Orion, a place that draws a newcomer as a moth is drawn to flame and light.

I have long followed the complexity and challenge presented by this forum in particular and have at long last realized that technology has been changing and what was once very difficult (likely impossible for me) has become at least approachable. So I decided to learn and expand my frontiers by seeing what I could see.

Recipe:
Thirty exposures at 180 seconds each, 20 @ 90s, 10 @ 15s.
Old Canon 400mm lens plus 1.4 extender
ZWO AM5 mount
ASI2600MC-Duo camera
ASIAir computer to control the mount and camera
pixInsight software to stack and edit and then input into PS for more play
and half a moon under dark Maine skies

Since moving to Idaho Falls I have wanted to photograph this temple from the front. I have posted a few photos across the Snake River toward the back but not any from the front I can recall. While driving past a couple of days ago I noticed the lighting was perfect for a high key photograph, I think that is what it is called, where the color of the sky closely matched the color of the temple. I went home to get my Sony RX10IV and tripod and came back. I only live about six blocks from the temple so it isn't as if photo opportunities do not present themselves often.

While taking photos of the temple I noticed a man and his wife walking toward one of the entrances. I greeted them and asked if they would please be in one of my photos for the human interest part. They said they would love to do that. Yes I have sent them photos for their kindness.

I hope you enjoy these photos. Comments for and against are welcome.

Dennis

Because there will soon be a solar eclipse with a path of totality that will be very close to us, my wife and I both would like to see it. In preparation for the event I made purchase of special eclipse filter glasses for us and special filters for my cameras. Today to experiment and practice geting an exposure of the sun, I placed a filter on one camera and took the attached photo of the bright sun.

The photo is not perfect, far from it, but I wanted to get an idea of starting exposure settings. I think I am close but will need a bit more practice and experimenting. The attached image is SOOC except cropped closely and saved as a jpeg for posting here. It was not easy aiming and centering, That will improve as I practice, I hope.