead, it seemed like a good opportunity to experiment with blending two separate images. This involved shooting the overall scene with one lens and the moon with a separate lens and then combining them in Photoshop. I’m not thrilled with the result, mainly because it looks faked to me but maybe that is because I know it was. (Technical data: Nikon D800E on tripod with 24-70 f/2.8 lens extended to 70mm; one exposure at 2 sec., f/13/ ISO 400. Moon shot with 70-200mm lens extended to 200mm; exposure at 1/40th sec @ f/16, ISO 400)
The next full moon will be on the night of August 28th.
Keep Shooting…..
The U.S. Air Force Memorial, sited on a promontory overlooking the Pentagon with a commanding view of the Washington skyline, is becoming an increasingly popular stop for busloads of students visiting the nation’s capital.
Following its dedication in 2006, it seemed few people knew of its existence, but it seems to have been discovered in recent years and the hours around sunset seem to be especially popular.
The memorial is the last major work designed by James Ingo Freed, who also designed the US Holocaust Museum in Washington, DC. It features three stainless steel spires that soar skyward, evoking the “bomb burst” maneuver perform by the Air Force Thunderbirds.
View to East with Honor Guard Sculpture on Right
The small vertical spire in image above—between the left and middle spires of the Memorial–is the Washington Monument. The lower two-thirds of the Memorial’s spires are filled with concrete and the upper portions are hollow. Each spire has a transition section between the concrete-filled and hollow segments containing a one ton lead ball that is allowed to roll in a steel damper box. This feature is intended to stabilize the spires in high winds.
I visited the memorial earlier this week, and the high humidity combined with the floodlights on the South Inscription Wall made for a rather dramatic effect.
Tonight, and every Friday night during the summer, the USAF Band will perform a free concert for the public. Click here for details
Keep Shooting….
The French-built replica of the 18th Century tall ship L’Hermione, whose namesake brought the Marquis de Lafayette to America in 1778, tied up at the waterfront in Alexandria this morning, shortly after midnight, to the cheers of a small but enthusiastic crowd of well wishers.
The Hermione Docks in Alexandria, 12:48 AM June 10, 2015
The replica, built with exacting detail to match the original frigate which played such a significant role in the American Revolutionary War, is on a goodwill tour of US cities on the east coast. Details about the ship and its journey can be found at the excellent post by Patti on her “Displaced Beachbums” blog.
These photos were made under some rather difficult lighting situations. The frigate, following a short stay at Mount Vernon, had to pass under the Wilson Bridge to reach Alexandria. The draw bridge opens its spans for ship traffic only at midnight for about 15 minutes and only, from what I understand, about once a week or on special occasions. Sailing vessels must proceed through the gap under motor power so the sails had to be furled. (By the way, I apologize to nautical experts for any mis-use of technical terminology–this is not a topic with which I can claim more than rudimentary knowledge).
Wilson Bridge opens for the Hermione (12:04 AM)
There isn’t much ambient light at midnight, so the frigate is barely visible. (Nikon D800E on tripod with 70-200mm f/2.8 lens, extended to 200mm; exposure: 1/4th sec. @ f/2.8, ISO 3200).
The Hermione Draws Closer (12:12 AM)
Turning for the Final Approach (12:23 AM)
The Hermione will be in Alexandria through June 12 and then departs for Annapolis. I suspect it will be a midnight departure.
Keep Shooting…..
Spring is the best time to be in New York City. Unfortunately, it is also the best time to be in many other places such as Washington, DC. But when one has business in NYC in late April or early May, one must bring a camera.
The afternoon stroll through Central Park on our first day only whetted our appetite. So it seemed that an evening visit to the top of Rockefeller Center would be a good way to end the evening.
Top of the Rock, looking south
(Technical: Nikon D800E, resting on balustrade, with 24-70 mm f/2.8 extended to 24 mm; Exposure: 0.6 sec. at f/16, ISO 800.)
Setting sun, Top of the Rock, looking west
(Technical: Nikon D800E hand held, with 24-70 mm f2.8 extended to 42mm, Exposure 1/640th sec. at f/10.0, ISO 800.)
The next day, we took the E Train to the World Trade Center to check out the progress on the new PATH Terminal designed by Santiago Calatrava and visit the 9/11 Memorial. The last time I had been there was in May 2013, shortly after the Memorial had opened and security had been exceptionally strict. They have relaxed a lot since then. One can stroll right into the grounds.
View of one of the two reflecting pools, surrounded by waterfalls.
The names of the victims are inscribed in bronze around the twin pools.
Brookfield Place, housing scads of places to eat and shop, is right across the street in Battery City Park. We only had time for a quick peek, but I am definitely going back to explore Le District (billed as a French market) in detail. This place is gy-normous.
The Winter Garden Atrium looking out toward the Hudson River
View from Brookfield Place looking toward the PATH Terminal under construction.
The new PATH Terminal is suffering a lot of ridicule in the New York media. But, having seen structures designed by this controversial architect in places such as Valencia, Barcelona, Milwaukee, California, and Buenos Aires, I expect it will be impressive once it is finished (assuming the engineers can fashion his design into reality).
The next morning we headed over to the High Line, a 1.5-mile elevated train line that has been transformed into a highly popular aerial greenway.
Tracks from the former NY Central spur line are integrated into the design
If it’s New York City, there will be a fashion shoot
Hidden Gem: The High Line Hotel courtyard, just a block away from the actual High Line, is a great place for a coffee break. Previously part of a seminary, it was once a large estate and apple orchard owned by the man who is thought to have authored “The Night Before Christmas.”
The High Line has numerous, and often amusing, public art installations
The new Whitney Museum is located at the southern terminus of the High Line
It was opening day and the line stretched for several blocks.
But the view up there is supposed to be great
Maybe on the next visit….
Keep shooting.
Things are moving fast down at the Tidal Basin. The partial eclipse at dawn on Saturday was a bust because of clouds, but there was a full moon rise that evening, and the Cherry Blossom Festival decided to launch a bunch of fireworks at about the same time. .So of course I went down to practice my Fireworks-Moonrise-Jefferson Memorial-Night Scene technique. The image below is the result.
Moonrise and Fireworks, Jefferson Memorial
I’m not sure when I’ll get another chance at this combination, so I’ll have to be satisfied with this one unless I want to cheat.
On Sunday morning I returned for another moon image, this time the setting moon with the Jefferson which would also give me a chance to check on the status of the cherry blossoms. Even in the pre-dawn twilight it was obvious that they had been busy that night because there was a pink cast to the trees that had been absent the day before. It’s hard to see in the small image below, but the so-called “indicator tree” that is typically a few days ahead of all the others was indicating good things were coming soon. There were 9,000 people attending a sunrise church service on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial but there was hardly anyone around the Jefferson Memorial.
Setting Moon at Dawn, April 5
I returned again this morning and found the walkways were still virtually deserted. However, there was an incredibly long line waiting for admission to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing which was fine with me. The pink tone in the trees was much stronger and the lack of wind before sunrise enabled some nice reflections.
Tidal Basin, 10 Minutes before Sunrise, April 6
Tidal Basin, 30 Minutes after Sunrise, April 6
Today was quite warm so there should be further progress on Tuesday. The forecast for Tuesday calls for some rain and cloudy weather but a while back I stupidly made a morning dental appointment for this day. But I’ll definitely be back there on Wednesday, rain or shine.
Today marks the 126th anniversary of the opening of the Eiffel Tower. What better way to note the occasion than to post one of my first images of it?
Eiffel Tower at Night (May 13, 2006)
The tower was the main exhibit at the 1889 Exposition Universelle (World’s Fair), held to commemorate the centennial of the French Revolution. The arched bridge in the foreground is the Passarelle Debilly, a footbridge constructed for the same Exposition. Both were intended to be temporary structures, but fortunately both escaped that fate. The bridge, however, was moved from its original location not far away to where it stands today.
To see a few more pictures of Paris check my website here.
photographybykent 
