Archive 2014 · Familiar Spot Revisted (with the moon)

manzico
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Familiar Spot Revisted (with the moon)

I've been starting to get really comfortable using the PhotoPills app (get it here, it's the reason to own a smart phone if you're into photography), and there's a shot I've wanted for a while now. The goal is to get a crescent moon floating directly above the three cacti from this photo.

They're a frequent subject of mine, but I've really wanted the moon shot for a while now. Using the app (it really is pretty cool), I was able to predict when the shot I wanted would be available.

It only occurs one or two days a month, and I need those days to coincide with a weekend (so as not to interfere with work) and also a weekend that I'm not otherwise booked. Those days are few and far between, but last night was one such available day so I went out to see if I could capture the shot I had envisioned. One small problem. I couldn't get far enough back from the foreground element to really get the size of the moon to be what I wanted in relation to cacti. There is a fairly clear space around these cacti, but desert brush keeps you from backing up too far. Oh well, I still managed to get some cool shots with the moon and the setting sun. Here are a few:

#1: First shot of the day
http://m7.i.pbase.com/o9/81/354081/1/155890557.kLZwP0x2.Council_of_Three.jpg

#2: The first moon shot
http://m4.i.pbase.com/o9/81/354081/1/155890574.gkKFtBEy.Waiting.jpg

#3: Another with the moon
http://m2.i.pbase.com/o9/81/354081/1/155890552.CSYQiJI8.Annointed_One.jpg

#4: And a parting shot before I went home (using something further off in the distance to get the moon to loom larger)
http://m4.i.pbase.com/o9/81/354081/1/155890554.zu6721H6.Celestial.jpg

As always, CC are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

May 31, 2014 at 08:06 PM

VanIsle
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Familiar Spot Revisted (with the moon)

Hi Dave,

I'm just an amateur so take my thoughts with a heap of salt. I too enjoy shots incorporating the moon, and I know how hard it is to get all the variables to line up so to speak.

1&2 - I know rules are meant to be broken, but I find the centred composition uninteresting.

3 is quite enjoyable. I am undecided whether a little more FG detail (ie. bring up the shadows) would be better or not. Nice job capturing the earth shine.

4 - I like the earthshine and the fact that you captured some stars. I actually think this would be better without the cacti sticking up into the frame as the moon and colors in the sky add plenty of interest - I find a disconnect with the cacti. The white balance seems a bit off as well, but it could just be me.

Jeremy

May 31, 2014 at 09:37 PM

JimFox
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Familiar Spot Revisted (with the moon)

Hey Dave,

Cool shots here. Its always very exciting and fulfilling to ha e a vision for a shot and to do the research and planning to make it pay off. #1 is my favorite. I am not sure which i prefer between #2 and 3, i think you could place the moon in a dozen different spots and still have it look nice. If the moon was actually larger then it looks in #2 and 3, very few here would fault you for increasing the size of it slightly and pasting it over the smaller moon.

#4 is pretty cool, but that long trunk doesnt work for me. Perhaps if it had some arms to it, it would add more interest, also its all too centered in that one. But i love the look of the moon and the clouds in it. Do you have any variations?

Jim

Jun 01, 2014 at 12:25 AM

manzico
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Familiar Spot Revisted (with the moon)

VanIsle wrote:
Hi Dave,

I'm just an amateur so take my thoughts with a heap of salt. I too enjoy shots incorporating the moon, and I know how hard it is to get all the variables to line up so to speak.

1&2 - I know rules are meant to be broken, but I find the centred composition uninteresting.

3 is quite enjoyable. I am undecided whether a little more FG detail (ie. bring up the shadows) would be better or not. Nice job capturing the earth shine.

4 - I like the earthshine and the fact that you captured some stars....Show more →

Thanks for the feedback. The central symmetry is something I've done a bit with these cacti and it was what I was going for. As for foreground detail, I know what you're saying, but in my mind, especially with these night shots, if I bring up the detail much more it tends to look a little HDR-ish. As for the last shot, I have to say I agree with you about the white balance. It was such a low light condition that the camera really couldn't get a good white balance on its own. I've been playing with it quite a bit and the white balance that makes the blue work messes up the orange and vice versa. I'm working to adjust them independently to see if I can get some more pleasing hues.

Dave

Jun 01, 2014 at 02:54 AM

manzico
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Familiar Spot Revisted (with the moon)

JimFox wrote:
Hey Dave,

Cool shots here. Its always very exciting and fulfilling to ha e a vision for a shot and to do the research and planning to make it pay off. #1 is my favorite. I am not sure which i prefer between #2 and 3, i think you could place the moon in a dozen different spots and still have it look nice. If the moon was actually larger then it looks in #2 and 3, very few here would fault you for increasing the size of it slightly and pasting it over the smaller moon.

#4 is pretty cool, but...Show more →

Thanks. It was pretty gratifying. I only wish I could have gotten further back for the bigger moon. I may composite some shots yet, but I haven't decided whether or not I'll do it yet. I know what you mean about the lone cactus trunk. I desperately wanted something with some more interesting foreground appeal to it. There were plenty of cacti in the area, but that was the only one that rose above the rest in line with the moon. I do have some variations with different framing but there a bit more ragged. As the light grew dimmer I either needed longer exposures which blurred the moon, or higher ISOs (which got ridiculously high very quickly) that left me with too much noise. Maybe there are some shots to salvage. I'm going to keep playing around with what I got, and of course, now I've got more to go out and capture.

Thanks again,

Dave

Jun 01, 2014 at 02:58 AM


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