Sunday, March 20, 2011

With the Moon in Her Hand

"The night walked down the sky with the moon in her hand." Frederic Lawrence Knowles

Last night's full moon was a super perigee moon. It appeared bigger and brighter as it traveled closer to Earth than usual. If you're interested in reading about this event which last happened in 1993, you can find some information here. If you just want to see some photos, read some quotes and a bit of my blather, skip that link and just scroll down.




awaiting the moon6
"I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day." Vincent Van Gogh
Awaiting the full moon, I sat atop a picnic table in the park and snapped a few photos of my surroundings. The view is of my local pond. To the right is the dock, well lit by lamp posts all along the path.




moon trees2
"I like to think that the moon is there even if I am not looking at it." Albert Einstein
When the moon did rise, my view from just about anywhere in the park was obstructed by trees. They made for some interesting images though.




moonbuds
"There is nothing you can see that is not a flower; there is nothing you can think that is not the moon." Matsuo Basho
You can see that the trees are beginning to bud.




moontwigs
"The moon is a friend for the lonesome to talk to." Carl Sandburg
The moon is totally out of focus here, but I thought the budding twigs looked elegant.




moonbranch2
"Moonlight is sculpture." Nathaniel Hawthorne
My son liked this one and said he could see putting it on a metal music album cover.




fullmoon2
"The moon's an arrant thief, and her pale fire she snatches from the sun." William Shakespeare
After making my way around the pond, trying to get a clear shot at the moon, I finally went home and took this one from my upstairs balcony. I would have liked a photo of a night scene, complete with the moon but that just didn't work out...




fake
"May you have warm words on a cold evening, a full moon on a dark night and a smooth road all the way to your door."
Irish Blessings

... except in Photoshop. It's fun to play with the moon in my hand.

84 comments:

Unspoken said...

That last one is a fun image! And I love the second to last. I also see some Halloween possibilities in there.

ADRIAN said...

The night scene of the pond is lovely. The DOF in the first moon shot is perfect for me.
Nothing wrong with dropping moons into night scenes. The only way they ever look good to me unless you catch the moon very low in the sky.

Anonymous said...

Wow - you got some amazingly gorgeous shots! I think I was out too early to see it at its biggest...

Anyes said...

It was such a beautiful moon, and looking at your shots, I am in awe! Stunning, Hilary. Thank you :-)

Dave said...

Very clever moon shot using photoshop Hilary. I specially liked your first image in the dark (not photoshop) - Dave

Glo said...

Sitting on a park bench waiting for the moon who is playing hide and seek in the arms of trees and disguised as budding spring, is a poetic adventure in itself. Your photos are enchanting :)

Zuzana said...

Oh Hilary, you know that I am infinitely and absolutely fascinated by the moon.
GORGEOUS images, wow, so artistic and such poetic words...
Yes I knew all about the special moon last night, unfortunately it is positioned in the wrong direction right now, so I can see it only almost an hour after it has risen. I tried my best but my own shots were bad. Still I saw it last night, covered by mist and fog and I wished my eyes could photograph.;)
Have a lovey Sunday dear friend,
xoxo

Sueann said...

Your pics are fabulous!! I totally forgot about taking some pics of the moon last night!! Darn!!!
Love yours!!
Hugs
SueAnn

sage said...

Lovely photos... I missed the moon's rising, but saw it about 10 PM when it was up in the sky and again a little after 5 AM when it was dropping quick and surrounded by broken clouds and hanging behind the limps of a bare tree... That last one made me want to get a shot, but in the time it took for me to get my camera and tripod and set up, the moon slipped behind clouds and so I'll have to keep it in my memory.

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

I love the night shot of the pond. I knew you were a powerful woman - able to place the moon right where you want it!

Brian Miller said...

that last one looks almost surreal....it was a gorgeous moon! nice snaps hilary!

Unknown said...

Ha!
lovely, Hilary.

Anonymous said...

We had a clear view without any trees, but I've never perfected my moon shooting skills... you did a great job!!

Di

Dianne said...

the tree limbs across the moon are so wonderful!!

Linda at To Behold The Beauty said...

I knew I could count on you for some beautiful shots of the super moon, and you didn't let me down. :) You had such a pretty setting to wait for it, too. Lovely images, my friend.

Tabor said...

I was standing out on the dock in pajamas early this morning taking photos...none as wonderful as yours...but perhaps I will post a few. After all, this will not happen again for 20 years!

CiCi said...

The buds give me hope of warmer weather. I have been so cold this year.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Hilary, We took chairs out on the golf course fairway. It felt so nice just being out there at dusk/dark... However, since there were clouds on the horizon, it took it awhile to come up here. We saw it and got some pictures --but didn't see it at its biggest... I did enjoy being outside though..

Your pictures are fabulous --whether with Photo Shop or without.
Hugs,
Betsy

Ruth Hiebert said...

Thanks for these images.My sky was cloaked in heavy clouds,so no moon for me.I did see it on Friday night and even then it was spectacular.Oh the fun of Photoshop,it is a very good friend of mine.

Out on the prairie said...

I traveled late last night hoping to see this moon and had overcast.

Pat - Arkansas said...

Your Photoshop composition is fantastic. It's hard to think that it's not 'real.'

I saw the super perigee moon shortly after its rise while driving home from dinner. It was still golden and lovely.

Wendy said...

Your shots are perfect! I tried to capture the moon, but only got a small orange ball in the middle of blackness. Did not do it justice. So I deleted them. Never mind, I did get to see this full moon rise. There were no clouds to obscure it.

It was pretty and I stayed outside just enjoying it's fullness and light.

Elizabeth Grimes said...

Wow! I have to admit, I looked at the moon last night and couldn't tell much of a difference. But your pictures are totally amazing. Love the branches in front of the moon. :)

Bossy Betty said...

I was on an airplane last night when the pilot came on the loudspeaker and told us all to look out to the left to see the moon. It was an incredible sight.

You are a woman of power, baby! Loved what you did with this ball of cheese.

ben said...

Wow ..looks great !!!i followed your blog and here is my link http://www.travelnlife.com/

Fragrant Liar said...

Great shots! We didn't get to see the moon in all it's behemoth glory because it was so cloudy. I tried though! But the night before, it seemed HUGE, so how much could it change in one night?

Loved all those moon quotes, btw, esp the one about the moon being there for lonely people to talk to. Nice.

Rosaria Williams said...

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Thank you!

Robin said...

Those ares ome beautiful photos. I actually like the fact that they're not typical pics of the moon perfectly in focus. Love the artistry of it all!

beth said...

i love your photos....and hey, why not have some fun in photoshop !!!

Frank Baron said...

It was a treat to see the moon last night, especially as it first climbed over the horizon. I really like your first shot. Did you hand-hold it, or rest the camera on something?

ds said...

It was an amazing moon last night. Your photos are stunning. I love the branches and buds shadowing her face as well as the "full frontal assault". Thank you.

Bob Bushell said...

Beautiful shots of the moon, the last shot was superb, even though its pulling all the right string, lol.

Unknown said...

I woke my husband up at 2 AM when the huge orange moon came glaring through our bedroom window, like a Nazi interrogation lamp. For some reason, I don't think he appreciated it like I did.

Rebecca said...

gorgeous photos

Tammie Lee said...

that last photo is amazing! It really shows that moon looking large. I could not see it due to clouds, so lovely to see it through you!

Glo said...

PS I know you sat on a picnic table, so don't know why I put a park bench...just thought I'd mention this to correct my previous comment! It was bugging me ;)

Country Girl said...

Well, maybe it's just my computer but I can't see four of the images here. Can open two of them up in Flickr in another tab to view. Odd. They're really cool, though. Like what you did with the last one!

Mage said...

Just "WOW!"

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure why, but 3 of your photos are not showing. I'll try back later. But, that last shot...you tricky girl, you!!

Friko said...

Absolutely fabulous.
You are a very good photographer.

The quotes aren't bad, either. Chapeau!

Sharde said...

sounds like a nice evening. i love good moon and nature shots. my babies love the moon. im jealous girllll.


come and visit me at thestyleprojects.blogspot.com :)

Anvilcloud said...

A creative evening followed by some creative photoshopping and a creative blog.

Dawn said...

:) Like that last very creative photo:)

I so love your work Hilary!
And he's right...a perfect album cover!!!

Hilary said...

• Amy, thanks kindly. Yes, it would have been a good Harvest or Halloween moon too. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Thanks, Adrian. I was hoping to catch that moon low over the horizon. It did look amazing then, but I had too much obstructing my view. I'm glad you like my photos though. And thank you also for that tutorial in response to my blog comment on your post. You're far more ambitious than I am.. but maybe one day, I'll give something like that a shot. :)

• Lady Fi, thank you kindly. The moon appeared large early on. It was later that it became a more normal, albeit brighter moon. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Anyes, thank you very much for such kind words. They're so appreciated. :)

• Thanks, Dave. I was pleased with that first shot too but I had fun playing in Photoshop for that last one as well. :)

• Glo, I like the way you summarized my evening. You made it sound perfect! Thanks for the kind words. :)

• Zuzana, my friend. I'm happy that you like my moon shots. I know that feeling of seeing but being unable to capture the magic. It's frustrating but it still allows for lovely mental snapshots. Thanks for the visit. :)

• SueAnn, thank you. Not to worry. The next one will come along in about twenty years. ;)

• Thank you, Sage. It's a pity you missed photographing it but wonderful that you were able to witness it anyway. It sure was a beauty and I know that my photos don't do it justice. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Bonnie, thank you. Your sweet comment made me smile. :)

• Brian, thanks but it is surreal - compliments of Photoshop. :)

• Thanks, Deb. :)

• Di, thanks very much. :)

• Dianne, thank you. I had little choice but to photograph them. They weren't moving out of the way. ;)

• Linda, thanks very much. You did a wonderful job of your own moon shots. :)

• Tabor, I saw your photos and they were wonderful. I'm so glad you posted them. Thank you for your kind words. :)

• TechnoBabe, they do look hopeful, don't they? It won't be long now. Greenery and warmth are on their way. :)

• Betsy, that sounds like a nice way to watch that moon rising. I know what you mean about missing the actual emergence of the moon - that sort of happened here too. Thank you for the kind comments. :)

• Ruth, too bad there were overcast skies in your area but I'm glad you were able to see the previous night's offering. :)

• Steve, that had to be disappointing. I find it's always overcast here when we have meteorite showers. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Pat, thank you kindly. It was very not real. Not only have I plunked the moon in place, I also reversed the image.. just for fun. You saw the moon at its best. Lovely, wasn't it? :)

• Wendy, it sounds like you got a wonderful view of the moon. There are tricks to capturing it it in a photo and they're posted all over the web. That might help for another night. I'm glad you enjoyed its beauty though. :)

Hilary said...

• Elizabeth, if you couldn't see much of a difference, you weren't out early enough. It was in its first appearance that it looked its best, all huge and orange on the horizon. Later it was pretty much moon business as usual, but a bit brighter. Thanks for the kind words. :)

• Bossy, I live in a busy flight path for Pearson - Toronto's airport and as planes flew overhead last night, I wondered about how the moon might look to those up in the air. Thanks for letting me know how it appeared to you. And thanks for the kind words. I enjoy the power. ;)

• Thanks, Ben. Your following resulted in tipping the scale to 500. :)

• Fragrant Liar, I'm sure it wasn't all that different from the previous night other than the fact that it was a true full moon and a tiny bit closer. Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. :)

• Rosaria, my pleasure. Thank you for stopping by. :)

• Robin, thanks very much. I'm glad you liked my moon shots. :)

• Thanks, Beth. That's what Photoshop is for, isn't it? ;)

• Frank, I missed the very early climb. You know what it's like around here with houses across the pond. That first shot was hand-held, elbows on knees, feet on bench of the picnic table on which I was seated. Glad you like it. :)

• Thanks very much, DS. You have such a poetic way of putting it. Why am I not surprised? :)

• Thanks, Bob. I'm glad you enjoyed the shots.. including my faux scene. ;)

• Susan, you made me laugh with that description of the moon. I can see where you husband might not have appreciated it quite the same way. ;)

• Thank you, Becca. :)

• Tammie Lee, thank you kindly but keep in mind that they last photo was not real, but Photoshopped. I'm glad you enjoyed the post though and I'm sorry you had cloudy skies. :)

• Glo, you're too funny. I hadn't even noticed. It's kind of a half table anyway, with a bench on only one side so it's kind of like a standard park bench. ;)

• Kate, that's strange that some of the photos are not opening for you (and for Jillsy). I hope that remedies soon. Thanks for the kind words. :)

• Thanks for stopping by, Maggie. :)

• Jillsy, I'm not sure what's going on. You and Kate are both having trouble seeing some of the pics. I hope they emerge eventually. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Friko, that you kindly. Merci! ;)

• Welcome, Sharde and thanks for the kind words. I'll be around to your blog before too long. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Thank you, AC. You're too kind. :)

• Thanks so much, Dawn. Your kind words always mean so much to me. I told my son that you agree with him. He said that you have good taste. ;)

Red said...

We had heavy overcast last night so didn't get a peak at the moon. So your photos give me a chance to see the event. I really like your setting up the photos with trees!
So thanks for letting me see the super moon.

Pranavam Ravikumar said...

Even I loved the last one more...!

Bimbimbie said...

I love how tree branches look against the moon, stretching their new buds towards the light - perhaps there is some celestial magic beaming into those buds to see them through spring and summer*!*

Cricket said...

Actually, I find the last shot a bit frightening. I missed the moon at its peak. I tried three times to see but it was obscured by clouds. By the time I could see it, it had risen so much that, though it was a wonderful clear moon, it didn't have that huge effect I was looking for. Oh well.

I think George Harrison's little known but gorgeous song Here Comes The Moon is what's needed here. :-)

Unknown said...

Like Cricket, I was disappointed that our thick clouds totally obscured the moon's rising... but it was beautiful once it got high enough to be seen. Your photos are magnificent Hilary, as always, and don't ever stop your "blathering" girl; sets your photos apart from so many others.

365 Attempts (At Life) said...

Hi there pretty lady! this was my fave post of yours so far! Absolutely stunning. Why is the moon is so addictive to stare at? I tried to photograph the moon that night after a long (grueling) hike up Mont-Royal Mountain here in Montreal. And none turned out. I think my camera got too cold.

Betty Manousos said...

Your moon photos take my breath.
Stunning!

Happy Monday!

Betty Manousos said...

Your moon photos take my breath.
Stunning!

Happy Monday!

Sandra said...

These are spectacular! And the last one is my favorite. You have such an eye for photography. Great job. I'm going to start practicing now for 18 years from now. :)

Marion Williams-Bennett said...

Oh, amazingly beautiful images and perfect blather. My view of the moon was astounding, but I totally missed the craters and shadows you've captured here. Wonderful.

Reb said...

Wonderful shots, I really like the way you ps'd the last one. It was cloudy here and too darned cold to go out so I have no photos of it.

Daryl said...

I am sure if I am alive in 18 yrs I will likely miss it again by being asleep .. again

messymimi said...

The budding branches are proof, the sap is rising, thus the Full Worm Moon (for the worms being active again) or the Full Sap Moon are good names for it this time of year.

Barbara said...

Oh, I love that last one! Fun! But the ones with your trees are lovely, too. I've tried that (lots of trees around here, too!) but haven't had a lot of success yet. I'll keep trying! My moon pics will be up tonight. Not as good as I hoped, but the experience was awesome!

Linda said...

Lovely pictures as usual, Hilary. The full moons always bring out the photographers. No good photo ops here. A thin veil of clouds covered it up. Still pretty though.

Angie Ledbetter said...

I knew that super moon would be putty in your expert hands! Lovely.

Mental P Mama said...

I knew the best show would be in here!

Karen said...

Wow, that last one is cool! I love the view from the trees, too. I have to learn how to do those night scenes! Great!

Hilary said...

• Red, I'm glad you were able to get your glimpse at the moon though only through blog photos. It's a shame that your skies were cloudy though. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Pranavam, thanks very much. :)

• Bimbimbie, we can only hope! I like the way you think. Thanks for the kind words. :)

• Cricket, yes. Its best moments were as it just rose over the horizon but I missed much of that as well. And what I could see was mostly obscured so I did what I could with what I got. George's tune works for me. :)

• Jane, thank you so much for such a kind comment. So sorry that you weren't able to see the moon at her very best but I'm glad to share my photos. Thanks always for stopping by. :)

• 365, thank you so kindly. I'm glad you enjoyed the post. Now you can't fool me about Mt. Royal. It's not TOO grueling a climb.. but it is fun. I haven't been there in years - possibly close to twenty. I'd like to remedy that one day. It would probably be grueling now. ;)

• Betty, thank you so much for the kind words. :)

• Thank you, Sandra. That last one was photoshopped but I'm glad you enjoyed it. Hopefully, there will be other lovely moons before 18 years have passed. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Marion, thank you kindly. It sure was an amazingly beautiful experience, wasn't it? Thanks so much for stopping by. :)

• Reb, too bad the weather didn't cooperate for you but I'm glad you came by and enjoyed my pics. Thank you. :)

• Daryl, maybe I should phone you and wake you up if that's the case. ;)

• Messymimi, good names indeed. I'm ready for warmth. :)

• Thank you, Barbara. I saw your moon pics and they're wonderful. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Linda, thank you. A thin veil of cloud over a full moon can look very lovely. Though it's probably difficult to photograph. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Good to see you, Angie. Thank you for such kind words. :)

• MPM, thank you so much. :)

• Karen, thanks very kindly. Once you get the right camera settings, it's fun to play. Thanks for the visit. :)

ethelmaepotter! said...

I was at work when the moon came over the horizon, so I missed the best of it, but got a few pics later. All of mine have tree branches in the foreground, too, and, as clouds were moving in, the moon is partially obscured and lighting the clouds with that strange, ethereal glow.

I love the pic you got from upstairs. Is that the southern pole at the bottom?

Indrani said...

You got such wonderful captures Hilary. The one you took from your balcony is amazing.

Karen (formerly kcinnova) said...

Wonderful shots! We admired the moon on Saturday evening as we headed out into the countryside.

Kerri Farley said...

That 2nd shot is my absolute favorite! But they are ALL wonderful!
Superb captures!

Leah J. Utas said...

You've got some amazing pics there.

Kat said...

The moon was gorgeous that night and I actually thought of you and wondered if you got any shots of it. Clearly you got some beauties! Wow. And you had me fooled with that last one. That's is awesome! Love the first shot too! :)

lime said...

oh i do love the second image. even though it's an obstructed view it's really beautiful and interesting.

Pinay Travel Junkie said...

Brought a magical feeling to a still night in the Philippines' highlands. Awesome photos!

Jayne said...

Wow - fabulous photos! The last one is a little scary with the moon hanging so low to the earth! I noticed that moon, and thought it was just crazy, beautiful - called my daughter to peek at it through the window, and before she could say "Hello, Moon" it had tucked itself behind a mass of clouds. I'm going to have to show her what you've captured here. Fantastic! :)

MaggieGem said...

Another great series... always a pleasure to join you on your adventures!

Regina said...

Wow how amazing!

Shammickite said...

Hahaha... going LOONEY!

Joanna Jenkins said...

I knew I could count on your for amazing shots of the moon-- which was totally covered in clouds here in my neighborhood and I couldn't see even a speck of it.
Your pics are fantastic!
xo jj

Heather Foust said...

What lovely photos. I saw the moon that night if felt like I could reach out and grab it. It was beautiful. You captured some really nice photos.

Hilary said...

• Thanks, EthelMae. It sure was surreal and beautiful. Too bad you didn't witness the early rise. I truly don't know if that's the southern pole or not. Hopefully someone who knows his or her astronomy (Clowncar, where are you?) can answer that. Thanks for stopping by. :)

• Thank you, Indrani. Much appreciated. :)

• KC, thanks. I'm glad you got to see it. So many seemed to have overcast skies. Thanks for the visit. :)

• Kerri, thank you kindly. :)

• Thank you, Leah. :)

• Kat, thank you so much. I'll bet your boys loved witnessing that moon. So sweet that you thought of me. Thanks so much for the kind words. :)

• Thanks very much, Lime. I'm glad you like it. :)

• Welcome, PTJ and thanks very much for the kind words. :)

• Jayne, you're the second one to call that one scary. That's what I get for fooling around with Photoshop. I'm glad you were able to witness it for yourself but too bad about your daughter missing it. Darn clouds! ;) Thanks for the kind words, but keep in mind that my last shot - the scary one is a fake. :)

• Thank you, MaggieGem. I'm always happy to have you along. :)

• Regina, thanks kindly. :)

• Indeed, Shammie. ;)

• Joanna, thank you so much. What a pity that you weren't able to see the moon firsthand. How disappointing. Thanks for stopping by and for such kind words. :)

• Welcome, Heather. Thanks for such kind words. It really was an incredible sight, wasn't it? Thank you for stopping by. Please return again soon. :)

SandyCarlson said...

Those obstructions sure did work it for the camera. These are wonderful photos.

Cheryl Kohan said...

Awesome shots! It was cloudy, here, so we weren't able to see this spectacular moon. Thanks for sharing your photos!

Hilary said...

• Thanks very much, Sandy. I'm glad you like them. :)

• Thank you, Cheryl. It's too bad you weren't able to see it first hand. But I'm glad you were able to drop by and enjoy it through my post. :)

Dawning Inspiration said...

What beautiful play, too!

Hilary said...

Thanks, SD. :)