A week ago I drove down to the Alabama Hills for one event, a moonset at sunrise over Mt. Whitney. For those who have been there you know that Mt. Whitney is a bit recessed in the mountain range and that there is a limited area where you can actually see the peak. For this reason, there is only 1 or 2 times a year when the azimuth of the setting full moon can be seen anywhere near the peak at sunrise. My planning suggested that the right conditions would exist on Tuesday morning - OK, I was committed.
I left on Sunday for the long drive (18 hours) so that I would arrive a day early. With temps ranging from freezing in the morning to close to 80 in the afternoon it looked like it would be a good trip. On Monday, however, the temps were as planned BUT there was a wind advisory for 40-50 mph winds with gusts to 80. I’m here to tell you they were spot on. Down at Owens Lake there was a sandstorm. I’ve seen such storms fill the valley and block out the Sierras so just hoped that the conditions would be favorable the next day.
On Tuesday morning I was at my pre-planned spot. It was still blowing very hard but the wind was from the north so it just served to clear out the atmosphere. For warmth and camera stability, I opened the hatchback of my SUV, which was facing into the wind, and set up under the hatch. This also gave me the advantage of being able to set several lenses in the vehicle within easy reach because the action, if there were any, would be rather fast-paced. When I arrived, the moon was quite a distance to the south and I began to wonder if I was out of position. I decided to hold my ground, however, and see what developed. The moon continued to arc toward the peak and I began to take some pictures. When the moon was directly over the peak the sun’s first direct rays lit up the Sierras – what a glorious sight.
Stunning shot Don! I'm glad that the conditions worked out as planned, and I love reading stories like this where you set out to capture a particular shot -- It makes the photo even more special.
Don, fantastic! Great planning. Your exposure and sharpness are spot on. Using your car as a wind break was a key element to getting this great image. The sharpness is impressive, even given your car's help with the wind.
Keith W.
Very well done here. Those are bad conditions indeed. And good job on being at the right spot. When I have done it, I will usually be close, but there will be that last minute of jumping in the truck and drive 1/4 mile to get the moon in the right spot...
Great shot Don. I have attempted shots of the peak myself and know how hard it is to find a good location. I am betting this is down in the valley before the windy road up, which is probably closed at some point anyway. This suggests a long lens, I had to use 400 to get such a view when I was there.
Very good planning, and yes, the moon (and sun) sets in an arc, at least this far north.
Great shot. The mountain has a lot less snow cover than when I hiked the M. Whitney Trail in Sept. 2011. I have a moonset at sunrise shot from January 2013 I didn't realize that that was only an occasional event. That area is definitely worth an 18 hr. drive anytime.
Moonset over granite peaks? I am in! Great planning and great shot, Don. Did you use Photographer's Ephemeris, or some other tool? Or just some experience?
Don wrote: Totally fantastic. A great story and a good description of what it takes sometimes to get the shot. This is wall hanger for sure.
I appreciate it, Don. Maybe it will end up on my wall, don't know.
Jeffrey wrote: What a great glow and impeccable timing, too Don. Your handling of such a wide DR of light is impressive. Looks like you were right under the peak!
Thanks, Jeffrey. The nice thing about a sunrise shot of the moon is that you don't have to bracket to capture everything. This is a single exposure.
Scott wrote: WIN!!!!! Wall hanger Don! Bob wrote: Super image, Don, in all respects. Well done!
Thanks, guys, I appreciate it.
Ben wrote: Stunning shot Don! I'm glad that the conditions worked out as planned, and I love reading stories like this where you set out to capture a particular shot -- It makes the photo even more special.
This is not the first time that I've been down there trying to get this shot but it is the first time that I've planned it and everything came together - I guess practice makes perfect.
Keith wrote: Don, fantastic! Great planning. Your exposure and sharpness are spot on. Using your car as a wind break was a key element to getting this great image. The sharpness is impressive, even given your car's help with the wind.
Thanks, Keith. The windbreak definitely helped. I have also recently adopted a new routine for my long lenses. In the past I've had a lot of problems with vibration caused by mirror slap even though I've always used MLU and tried to pause a few seconds between shots. Now I turn off MLU and turn on Live View which gets your mirror out of the way from the start. I can now take multiple shots (think panos or bracketing) and not worry about mirror slap.
Jim wrote: Very well done here. Those are bad conditions indeed. And good job on being at the right spot. When I have done it, I will usually be close, but there will be that last minute of jumping in the truck and drive 1/4 mile to get the moon in the right spot... Good job.
Yes, last minute jockeying is usually the norm. Fortunately, this worked out perfectly as I parked the SUV and neither I or it had to move.
Ben wrote: Great shot Don. I have attempted shots of the peak myself and know how hard it is to find a good location. I am betting this is down in the valley before the windy road up, which is probably closed at some point anyway. This suggests a long lens, I had to use 400 to get such a view when I was there. Very good planning, and yes, the moon (and sun) sets in an arc, at least this far north. Great IQ for such conditions.
Thanks, Ben. No, this was taken above the windy road about 1/2 way down the straight stretch headed north. As for the lens, I used a 400mm on this shot but also used a 560 (400 + 1.4TC) and 98-280 (70-200 with 1.4TC).
Stan wrote: Great planning and execution, with a full measure of perseverance thrown in, and a spectacular result.
Thanks, Stan. I just wish the gas was a bit cheaper.
John wrote: Great shot. The mountain has a lot less snow cover than when I hiked the M. Whitney Trail in Sept. 2011. I have a moonset at sunrise shot from January 2013 I didn't realize that that was only an occasional event. That area is definitely worth an 18 hr. drive anytime.
If shooting from the valley, the moon's azimuth is usually too far south for most of the year. I pretty much count on March as the ideal time. If shooting from on high, however, I'm sure that other times would work out very nicely. There is another possible shot that I would like to try in September. Unfortunately, snow will be even scarcer then than now.
Kimberly wrote: Absolutely gorgeous! New to this forum, folks like you totally give me inspiration. Thank you!!
You're most welcome and I'm glad you like it. There are many fine photographers here, I'm sure that you will find all the inspiration that you need.
Ryan wrote: Moonset over granite peaks? I am in! Great planning and great shot, Don. Did you use Photographer's Ephemeris, or some other tool? Or just some experience?
Experience plus PhotoPills, an app that I've recently come to love.
For this shot I told it exactly where I wanted to shoot from and where the moon had to be (summit of Mt. Whitney). It now knows your altitude, that of the peak, and the distance between the shooter and peak, and curvature of the earth so it can figure out the inclination for you. Then it will search forward for up to 5 years and show you when your search criteria are met, the moon's phase, and when it occurs relative to the sun (i.e. golden hour, night, various twilights). I was only interested in a full moon during the golden hours.
If you check it out, make sure to watch the video tutorials on their website, they are a must. I now have 4 or 5 additional shots planned this year. Love it!
Easy Money wrote: Stunning picture. Loving the glow that comes off of the mountain. I would think that the snow is lacking quite a bit for this time of year?
You're right about the lack of snow. On my way home I passed a reader board that said "Dear God, more snow and rain. Please"
