Wolf Moon over Downtown Red Wing
Capturing the Wolf Moon: A Yearly Tradition
This is a photo I try to capture every year. It is the largest and brightest full moon of the year and is called the Wolf Moon.
Last year I missed the opportunity, but in 2009, I managed to capture it about 5 minutes after it was at its most dramatic (Full Moon over Barn Bluff).
This year, I suddenly remembered it was Wolf Moon time and jumped in my car, driving all over town to find an interesting perspective. I pretty much ended up where I shot this moon two years ago. You have to be quick because this moon rises very quickly.
Shot in RAW, 47mm, 1/200 second at f/2.8, handheld.
Who photographs the photographer?
A Paradox
In a village, there is a very special barber. He has a sign in his window that says, “I cut the hair of everyone in the village who does not cut his own hair.” The question becomes: who cuts the barber's hair?
For the past several mornings, I have been getting up at 5 am to try and take a specific photo at sunrise, which is around 5:45 am (are you impressed yet?). This time of year, the sun rises directly to the east of The Eisenhower Bridge over the Mississippi River. At sunrise, the barge traffic begins moving for the day, heading northbound for the Twin Cities.
For those keeping score, The Eisenhower Bridge was dedicated in 1960 and is 1,631 feet long (1/3 mile). It is 35 feet wide (two lanes) and is 65 feet over the river.
The shot I wanted didn't happen today because of low clouds on the horizon. The early barge traffic was already on the move when the sun started to peek out, so things did not coordinate this time.
The shot above is the only shot of merit that I took. Pretty, but not what I needed or wanted.
I went home and then got to work the same morning when my friend Tim emailed me the following photos and asked me if I knew who was on the bridge (look closely). The first photo was taken within a minute after mine, judging by how his sun seems ever so slightly higher (factoring in the difference in height) and the wake from the fishing boat. The second photo was a minute later (I keep a corner of my eye on those oncoming tractor-trailer mirrors).
Above two photos courtesy of Tim Alms,
Back to the barber; we don't know who cuts his hair. It is a self-contradiction.
Does the barber cut his own hair? No, because the barber cuts only the hair of those who don't cut their own hair.
Does the barber not cut his own hair? No, because then the barber would have to cut his own hair, as he cuts the hair of those who don't cut their own hair.
Using an even more complex explanation, the barber is trying to be a part of his own set, those who do not cut their own hair. But the set cannot include the barber because he is the set. This is the contradiction.
Red Wing from Barn Bluff
Barn Bluff: A Sentinel Over Downtown Red Wing
Barn Bluff vigilantly watches over Downtown Red Wing from the east, casting its shadow every morning and bidding farewell to the sun every evening. The bluff is a long and narrow rock formation, stretching east to west for about a mile. It's an easy hike along the south side to the lookout over Downtown Red Wing. The top of the bluff rises about 400 feet above the Mississippi River, which lies immediately to the right in the photo.
An unusual thaw this February provided the opportunity to capture this photo. Once the tree buds start popping out, many details become hidden. If you look closely, our shop is the small triangle of lights in the upper left corner.
As with most mid-winter thaws, it toyed with our emotions, giving us a taste of nicer weather only to follow up with a cold front and a fresh dump of snow.
Back to mukluks and stocking caps.
Full moon over Barn Bluff
The Largest and Brightest Full Moon of 2009: The Wolf Moon
Last night (Saturday, January 10, 2009), we witnessed the largest and brightest full moon of the year. This month's full moon is known as the Wolf Moon in Native American folklore. January's full moon is also called the Old Moon and the Snow Moon.
A full moon rises right around sunset, no matter where you are. This occurs because the moon and the sun are on opposite sides of the Earth during a full moon, allowing sunlight to hit the full face of the moon and reflect back to our eyes.
At moonrise, the moon appears even larger than it does later in the night when it's higher in the sky. Scientists can't fully explain this illusion, but some believe it has to do with our perception of things on the horizon versus overhead.
This photo was taken at 5:06 pm with the following settings: f/3.2, 1/320 sec, ISO 1250, -1.67 EV, 70 mm focal length, handheld. I used levels to bring some details back into the image without destroying the polarized sky and applied a very modest amount of unsharp mask.
The vernal equinox (+1 month)
Chasing Light: Capturing the Essence of the Vernal Equinox
This is my favorite time of year. The vernal equinox season (+/- 1 month) provides some of the most exciting light for a photographer. The early evenings, the long light, and the brilliant colors are amazing. The challenge for a photographer is to capture this essence, and almost all efforts fall flat. There is no substitute for the real deal.
The photos above were taken from the 'baldy' of Maiden Rock. This is the exposed rock at the bluff top that is very obvious when looking up from the ground. The leaf colors were at full peak, and my intention was to collect some seasonal stock photos. I went just before sunset (6:24pm on 10-16-2008) and started shooting. I wasn't really capturing anything inspired (above left) and soon lost all my light (note to self: bring a flashlight next time).
Then it dawned on me to try some long-exposure shots. The shot on the right was taken at 6:54pm, and in about 5 minutes it was too dark to focus. It took about 20 shots before I captured the effect I wanted. This shot was captured at 100 ISO, a 30-second exposure at f/7.1, and a -1 EV exposure. The light blur in the lake is The Port of Lake City paddlewheel boat on its way home.
I think I actually missed one of the best photo opportunities. As soon as I completely lost my light, I headed back to my truck about 1.5 miles away. It was pitch black, and I was using the silhouette of a tree as a homing beacon. When I finally got back to my truck, I noticed a full moon had risen, presenting an entirely different light, mood, and shadow. I didn't feel like falling off a cliff, so I summed it up to a learned lesson.