I just happened to notice the big full moon rising the other evening, and decided to grab my camera. After all these years, I'm still a sucker for a beautiful moon!
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| Moonrise, partially obscured by the neighbor's palm tree. |
Seeing this pretty moon kind of motivated me, and I decided to check on details for the next morning's moonset. Turns out it was 7am, so I decided to check it out. There's a hiking trail that takes you up to a nice lookout of downtown LA. Based on the predicted compass reading for the moonset, I guestimated that I might be able to get the LA skyline and moon in the same shot.
After hiking in the dark for about 20 minutes, I came to my lookout. Luck was with me, and the moon was slowly descending on downtown LA. This first attempt was at 6:34am. The moon was still pretty high, but I was able to get both the moon and downtown LA in the same frame, so I started shooting. I love how the buildings of LA look in the early morning hours. Kind of bittersweet knowing all the distruction and loss from the fires. I could see no fire or smoke plumes from my vantage point, so hopefully that's good news. 6:38AM. Just 4 minutes after the previous photo. Seems like the lower the moon gets on the horizon, the faster it drops! By the way, all photos here are single images. No composite photos, AI, or other trickery. I used a 200mm-400mm telephoto lens with a monopod.  |
| 6:50am |
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| 6:55am |
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| 7:00am |
As the moon was setting behind Los Angeles off to the west, the sun was getting ready to burst out from behind Saddleback Mountain in the east. 7:07am. The moon has just dropped below the horizon, and the sun has just started to rise. You can see sunlight reflected off a couple of the glass buildings in downtown LA, about 20 miles from where I'm standing. Thanks for dropping by, and I hope you had a chance to see the Wolf Moon!
...another moon that I slept through!
ReplyDeleteWonderful moon shots, Peter.
ReplyDeleteOverhere it was too clouded to see the full moon.
Wow! Awesome.
ReplyDeleteI too stumbled on the full moon here after many days of cloud and rain. I took several images but none so impressive as these. Looking at yours, one can't imagine the devastation of the fires.
Hi Peter, your shots are masterpieces!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog. I wonder if I can linkup a post of mine with a very interesting moon: https://traitaliaefinlandia.com/2025/01/08/luna-e-saturno/
Happy New Year! 💫
Thank you for the link. Amazing photos of the moon and saturn!
DeleteI think the moon seems to be moving more quickly because you have landmarks with which to measure it. It's like how it looks bigger when it gets closer to the horizon. Landmarks.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots. I can never get good pics of the moon. Of course, I don't have more than point and shoot cameras, either.
That moon capture at 7:00 is spectacular! I was photographing the moon too. It really was a beauty. My photo is just from cell phone, not near as lovely as yours.
ReplyDeleteWe haven’t had a clear sky all month. Thanks for sharing! Love that second photo especially.
ReplyDeletewoah! the 7am moon is soooo big! awesome pictures!
ReplyDeleteIt's been relatively cloudy here in cold Illinois. At least at the prime times. I miss the times when I photographed the moon, but my telephone lens (up to 300mm) doesn't seem to capture as great of detail as you. So it is good to experience this through your eyes. :-) I love to see the low moons when they're not as bright, but much bigger looking.
ReplyDeleteOOPS! Posted as anonymous. It's been relatively cloudy here in cold Illinois. At least at the prime times. I miss the times when I photographed the moon, but my telephone lens (up to 300mm) doesn't seem to capture as great of detail as you. So it is good to experience this through your eyes. :-) I love to see the low moons when they're not as bright, but much bigger looking.
ReplyDeleteDelightful captures all!
ReplyDeleteI watched that same moon rise and set here, something I have not done for a long time. I'm also a sucker for a beautiful moon :)
ReplyDeleteDarn, I so wanted to leave a post on your blog, but it's not letting me, so I will leave it here: Both you and your blog will be missed! I've always looked forward to reading your posts from a part of the world I have never visited. All the best to you going forward!
DeleteWow! Absolutely amazing pictures.
ReplyDeleteThese photos are awe-inspiring! The moonset over the LA skyline is a sight to behold.
ReplyDeleteExcellent photography. Glad to know that all of them originals. I too started dreading the AI images
ReplyDeleteWonderful captures!
ReplyDeleteAwesome moon images!!
ReplyDeleteI had to go to maps to see how close Joshua Tree is to LA. While it is closer than I thought, it is still a two hour drive, depending on where you live, of course.
ReplyDeleteYour photos of the full Wolf Moon are beautiful! I wondered if smoke from the wildfires would drift to where you are! I got to see the Wolf Moon, I believe it was a Supermoon!
ReplyDeleteThe moon is so alluring. Honestly, it seems day turns to night and back to day faster than before.
ReplyDeleteTiene algo que fascina, por eso ha sido inspiración de músicos y de poetas.
ReplyDeleteI often go out and walk in the moonlight because it is so beautiful. Even better with snow on the ground!
ReplyDeleteYour photos are fantastic.
Awesome photos of the full moon ~ nature's gem ~ thanks ^_^
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
clm ~ A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Quite a learning experience for us. Thanks! Hope you and yours are safe 🙏🏽
ReplyDeleteGreat images!
ReplyDeleteStunning photos of the moon :-D
ReplyDeleteFabulous shots, you got the exposures just right, plus you got up early enough to go get in position. I've never seen photos of the Los Angeles like what you captured.
ReplyDeleteFantastic sets of photos especially the three taken five minutes apart. The 7am picture, especially, is incredible. I slept through it although chances are that it was cloudy when the moon set where I live.
ReplyDeleteYesssss, we heard about in the Radio. But seeing here your fantastic captures is another thing. Wow. The moon is great. Greater than other times. But... I couldn't sleep in this time.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing and thank you too for your nice comment.
Heidrun
Amazing series of photos, Wolf Moon looks wonderful, Loved this post.
ReplyDeleteAs always, a wonderful set of images! You da man!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful serendipitous moment, capturing the Wolf Moon! It’s inspiring how a simple moonrise can spark such a sense of adventure and creativity. Your determination to capture the moonset over the LA skyline sounds like it would have been an incredible sight.
ReplyDeleteYou are invited to check out my new post: https://www.melodyjacob.com/2025/01/denim-on-denim-styling-cinched-waist-denim-vest.html
These are just beautiful! The third photo in your post, your first with LA, I love it!!!! It's my favorite.
ReplyDeleteThese are great moon pictures! I didn't know that the first full moon of the year is called the wolf moon, but I googled it now. At least that's what it's called in America... but it's now being adopted in Europe too.
ReplyDeleteAll the best from Austria, Traude
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2025/01/september-wochenende-in-der-wachau.html
Great shots some nearly to beautiful to be credible.
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous shots! I think my favorites are the 6:50 and 6:55 shots. The moon is so big and the buildings look so petty. It thinks these photos are well worth an early morning walk in the dark.
ReplyDeleteThat 7:00am shot is incredible!
ReplyDeleteWow, stunning captures!
ReplyDeleteThe moonrise behind the palm tree is so beautiful, and I love how you timed the moonset with the LA skyline.
Hiking in the dark for that perfect shot sounds like an adventure!
Nature’s timing is so amazing.
Thanks for sharing these incredible photos!
Stunning photos, as always! ♥ I especially like the moon between the tree branches.
ReplyDeleteThose with the city are just amazing. I like the one with the branches a lot too.
ReplyDeleteGreat captures!
ReplyDeleteYou take such amazing photos of the sky, moon, etc.!
ReplyDelete