The Moon and I

The past few days I have indulged myself as regards my extreme interest in photography . Besides my church activities, my cooking meals and keeping our home straight, I have done little except playing around with my camera, processing the shots on my computer, posting pictures to Flickr, reading exposure manuals, trying to figure out how to use my non-automatic 500mm lens that I bought at a thrift store for $10.00, participating in internet photography forums, and–most intensely of all–trying to learn how to be effective at taking moon shots.

Highlights of my photography days:

I had eagerly ordered a lens I have been wanting, hastily tore open the package when it arrived, but when I tried to mount it on my camera, I found it to be defective. A great disappointment, but it is boxed up and ready to be shipped back tomorrow.

Updated my photography blog…finally.

Took pictures of our delightful friends Wendell and Pat Myers. Posted them here.

On Thursday night, January 29, that bright wolf moon nudged its round nose over the mountains that ring our town. I was ready–had my tripod set up, camera batteries charged, and a head full of beautiful moon photo-making instructions. Jerry went outside with me for a while, but it was cold and he was bored, so he soon went back inside. I snapped away, but every time I looked in the monitor at what I had just shot, I was disappointed. Near the end of the shoot, I carried my tripod and camera up the little incline that marks the entrance to our park.  There I took my last shot.

When I was back inside, Jerry asked, “Did you get a good shot?”

“No, I don’t think so. It’s hard. I beginning to believe I just can’t take good moon pictures.”

I attached the camera/computer cord, turned on the switch and waited while the pictures loaded. I whooped when I saw the images. Finally! I had taken a decent picture of our beautiful moon.

Isn’t it beautiful. God made that moon. Spoke the word…and it just hangs out there, splendid in the dark night.

Early Friday morning, I peered out the window into the western sky. There it was! I grabbed my gear, and snapped this picture and the ones following.

Within minutes the golden orb had disappeared behind the far mountains.