Moonrise at Olmsted Point, Yosemite: 17th September 2016

[Donald]

On the evening of 17th September I went up to Olmsted Point in Yosemite. The intention had been to look for a shot of Half Dome illuminated by the moon (the previous evening had been the full moon) and with an element of star trails behind it.

This was one of those occasions when you are grateful that you know your camera so well that you can operate it without having to look at buttons and dials. It is also a time when you are grateful for the 8688 x 5792 pixel file that the Canon 5DS delivers, knowing that you're going to have to make a big crop (see more below)

I got up there nice and early and sat around for a couple of hours. Just watching the light fade. I knew pretty closely where the moon was going to come up, but with all these hills around you you can never be 100% sure. Without any internet access, I couldn't access TPE (The Photographer's Ephemeris) to pinpoint it exactly.

I had never planned for a moonrise shot. But as it emerged I suddenly realised that it would have the trees on the skyline in front of it. I had the 70-200 f4 L IS mounted on the 5DS. I knew I only had the 24-70 on the 7DMkII that was in the bag. The 100-400 f4.5-5.6 L IS MkII was in the bag but I felt I did not have the time to put it on. So, I had to go with what I had. I had the kit on the tripod and was shooting with mirror lock-up activated, firing the shutter via a cable release. I know that there could be absolutely no movement at all, because I was going to have to crop this severely.

As I set up and began shooting, all I was saying to myself was 'Expose for the moon', 'Expose for the moon'. This is where having the experience to know what settings will work and being able to dial them in without taking your eye off the composition in the viewfinder, pays dividends. This one is 1/125th @ f8. ISO100.

I said that the 5DS delivers a file of 8688 x 5792 pixels. I shot at 200mm, so the moon filled only a small proportion of the frame. The crop down to the pic that you see took it to just under 1000 pixels on each side. I was happy with what that gave me. In saving the processed RAW file to TIFF, I resampled and brought the size up to 4096 pixels on each edge, for the purposes of later printing. I like how DxO resamples and, for me, there is no discernible loss of quality.

So, I hope you like the pic. But I hope my explanation and description of the capture and the processing will be of use to some people.

I might crop it tighter in a final version.

As always, any thoughts or comments you wish to share in a critique will be welcomed.

[madcrow]

What a beautiful image, a very well done.

[tbob]

Well planned and executed. Having the tree not in full silhouette is brilliant, takes the image from good to sublime.

The only quibble. Next time get the moon to rotate a bit more so the mari are in a more photogenic diagonal leading back to the tree. I am not sure who you talk to about this

[Donald]

The only quibble. Next time get the moon to rotate a bit more so the mari are in a more photogenic diagonal leading back to the tree. I am not sure who you talk to about this

Happy to consult on this, if someone can give me an e-mail address or link to a Facebook page.

[Donald]

Well planned and executed. Having the tree not in full silhouette is brilliant, takes the image from good to sublime.

Do you mean in terms of it 'overhanging' the edge of the moon? If so, thank you. Yes, that was deliberate. I have a version with the full tree in silhouette and, I agree, it is not nearly such a strong image.

[bnnrcn]

Very creative composition Donald, I like it a lot

[ccphoto]

While I appreciate the effort and difficulty of this shot, I find that neither object is in perfect focus. One or the other would have likely made the shot work for me, but as they are, it's just a great effort and hopefully a good learning experience.

[Donald]

While I appreciate the effort and difficulty of this shot, I find that neither object is in perfect focus.

Do others agree? Do I need an eye test?

[bje07]

Do others agree? Do I need an eye test?

No the moon is correct, I just though you had a big dust on your sensor

[tbob]

Happy to consult on this, if someone can give me an e-mail address or link to a Facebook page.

Try this guy, seems to feel he is the most important person in the universe. http://www.kanyewest.com/

[Donald]

Try this guy, seems to feel he is the most important person in the universe. http://www.kanyewest.com/

Yes, well.

[AlwaysOnAuto]

There is nothing about this shot that says Yosemite to me, Donald. It could have been shot anywhere for all we know. I have seen sharper images of the moon, too, and using Canon lenses if that matters.
When I look this image I keep wanting to see more definition in the tree as I get the sense that there are branches nearer to us but they aren't discernible. I think my biggest problem with it is that the middle of the tree isn't well defined. The light areas coming thru in the center look fuzzy.
Hope this helps.

[AlwaysOnAuto]

Maybe the answer could have been a composite of two shots. One of the tree outline in focus and the other of the moon in focus. As it is the unsharp focus of the tree outline messes it up.

[Donald]

Maybe the answer could have been a composite of two shots. One of the tree outline in focus and the other of the moon in focus. As it is the unsharp focus of the tree outline messes it up.

I'm interested in how you would have planned to get that, given the speed at which the moon is moving as it rises.

[AlwaysOnAuto]

Well, I guess I would have shot the silhouette shot first with the tree sharp, then taken another shot of the moon once it cleared the tree. Put the two together in post (IF I had the talent and software to do that).

[NorthernFocus]

Hi, Donald. I can imagine what you must have been feeling there in the evening air. Sitting in a spot that you'd waited so long to visit, being lucky enough to have favorable conditions, and seeing it all coming together in front of you. Nicely conceived and composed without much time to do so.

[Donald]

Hi, Donald. I can imagine what you must have been feeling there in the evening air. Sitting in a spot that you'd waited so long to visit, being lucky enough to have favorable conditions, and seeing it all coming together in front of you.

And only me and a Coyote in the car park. I was wearing a headlamp, and switched it on when I heard movement behind me. There was a little coyote moving about in the car park just looking to see what it could find.

[ST1]

I looked at this yesterday but didn't comment, having looked again my first thoughts still hold true, well to me anyway.
Firstly the image reminds me of a set of four prints that depicted the four seasons. They were printed/fixed to thick block board with the actual season image presented in the centre of the board in a circle which was surrounded by a matt black outer.
However your image Donald whilst it reminded me of the aforementioned wall art has much more going for it. Fist the main focal points (moon and tree) are off centre which for me adds tension to the image. I know you mentioned considering other crops if it was me I would probably have cropped square and positioned the moon centre ground. But that would have lost the tension.
Your title whilst accurate as it shows a rising moon it leaves me wanting to see more of the terrain, I hope you're not going to disappoint me Donald?



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[mugge]

Love it. The moon is in focus - not so sure about the tree.
Cheers Ole

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Donald,

Having shot the moon with a foreground subject, I know there's no way both will be 'in focus' within a single exposure.

I also know there's no way you'll see (let alone photograph) detail in the tree at the same time.

Sure, two shots could be combined in PP, to fix one or both issues, but that kinda misses the point (IMO), it wouldn't be reality.

Given the focal lengths at your disposal and the short time available (it does move fast), the shot is adequately sharp on the moon and tree and (honestly) it gave me goose bumps when I first viewed it. Admittedly I already had the context of knowing where it was shot and the emotional involvement of knowing what the trip meant to you. It qualifies as one of your 'wows' for me. This was all before I read the text.

The only thing I would consider (if mine), is re-cropping to have more negative space on the RHS than the LHS (or have moon centred). Currently you seem to have the tree trunk spike centred, which gives more space on the LHS of moon and for me, this unbalances the composition due to the shape of the foliage.

Oh and it is probably better than if it had been a full moon, as that would have lacked the crater detail on the edge of shadow area (there's a word for that which currently escapes me).

HTH, Dave

PS

I was wearing a headlamp, and switched it on when I heard movement behind me.

Bit late now, but I gather if headlamps/torches are used occasionally in the dark, red light disturbs your night vision less than white light (although at a distance, the effect will be less), but this isn't something I have tried myself.