Day 78: Hunting the Elusive Supermoon

Tonight the moon is the closest it's been to the earth in 18 years. At only 221,565 miles away, it makes for an epic show--provided you can catch it when it's just right. Unfortunately for me, I was ill prepared to catch it when it was just right.

I knew it was supposed to pop up just after sunset. We were at Tres Amigos (un restaurante mexicano muy delicioso) for our friend Kevin's birthday. We met there around 7, and sunset was supposed to occur around 7:30. So I kept (much to Kevin's dismay, I'm sure) crawling out of the booth trying to catch a glimpse of this beast, but each time I went out it was nowhere to be seen. We ended up leaving the restaurant a little after 8, I think. And there, just past the building housing Tres Amigos, was the Supermoon. I grabbed my camera out of my car, but 1) I had my kit lens only, and 2) there was nothing around to frame the shot. When trying to capture photos of the moon, you need a decent zoom as well as something to establish the moon next to. Otherwise it always shows up as the same size circle.

By the time I got home and attached my other lens, the moon was starting to creep higher into the sky (and thus appear smaller and smaller). I was able to snap a few shots (I'll just show them all at once below), but nothing that was as great as I was hoping to get tonight when I found out about the supermoon. I've set my alarm for 6 a.m. I'm hoping to catch it when it's on its way down, but we'll have to see how that works out. And I will actually wake up for this one, at the very least to try. When it comes to photographing the moon, there isn't a single better thing in my opinion. It's hands down my absolute favorite thing to take pictures of. My ex used to make fun of me for it all the time.

Now on to the photos.

Note: I was getting A LOT of lens flare with these shots. I think its the lens. I tried shielding it somewhat with my hat/hands, but it was all for not. I did my best to adjust them in Aperture, but this was the best I could get them to come out.

5 sec. exposure at F/5.6. ISO 200.
Click image for larger version.

15 sec. exposure at F/10. ISO 100.
Click image for larger version.

5 sec. exposure at F/5.6. ISO 100.
Click image for larger version.

That about does it. I'm super sleepy, and if I'm waking up at 6 to try and get some more moon-tacular photos, I need to gets some sleep. Actually, I need to get some sleep anyway, but more so probably because of that. Check ya laturrrr.