By now you've pretty much figured out I'm photographically obsessed with a lot of things. Tonight I'm feeling incredibly uninspired so I'm going to share one of my favourite obsessions: the moon.
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| Moon over Pottsville, 2nd July 2012 |
I love the moon because to me seeing it is a constant. I can go anywhere in the world and be as far from home as it is possible to be, and I'm seeing the same moon as my family and friends back in Australia. I can be back at home and I'm seeing the same moon as my brother in San Diego. Ok not both at the same time but you get it. This sounds dumb but it works, and it helps me to feel connected despite the distance.
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| Full moon over Poway, San Diego 2nd August 2013 |
Sometimes I just go out in my front yard and shoot the moon, for no reason, because I can. I like to make up excuses like I'm testing a new lens but usually it's just because I can, or because it's there. I'm certain my neighbours think I'm nuts. That may have more to do with the fact that usually I'm wearing my pyjamas or even just my underwear while I'm shooting. Hey, it's dark.
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| Moon over the Gold Coast 23rd June 2013 |
Sometimes when I shoot the moon it's a military style operation with a similar level of planning. My husband and I and a couple of friends trekked south to my hometown for the Supermoon of 2012, intending to make our shoot-fest into a long weekend festival. On the night of the full moon we walked down to the southern surf beach and drank ginger beer and ate chips and dip to celebrate. The moon did not disappoint, rising in a stunning almost anti-climax through clouds on the horizon to the oohs and ahhs of a small crowd gathered with us on the beach. True moonrise at 5.08 could not be seen due to the low lying cloud on the horizon and the moon first made an appearance at 5.10.
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| Supermoon 6th May 2012
The perigee-syzygy moon occurs when a full moon, sun and earth line up at the perigee of the moon’s orbit, or the point at which it is closest to the earth. The ‘supermoon’ as it is known occurs roughly once a year when everything lines up and the moon swings much closer at the point of perigee than usual. The moon can appear up to 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than normal. Supermoon 2013 did not excite us quite so much as 2012, so I just stood in the yard for that one and hoped for the best. Some funky clouds helped out.
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| Supermoon 2nd August 2013 |
My favourite moon story happened during the wedding party of some dear friends. They had married in Britain the year before and came to Australia for a 2nd wedding celebration the following April. What none of us knew was that they had planned their day right on the full moon. We had time for only seventeen minutes of photos on the beach before their guests arrived. Right as we were getting ready to head back in to the party the moon rose in an incredible display of colour and light over the water, making an already unforgettable day for my friends a once in a lifetime experience.
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| Full moon 7th April 2012 from Currumbin, Qld |
