AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I had decided yesterday that yes, I would go out in the evening to try to shoot the moon. I've not been very successful before, but I knew what I did wrong before, so this time would be different. Besides, this was the SUPERMOON! I decided where I would go to have interesting foreground. I got all my stuff ready. I was working on a project and sort of lost track of time, so I got a late start. I saw lots of folks already parked and set up as I drove up the road. Then I decided to change where I would go, and the new place was a bit further away. Traffic was bad and I knew I wouldn't make it. So I simply pulled off the road where there was a break in the trees, got out the tripod and camera, attaching my Tamron 28-300 lens and drudged out into the desert. And I waited and waited and waited. I tried a few time exposure shots of the mountains in the dying light. All duds. Then I decided perhaps I should check around for snake holes. I didn't want any wiggly monster coming home while I was concentrating on the moon. I wanted to get it just coming over the mountain top. And I had some cholla for hopefully interesting foreground. Then it came. My camera wouldn't focus on the moon. So I put it on live view. Better, but still no cigar. I missed all the shots I wanted. So I moved over to get the cholla in front of the moon. Again, no cigar. I tried changing settings. Nothing. I tried changing the ISO. No dice. I went totally manual. I changed the focus point. I had to take the camera off the tripod in order to see the screen on top, as in my frustration those settings that are usually so automatic just wouldn't work. Then in the dark I couldn't get the camera back on the tripod! (Note to self: Put a small flashlight in the camera bag!) Finally made it back to the car, drove home and shot a couple off my back porch, ate pizza and saw the really good shots on the TV news. Someday I will get this right! (Note to self: get rid of the Tamron lens!)

OOF Rising Moon

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Uncropped view trying to include some cholla - OOPS

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From my back porch

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CandidCanon Loc: Akron, OH

I feel your pain! I a had wanted to get one of those with the light reflecting off a nearby lake only to be a bright light over the trees. I did manage to get the moon shot out our bedroom window, kinda like a sniper shooting thru the open window. It looks like you finally got a couple good ones though. Congratulations!

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Terrymac Loc: LONDON U.K.

Hi there, what is "cholla". Thanks.

cessnalvr Loc: West virginia

Haha. I dont have a tripod and tried it hand held with a 55-300. What a bust. You did a lot better than me.

John Gerlach Loc: Island Park, Idaho

It is a type of cacti with lots of spines. I have had plenty of them in my body from time to time - especially Teddy Bear Cholla at Joshua Tree.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

If you try for the moon when sunset/moonrise or moonset/sunrise are closer together in time, you will be able to include landscape (and see better) without the extremes of exposure.

For example, on the 14th in Phoenix, the moon set at 6:54 a.m. and sunrise official time was 6:59 a.m. I recently learned that the closer to the equator, the less twilight you have, but perhaps still a chance for photos as sky was lightening?

Yesterday morning, again using Phoenix, you had 'til 8 a.m. before the moon set (note how big the difference each day, with the moon's cycle being very different from the sun's!).

Moonrise: on the 13th the moon actually rose just before sunset, so an evening shot on that day might have been your best bet.

Personally, I lost out on all because of clouds, rain and fog - lol.

Settings: were you changing them because you thought you'd be able to get a better focus or because your images were dark?

Terrymac Loc: LONDON U.K.

Thank you John.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Cholla is a type of cactus. They have lots of thin arms and are sort of "fuzzy." But you sure don't want any of the fuzz to get on you!

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

When I couldn't get the camera back on the tripod, I tried just setting it on the tripod and holding it. Sort of worked.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Yes, I saw the moonrise on Sunday and it was a lot earlier. Unfortunately I was driving, so all I could do was look. I was changing settings to make the shutter speeds shorter. My focus problem is the Tamron lens. It just doesn't. I thought I could bring up the shadows in LR, but no luck.

catalint Loc: oslo

I feel with you AzPicLady

For my self I came to the conclusion that I was not ment to take photos of this event everybody was jumping for.
Oslo has been totally cloudy and foggy, so the two good days were I was supposed to get out I had to skip. On Monday suddenly it cleared up, so I rushed. And maybe too much, cause I forgot my remote trigger and my spare battery. What did I end up with? a bloody close up moon like everybody else cause everything else I had in mind went down the drain.
Did not even bother to post my so called "supermoon".

So better luck for me and you in ...18 years if I still do this .

C.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Sirius_one Loc: S.F. Bay Area

I don't know why you are complaining about your pictures; you see some of mine. Well, it's best not too. They mostly wind up in the trash bin ...

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Thanks for your kind words. I had such high hopes of what I wanted and because of my ineptitude it just didn't.