The full Moon closest to the December solstice rises farther north of due east than at any other time. That the event was one day after Christmas this year especially excited me. Here is what I saw:
Just before Moonrise
The rising Moon, not yet above the mountain, will soon slide laterally at an upward angle from the left. As I wait for the Moon, I ponder that the process that governs the branching of trees also governs the branching of nerves in the brain.
Full Moon in a Cloudbank
After several minutes the Moon arrives as predicted. Here I focus on the trees…
Full Moon through the Trees
…Then I focus on the Moon. I am pleased that Sea of Crises, the dark circle at the top of the Moon, is prominent. It is my favorite feature on the Moon. I always look for it when the phase is favorable. The obscuring clouds and the out-of-focus twigs make the Moon look like a cantaloupe.
Endnote
I rendered these photos in black and white because colors got in the way. During the days of film photography, I stubbornly restricted my fine art photography to black and white. Ansel Adams was my inspiration and his zone system was my religion. My goal was to make 35mm black and white photography have the same zing as Adams’s large format work. After hundreds of hours of experimenting with different films in the field and different developers in the darkroom, I never attained the goal.
I waited until 2006 to purchase a digital camera and then thought of it more in terms of snapshots than serious photography. But now I realize that 20 million plus pixels, even on a “tiny” 35mm sensor, record millions of data bits that far exceed the capacity of silver halide particles on celluloid. Although I now acknowledge the power of digital color photography, these photos have renewed my interest in digital black and white photography.
Thank you for visiting my blog!
Best regards,
Michael DeCaria
Questing for Wonder with Photography
Fascinating to view your three images. The first shot with the anticipation of seeing the moon appear at any moment, the second picture with the clarity of the branches and the third image presenting the features of the moon through branches in soft focus. This is similar to life. Different people experiencing the same scene or event but selecting what to emphasize and what to appreciate.
Love your black and white work!
Hi Susie, As always, I learn from your comments. Until now I had always imagined as I worked that the eventual consumer would be one generic person. You have made me realize that there are a multitude of consumers each with a differing point of view.
Further, I am delighted that you, who have taught me so much about appreciating color, commented favorably on the black and white. I confess that I thought of you as I rendered the pictures in B&W and wondered whether you would be “unimpressed.”
Best regards, Michael
I love seeing bare branches silhouetted against the sky. Although they make me long for spring, they have their own certain beauty.
Hi Alex, Thank you for your lovely comment. Of course when one thinks about it, broadleaf trees have many guises such as flowers, regular foliage, fall foliage, and no foliage. All the phases are beautiful, but maybe you agree with me: The bare branches evoke hope. Best regards, Michael