Once in a blue moon!
Well…. I have to give a very big thank you to Lorraine for listening to me obsess endlessly about where I was going to try to photograph the recent super moon (biggest and brightest of the year) which also happened to be a blue moon! A blue moon does not mean that it is the color blue - it means that it is a full moon that falls during a month that has two full moons. This only happens about every 2 1/2 years. For a blue moon to also be a super moon is even more rare - the next one will happen in 2037!
I paid attention to the time the moon would set on both 8/31 and 9/1 and what time the sunrises were for each of those days. While out in the mornings prior to those dates I kept trying to think of where I would have the best chance of a decent shot. I also went out during a few afternoons to try to look at ideas… and then it finally hit me! Two years ago I had received permission to photograph the sunrise from a spectacular private property in Hill, NH - about 15 min away from us. Based on my experience two years ago I thought this could really be the place to give me a great opportunity. The owners were gracious enough to let me prowl around their expansive hilltop property again - this time during the mornings of 8/31 and 9/1.
I knew these would be extra early mornings - headlamp needed even with the light from the full moon. As I drove up the dirt road to their house it was extremely dark - I was essentially driving up through the woods with towering trees. My hunch was that the moonset on the 8/31 would be too early to get the shots I had in mind. I was excited for two reasons - 1) I would be able to tell if I would have the chance I was hoping for on 9/1, and 2) the morning of 8/31 would give me some shots to practice settings etc.
As I pulled up their steep long driveway I could see that their outbuildings were silhouetted by the moon’s glow - absolutely spectacular. I parked and jumped out of the car with all of my equipment - both cameras, both tripods and with my headlamp on- knowing exactly where I wanted to go. To my absolute surprise and delight the hay field below their property had been mowed! This was a dream come true as my goal was to walk down from their property as far as I could then to look back up towards their property towards the various buildings. Their property slopes down fairly steeply… just perfect for what I had in mind.
As I thought - the moon was already very low in the sky on this first morning… but it gave me everything I was hoping for - an idea of where it could be the next morning and a chance to figure out my settings.
This first shot is as soon as I jumped out of the car on the morning of 8/31….
I took the following shot just as the sun was starting to come up behind me…..
Of course after this first morning I went home all excited to let Lorraine know that everything was lining up for a chance the next morning… I knew I would barely sleep that night… :)
Morning of 9/1 - -This morning’s drive up to their property was quite a bit brighter vs pitch dark the morning before - the moon was higher in the sky… I could barely stick to the speed limit - I just couldn’t wait to get there! Once again I hopped out of the car and immediately made my way down the steep slope into their hayfield… and I waited… and waited….while I kept moving around trying to anticipate where things would line up. I knew that the building in the following shots gets the sun’s first rays - this building was my dream scenario. It is remarkable how intense and beautiful the light is when it hits the top of the building and then moves on down to light up the rest of the building….It absolutely gets the first light and the most intense light. I found it extremely challenging to line up where I needed to be… I ended up setting up both cameras and on my knees moving back and forth between them and constantly moving their positions. When I would focus I truly experienced just how much everything in the universe is moving. I would line it up and before I could get the shot I wanted I needed to move again! That happened throughout this entire morning - but wow! I went home with grass stains on the knees of my pants!! :).
Truly once in a blue moon - I hope that you enjoy!
That’s it!!!