Late in 2017, I looked at the moon schedule for 2018. It was a wonderful surprise to see there was a Super Moon moonrise on January 1. My daughter, who is now a senior at Yale, would be home, and I knew she would jump at a chance to watch the event. I was apprehensive on the drive to the Patriarch Grove; it is a 2.5 hour drive from Mammoth, I had borrowed an unfamiliar long telephoto lens for the attempt (there were many depth-of-field issues), and I had no scouting done for that lens which would accommodate the rising moon. We arrived with barely any time to spare late in the afternoon. We found a possible location and quickly set up the camera. Despite all the layers Margaret had reminded us to bring, we were cold after only a few minutes at altitude in the Great Basin.
The moon rose a few minutes early - and we were blown away. I had never seen such an amazing sight in my lifetime. The Grove is so high that we were ABOVE the rising moon, far to the east in Nevada, and there was about a minute of incredible purple light as the sun dipped behind us. It was a gorgeous arrival of the New Year! I am left with the memories of that afternoon with Sabrina, and the satisfaction of making a fine photograph.
Now for the other part of my business, does it appeal to a wider audience, and will it be a marketable part of my portfolio? Maybe it doesn't matter? I always tell my students, "if something moves you, if it is a part of the vision you want to show to the world outside", make a capture! The moment is gone an instant later. Remember the book, the "Power of Now" by Eckhart Tolle. Make that capture. I'm getting older these days, I doubt I will ever see another moonrise like this one in the White Mountains.
"Things you learn from going with Dad for pictures: it's usually really cold, but it's also usually really cool."