Rise of The Blue Moon Blue Moon is term for the second full moon in any given month. The phrase ‘once in a blue moon’ is supposed to indicate a rare event – thought the blue moon sighting is actually once or more in around 3 years. And no - the blue moon is no where near blue. Actually it was having a more warm yellowish glow as it was rising behind the Mt Hood. This shot was from Jonsrud view point at Sandy, Oregon during the blue moon of Aug 31,2012. Photographing the moon at times can be quiet intimidating. U might be tempted to treat it as night photography. the moon being a source of light can appear just as a white blob if not exposed properly. If you are planning to shoot just the moon, then a long zoom and couple of tips could get your started. Shooting it along with the landscape required a bit of planning. The moon slated to rise just 30 mins prior sunset, created a very conducive and magical light. The beautiful colors were just as such and created by the alpine glow of the setting sun on the opposite side. This shot required some pre work ; being at the right place and at the right time made all the difference. The Photographer's Ephemeris (TPE) available for both desktop (requires Adobe AIR) and mobile greatly helped in finalizing the shooting spot and the location / time of the moon rise across the horizon. Enjoy the blue moon as it rises :) P.S: This was taken from the same spot from where this sunrise was shot, wow how much of a difference light can make !
Twilight Colors of Sunset It was one of the strongest & vivid sunset that I witnessed recently. Twilight - the time of day between light and darkness, whether that’s just after sunset, or just before sunrise – is one of the best times to enjoy natures splashing of colors. The light from the sky appears diffused and often pinkish. The sun’s rays from below the horizon are scattered by atmosphere and clouds to create the colors of twilight. Of course the location and the season also plays intricately into the effect. I am loving these Oregon summer sunsets, just after the afternoon thunderstorms – the ones that are so rare, the ones that have the potential to burst into a million shades or just blend out flat into the horizon.
