People I met while in Anacortes told me that there would be a full moon so I drove up to the rocky Cap Santé Park promontory that overlooks the marina and the town one evening.
Cap Santé Park is a summit about 220 feet high above that coastal village that is covered by smooth grey sedimentary rock. For all the years I have been journeying to the Shipwreck Festival I will first check into my hotel and then without stopping go directly to that vista. My wife and I used to like to just sit for a while after our drive from home and enjoy the view of the ocean. That still is my first stop and always a place I take Kamloops friends.
On that evening there were couples sitting waiting for the moon rise and as I exited my car, I was surprised to see a photographer already setting up his camera. Seeing another photographer up there is a first. I know they go up there because I have seen photos, but I think local photogs might prefer nights when the town isn’t packed with tourists. On this cool, breezy evening, with the exception of us two photographers, everyone was just quietly sitting.
I set up and waited till most of the orange-coloured moon had risen. I think the orange colour was because of fire smoke from Canada.
I like using a tripod not only because it slows me down and forces me to think about the picture, but because it allows me to use slower shutter speeds. I know increasing the ISO a bit doesn’t bother most modern cameras. Nevertheless, a lower ISO will increase dynamic range. Dynamic range is the difference between the darkest and brightest colour tones that a camera can capture.
Our cameras do just fine at 400 ISO to 1600 plus. Although a camera will get the highest quality images at its base ISO and for that reason, I choose a lower ISO in any situation I can.
On this evening I tried several different exposure combinations. Usually, I prefer 64 ISO but getting home and looking at my images on the computer – the sharper brighter moon looked to much like those composite moons that are copied from different photos. The image I chose was the most realistic and although not quite round it showed lots of surface detail as it began its rise in the sky.
I had moved my ISO to 200 that evening because there was a slight wind and I wanted high enough shutter speed to keep the sailboats that were moored in the foreground sharp.
I know that low light scenic photography can be a challenge, but I like the creative opportunity and the chance to explore new ways of photographing the almost secret unseen world around me.
Stay safe and be creative. These are my thoughts for this week. Contact me at www.enmanscamera.com or emcam@telus.net.
