This is from the other day when we had a full moon that set within minutes of the sunrise. For me, a full moon rising or setting is just as captivating as a sunset. But of course sunsets are easier since they happen every day. For a full moon you have to look up and remember the date, know the time when it rises and then hope there are no clouds. All these conditions combine to ensure I almost never capture it, ...save for the other day. The weatherman on TV mentioned it would be good viewing which prompted me to get off the couch and get outside. In order to make the moon look large I used a telephoto lens. I'm standing by a bridge pointing west as the moon was just about to set. Below it is three other bridges; the first is a train bridge, the second is a car bridge, and the third is the original bridge built over hundred years ago thats now a fishing pier. The telephoto lens makes them appear stacked and close together yet there is a good deal of distance between the first two bridges. Now that I managed to get a full moon I think I want to do it again. I just looked it up and the next full moon is on September 16th 2016. The moon will rise just after sunset (where I live in central Florida). In that case I'll be pointing east so I have plenty of time to think about a composition. Hopefully the weather will be good. Now the wait begins.
It seems almost anywhere I go along the water there are herons close by. They are attracted to fishermen as they wait for any scraps or bait. With this heron patiently waiting I setup and shot the image using a low angle. Even though I was holding a camera between him and the fishermen he stood his ground watching me with one eye and the fishermen with the other. Herons are patient, single minded and determined. I sat here for about thirty minutes and he was still there when I left. They are territorial so I suspect this was his pier and he wasn't about to give it up to some guy with a camera or the fishermen. He was watching the waters right below the pier. It's the perfect vantage to spot fish and then swoop down for the catch. Herons add atmosphere to an image, I think it's something to do with how they carry themselves, its hard to put my finger on it. In any case, they never seem to mind having their picture taken, so for the time being I will continue to include them whenever I can.
The other night I showed up at the beach at dusk. Sometimes when I'm taking photos things just happen and its good to be ready. In this case a woman was posing for photos on an adjacent pier about a hundred meters away. Her friend was taking pictures of her with his phone. It was getting dark so I set my ISO way up and took this shot. The waters edge is a like a boundary into another world. For me, looking out over the water is like looking into the unknown. Standing at the edge of what we know and gazing beyond is an idea I sometimes think about. If I'm honest I can find the unknown in my everyday life. Often I'm presented with challenges to overcome. When that happens its like looking into a gulf of uncertainty. I may know how to navigate but I've never been THERE before; there are risks. So the unknown is part of life, if not why be born in the first place. When we choose to go beyond what we know we are crossing out beyond the shoreline. So for me this image is a metaphor for gazing into the unknown of my own life. I suppose that's why I get a little apprehensive when I look at it.
