Thursday, June 27, 2013

The Big Moon

All the photographers were busy last weekend trying to capture the "super-moon". I think it's supposed to be over a year from now before the moon is as big and bright. I got a few decent shots on Saturday night, but I knew I could do better. Sunday AM at around 4:30 the moon was supposed to be at it's biggest and brightest. I set the alarm, drove around the neighborhood, and it quickly became obvious there were way too many low clouds to get any glimpse of the moon. So I went home and went back to bed. Not to be discouraged, we decided to drive out to the desert Sunday night to catch the "moon-rise" which was scheduled to happen at 8:30PM.

 We drove into the high desert shortly after sunset and stopped for gas at the Morongo Valley Chevron.
The clouds were pretty, but looking east towards 29 Palms (which is where we were going, and where the moon was supposed to be rising) I noticed a lot of haze and cloud cover. At 8:30 PM, there was no moon in sight.  Ditto about 9 PM, but then the clouds started to clear. I didn't get the classic moon-rising-over-the-mountain or Joshua tree silhouette shot, but some very nice cloud + moon shots, so overall pretty happy.
"Cloudy Hand"

"Moon Sandwich" - the clouds were picking up some interesting colors.
Textured moon
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29 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 27, 2013 at 10:30 PM

    Wow - your shots are spectacular! Love the rainbow colours in the moon sandwich...

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  2. Karen @ Pieces of ContentmentJune 27, 2013 at 10:35 PM

    Wow, these are amazing! Being winter here I've not been out looking for the moon lately. Such great clarity in these shots.

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  3. isabella kramer - vereditJune 27, 2013 at 11:26 PM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

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  4. isabella kramer - vereditJune 27, 2013 at 11:27 PM

    Awesome shots - very spectacular !!! nice conceptions too.

    xo, veredit

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  5. 'TsukiJune 27, 2013 at 11:53 PM

    Your serie on the moon is really great, But I remain very fond of the first pic : the clouds are so impressive...

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  6. s.cJune 28, 2013 at 1:22 AM

    After a great wide angle shot amazing tele's. I like them a lot. Keep clicking.

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  7. RobinJune 28, 2013 at 1:41 AM

    Gorgeous images, and wow, you really worked for them. No clouds in our summer sky so it was a boring black, but I took mine right off the porch.

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  8. AnonymousJune 28, 2013 at 1:56 AM

    I really like the look of #2 Cloudy Hand. I took a few quick shots of the moon as it rose over Lake Elsinore but the abandoned school was more interesting by today!

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  9. eileeninmdJune 28, 2013 at 2:08 AM

    Awesome moon captures. I really love the sandwich shot! Have a happy weekend!

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  10. ArijaJune 28, 2013 at 3:25 AM

    I do so like your moon sandwich! Just great.

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  11. desertsandbeyondJune 28, 2013 at 5:04 AM

    As usual, you have some beautiful shots! I never really did get a photo of the moon, although I got a couple of fairly nice ones driving up by Pinyon last Tuesday as it was setting behind the San Jacinto mountains.
    Cheers~
    Cheryl Ann

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  12. LaloofahJune 28, 2013 at 6:31 AM

    You are so dedicated and tenacious and man, did those qualities ever pay off! "Spectacular" doesn't even adequately cover it. Bravo!!!!! (The third one is my favorite, in case anyone's keeping score). ;-)

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  13. TexWisGirlJune 28, 2013 at 6:41 AM

    love the 2nd moon one!

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  14. UnknownJune 28, 2013 at 7:53 AM

    Moon Sandwich, ha I love that! I was cloudy here so I wasn't able to grab any good shots. Thankfully I can enjoy yours :) have a great weekend!

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  15. Sally in WAJune 28, 2013 at 9:31 AM

    Beautiful shots! Brought on a flash back though. Several years ago we waited in the parking lot at o'dark thirty at the Arco across the hwy from the Chevron for our son to return from Iraq. We were watching for the buses heading towards 29 Palms. Damn, I actually miss traveling to that area.

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  16. ShaunJune 28, 2013 at 10:59 AM

    Some beautiful shots you got there. Admiration to you for getting up that earlier in the morning. You have some excellent Photoshop (i assume thats what your using) skills. Very nice set

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  17. LOLfromPasaJune 28, 2013 at 11:24 AM

    I salute you! Wonderful photographs, all of them.

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  18. aspiritofsimplicityJune 29, 2013 at 3:37 AM

    It was certainly worth the drive. You got spectacular pictures. I think that your partner -or whoever the other half of the "we" you refer to -should get extra credit for going with you to take pictures of the moon. Us crazy photographers...

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  19. Coloring Outside the LinesJune 29, 2013 at 4:39 AM

    Wow- very cool moon shots!!!

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  20. The Furry GnomeJune 29, 2013 at 5:21 AM

    Beautiful shots! Love the last one with the birds...

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  21. Diane AZJune 29, 2013 at 7:13 AM

    Creative moon and cloud images, I especially love the moon sandwich and textured moon. :)

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  22. AlJune 29, 2013 at 10:13 AM

    You got some great, clear Moon shots here.

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  23. FABJune 29, 2013 at 1:51 PM

    Excellent Moon shots.

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  24. Pearl MapleJune 29, 2013 at 9:04 PM

    great post of the seasonal moon

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  25. Kalyan PanjaJune 30, 2013 at 1:08 AM

    beautiful captures...lovely!

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  26. JudyJune 30, 2013 at 10:46 AM

    Incredible!!! I can't choose a favourite!!! And it was my third pass before I noticed the birds in the textured image!!! Cool!!!

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  27. JoeJuly 6, 2013 at 1:39 AM

    Gee. That shot you called Moon Sandwhich is a beauty. Bravo.

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  28. MistyJuly 7, 2013 at 5:17 AM

    These are fantastic!

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  29. MistyJuly 7, 2013 at 5:18 AM

    These are fantastic!

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