Moon over Rocky Point
Every now then the weather breaks in the Pacific Northwest and we get to see a full moon over the Olympic Mountains. But unless the light is balanced you have t...
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Every now then the weather breaks in the Pacific Northwest and we get to see a full moon over the Olympic Mountains. But unless the light is balanced you have to compensate for the over exposed moon as in this case. I had to merge 2 shoots to balance the exposures of the landscape and moon.
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Feb, 2017Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken from my house as the moon was setting behind the Olympic Mountain range.Time
It was a bout 8 am in Jan when the days are short in the Pacific Northwest. It's one of things I love about living in Washington. The sun is low on the horizon and the golden hour is just a little longer and shadows stretch out for forever.Lighting
The moon was too bright for the foreground to be exposed properly. So I took two images and blended them together. I could have shot for an HDR application, but I'm never happy with the results with image like this one.Equipment
Equipment: Canon 5D MKII Canon 70-200 f/4 non-IS - My go to for these seascapes. A tripod and cable release is mustInspiration
What inspired me? The reflection of light in the still water. The shoreline lite by the rising son. The mountains with fresh snow and the full moon setting.Editing
I took the two separately exposed images and blended them in Photoshop. I took the image of the moon first and then a longer exposure for the foreground. The moon reflection had to lineup with the actual moon. I found it easier to use a faster shutter speed on the moon followed by the longer exposure of the foreground to accomplish this.In my camera bag
My bag is packed based on the landscape location. Night shots usually don't need ND or graduated filters, but moving water does. My base equipment list; Canon 5D MKII body Canon 70-200 f/4 lens Carl Zeiss 50mm 1.4 cable release Everything else is subject to change. Portraits require remote flash and I add a 85mm lens. I usually pack based on the location I intend on shooting.Feedback
I guess the best advice I can give someone on images like this is to practice. And lean to bracket your exposers by using your cameras settings or manually set them. If you notice a full moon but your foreground is horrible, take the shot just to play with it later. Try your favorite HDR program or blend like I did. See what works best for you before scouting out a location. And you don't need a moon. Try this with street lights that don't move. Or reflection off wet sidewalks or streets where the light is varies drastically. Just play and have some fun with it.
