I had an opportunity to join a group of fellow amateur photographers on a jaunt up into the beautiful Sierra Nevada Mountains to photograph the full moon rising over gorgeous Caples Lake.
It was a beautiful drive with lots of wildflower varieties still growing in profusion alongside the highway and bunnies sitting on the side of the road in the late afternoon sunshine. I took it easy (because bunnies!) and arrived a bit after my cohorts.
Me being me (loner), I didn't immediately join the group because of course I had to convince myself to be social. While I was having a difficult conversation with myself, I drove up the road a bit to see the lake for myself.
There was a lot of snow still on the top of the mountains; the lake itself is at 7,800 feet elevation, so you can imagine how high those mountain tops are!
Looking back West, the sun was just beginning to set and the smoke from a thousand fires (seems like it anyway) cast a beautiful orange glow to the water and the sky.
I stopped at the little dam to take a shot of our group on the granite outcropping.
Wide view! Photogs on the left and the moon was due to rise right between Black Butte (really Brown Butte but I didn't name it) on the extreme right of the photo and Elephant's Back which is the humpbacked hill to the left of the butte.
There was a lot of smoke so we were all a little worried that the moon might not be able to shine through. But smoke really does make for a beautiful sunset! This is a beautiful "bonzai" tree - better known as a scrub pine - that was growing on the granite where we were standing. In the background is the small dam.
Turning back to the lake, the water and Black Butte were looking redder as the sun set.
Highway 88 is to the right side of the photo. (And my car was also to the right side as I parked on the shoulder of Highway 88, but I photoshopped my car out! haha)
Sorry! Just couldn't stop taking photos of the sunset!!! But! The main event was about to happen! I swung around and got my tripod set up as the bright rim of the moon was seen peaking over the mountainside. It seemed like it was moving at high speed!
As Luna rose into the sky, it's orange sheen was reflected on the beautiful water. Because it was still a little bit light out, I was able to capture the detail in both the moon and the mountainside, which I love.
After a little bit, I moved to a slightly different area which was just above water level and had some cool rocks and trees that I could use to frame my shots.
By this time, the moon was high and bright enough that in order to get the landscape, the shutter was open too far to capture the detail in the moon.
So I faked it. haha But I wanted a moon shot with the landscape without the orange, but in order for that to be (without photoshopping the orange out), I had to wait for the moon to rise. So this next photo is an awesome composite like most people try to pass off as being a supermoon photo!
And then I took a couple more shots of the faded-to-purple sunset over the dam. I like to call this one "Blue Lagoon".
And one more composite, although I had trouble with this one. :-( Why can't I replicate something I just did a few days ago!!!! Waaahhhh!
Sorry.
And the last photo I took of the evening before one of the gentleman made sure I got back to my car okay and was not eaten by a bear or mountain lion...
Look! A star in the upper right corner!
Star Light
Star Bright...
Look! A star in the upper right corner!
Star Light
Star Bright...
Such a beautiful and relaxing night with God's glorious creation and some (mostly) nice humans (nice to know chivalry is not completely dead)!
See? I can socialize a little bit.
Sometimes.
xoxo
