Flower Moon

Last week I set out with a goal to capture the "Flower Moon" rise. I went over to a local restaurant that sits up on a hill. The views are excellent, and I figured I would pretty much have the place to myself (which I did). It seemed strange to see this normally bustling restaurant empty. The grounds are beautifully manicured, but empty.

Another reason I wanted to get out and take some photos was to try out a new lens. The photo above was taken using a 12mm fisheye. I really like the ultra-wide view it gives me. I have an 8mm fisheye, but it creates a round image. It's kind of a cool effect, but I prefer a traditional rectangular image. It turns out that 12mm is the widest lens I can use and still maintain the traditional rectangular format. It's an inexpensive lens (as lenses go). A significant downside to the lens (and what keeps it inexpensive) is that it's fully manual. No auto-focus and no auto-exposure. It's like the old days when everything was manual! Kind of fun, but also a challenge. All this is background information to provide an excuse for my blurry images below!

As the moon started to rise on the horizon, I did a quick lens change to a 100-400mm telephoto. The moon was visible but the sky was hazy.

As the moon got a little higher on the horizon, it became clearer.

 The little out of focus bird seems to be enjoying the Flower Moon!

Below is my attempt at capturing a rendition of the Flower Moon. I combined two photos, with photo #1 having a sharp focus on roses in a flower pot. Photo #2 had sharp focus on the moon. Combining the two photos gives you an image with everything in focus. 

Linking with Skywatch Friday.

Thanks for stopping by. Stay safe and healthy!