July Full Moon

Click on a photo to enlarge it.I started this moon project (photograph the full moon every month for a year) in September 2009. I plan my calendar around it to make sure nothing interferes with the night of the full moon and the two nights preceding it. I usually get the best light on the night before the 100% full moon, but July was different. The moon rose 45 minutes before sunset, so it was pale against a still very bright sky. For this second shot, I used a wider lens to include water from the reservoir.

On the night of the true full moon, I hiked part way up El Toro so I could include an expanse of the valley in the shot. I had been thinking about this shot for several months, and since the scheduled moon rise was 10 minutes before sunset, I knew there would still be some blue in the sky when the moon cleared the hills. I lugged my camera, tripod, and two lenses up the hill, and then waited patiently. Be sure to click on the photo to see the enlarged view.

Before leaving, I switched to a wider lens, took 3 photos, and then stitched them together in Photoshop to create this panorama. You have to click on it to get the full effect.

I am pretty pleased with my efforts this month.
After 10 months of moon shots,
my lunacy quest continues.