Ken Papaleo: X Marks the Shot: Full Moon Rise, Denver, Colorado.

"X Shot" information.

Camera - Canon EOS 5D Mark II

ISO - 1000

Shutter - 1/100 sec.

F/stop - 5.6

Lens - 500 mm

NOTE - tripod and cable release used for this shot.

LOCATION.

1. Photo was shot from Look Out Mountain Road.

2. This road goes from I-70 to Golden.

3. About a half hour drive to the Golden entrance.

CHALLENGE.

I take note of when a full moon will rise at sunset, in the Denver area, trying to get a big full moon over the Denver skyline. My results so fare have been nice, but nothing great. On February 25/2013, I would have another shot.

SOLUTION.

I headed down to look for a shooting location but first stopped at Red Rocks Park, to get photos with some new snow on the ground. The moon rise would be at 87 degrees East, in the Denver area, at sunset. Using a compass, I found a good spot that would line up with the skyline, on Look Out Mountain Road, over looking Golden. The day was pretty clear but there was smog out on the horizon. Would have to wait until sunset to see what happens. I planed on using my 500 mm lens for this shot so I set up my tripod with this big lens. A cable release was also used. While waiting for sunset, nice light fell on the Coors plant and on the Jefferson County Municipal Building, making nice photos. The moon came up right on schedule but I was off on my line-up by a couple of degrees. It came up left of the skyline. The haze in the distance turned the moon a bright orange at first, than it became yellow and finally white, when it got high enough in the sky. Again, the result were the same, some nice images but not the knock out shot I'm looking for. Will have to check on line to see when my next chance will occur. I think I might invest in a good compass and not use the one from the cereal box. The night shot of Colfax Blvd. was my overall favorite image of the night.