Fly to the Moon Photo

Photographer’s Note

Everyone's got a moon shot I suppose. Well here is one of mine.

This was just a lucky grab shot. No time to make an exposure compensation. Just point and shoot. Luckily the moon wasn't over exposed too badly.

The rest of the story:Last summer there was a fire on the mountains above our town. On the way home from somewhere I stopped my car at the park and watched the airplanes and helicopters dropping water on the blaze. Just after the sun went down the moon came up over the mountains. I noticed one of the planes fly right in front of the moon. Wow that looked cool. If only I had my camera with me. Well I had to try. I raced home, grabbed my camera and my telephoto lens and raced back to the park. The sky was darker but I noticed another plane heading straight for the moon. I jumped out of the car pointed my camera and got this shot without a second to spare. Having seen this happen twice now I thought it would probably happen again but it never did. I was pretty darn lucky.

Technical note: Even though I used a 300mm lens I had to crop this photo quite a bit so its not the sharpest but at least you can see each individual propeller blade ;-)

jwmunro, AyseGurel, Dpbours, luisafonso, crckt, AROBN54, ribeiroantonio, InasiaJones, fserajian, tehanu_f, Merline, Jeppo, t2l0c, smash2707, leo61, t0bs, bostankorkulugu, Floydian, robiuk, Mistral, gary91, sagar, pboehringer, jusninasirun, Matthew-Watt, cfreire, giorgimer, Tue, zeynepe, Glint, ku-fotak-chtik, niphredil76, sumitankaushal has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

hoorge (1434) 2008-02-07 18:48

Definitely a keeper, Ryan. What a once in a lifetime kinda shot. Really good timing an a beautiful shot.

crckt (7072) 2008-02-07 19:05

Hi Ryan,
Excellent shot, considering it's a point and shoot. I love your framing too, the blue sky provides such a good contrast.
Well done.
Regards,
Shaeri

Csilla (1782) 2008-02-07 19:16

Hi Ryan!
You were really lucky! Very intereting and unusual shot with good colors and sharpness.
Thanks for sharing!
Regards, Csilla

AROBN54 (10721) 2008-02-07 19:26

Oh, Ryan,
this is such a cool shot. I have tried hundreds of times to get what I am looking for with the moon, but this... Wow! The moon looks HUGE and is so well exposed. I love the blue/white/black contrast and that little plane just sends it over the top. I am so envious...:)) Many thanks and kindest regards,
Shelly

lindamc18 (297) 2008-02-07 20:09

excellent capture.wonderful colors and sharpness!

ribeiroantonio (21839) 2008-02-07 20:20

I really did not need to read your note to notice the propeller blades. The plane was the very first thing that attracted my attention. I am yet to get a big and beautiful moon like yours. And at f2.8 / 1/250 / ISO 200 I do not know if I can ever do it. Congratulations. It is a very good work.
Antonio

InasiaJones (20002) 2008-02-07 20:51

Hi Ryan,

If only our cars would be theft proof, I would keep my camera equipment on the back seat all the time... Your story is great and I can rely so much on what you've written, so many missed opportunity, too far away from home.

Your shot is great Ryan, even more when we read about the conditions under which you had to rush to get it. But even under this pressure, you did a great job in terms of composition with the moon strategically placed, over that piece of mountain.

This is a very graphic image, almost illustrative in it's simplicity, yet, a real stunt to achieve. What are the chance to get such a full moon over a perfect landscape, with a plane standing out in front of it! Wish I have a 300m or a 400m, if it ever happens in my neck of the woods.

Cheers!

André

lucinka (9902) 2008-02-07 21:24

Hello Ryan, nice to see you back after some time. I always wanted to take photo like this but didn't had a chance to do so yet. Lovely inspiration. Lucie

t0bs (147) 2008-02-07 22:13

Well done.

Nicely captured. The moon is a bit overexposed, but I don't think that much. I still can see much information in it. I think night shot is much better for this kind of shot. It gives the picture more drama than if it was taken when the sun still shined.
It reminds me of the popular image of a witch flying over the moon. I think this one was the "modern" witch.
Very well done.

Toby

totoamoto (2260) 2008-02-07 22:27

Salut Ryan
Quelle chance..Super photo..
Tu était là ou il fallait quanf il fallait..
Cyril

fserajian (4453) 2008-02-07 22:27 [Comment]

Show Comment

dkdash (214) 2008-02-07 22:42

Amazing photo. Nicely captured. TFS

bantonbuju (48490) 2008-02-07 23:41

hi ryan,
it's one of those photos that we wait for years to have a chance to take...
perfect timing!
bw, j.

tehanu_f (6874) 2008-02-08 2:28

Heyyy, this is amazing. You are very very lucky indeed. Apparently, it is worth the effort because one can capture such rare sights only once in a while. And you are lucky that you live near. Congrats.
Fusun

smarcell (14257) 2008-02-08 2:37

Finally an interesting moon shot !
Not only for the plane, but also for the black hill, and the 3 colors only of this picture.
Regards Stefano

baba_flies (7951) 2008-02-08 2:49

Hello Ryan! Many hours of my spare time I spend on little airfields, in Switzerland but also abroad sometimes (my husband is a private pilot ...) but I have never managed to find such a moment that probably come only once in a life time and will hardly ever return again :) I have to say that this person up there is pretty brave to say the least, night flights in single engine aircrafts are actually pretty dangerous. If the engine falls out you are pretty lost up there at night not seeing the ground ... but this is just "in-house" blabla and has nothing to do with your brillant catch. Excellent, I love it. Barbara.

Merline (6574) 2008-02-08 2:56

Hi Ryan,
lucky you and lucky us that we can enjoy this amazing view of the moon.! Just so beautiful to look at, I love the compo with that black hill and the blue of the sky; the moon is so huge and the whole set something of a modern fairy tale. You did a great job considering the conditions and many thanks for your dedication, you got the reward, very good story too!

TFS
Best regards
Michèle

aadilj (17950) 2008-02-08 6:20

wonderful and very well timed composition because a few seconds here or there and you could have missed this opportunity! Lovely colours as well

vts_ch (2624) 2008-02-08 7:42

Hi Ryan,

I've see this kind of image many times, but never saw this nice, brilliant shoot, once again

Take care

Vince

Cormac (26449) 2008-02-08 8:15

What luck! The positioning of the plane in front of the moon is just right, and after reading your story, it never happened again. I'm surprised that it even happened twice, since the odds are so low. It's very good that you included that hill too, because I think that adds so much to the image. Well done!

smash2707 (2516) 2008-02-08 13:16

Hi Ryan. Nice composition with good contrast. Great timing! Yvonne

leo61 (43205) 2008-02-08 13:31

Hi Ryan!
Excellent timing and good composition with the totally black silhouette of this hill.You have been realy lucky to catch this plane at this perfect position in front of this nice moon.
Regards,Leo

fallan (1840) 2008-02-08 13:58

Most would have centered the moon. Your sense of proportion led to a nice composition.

sebinho342 (18734) 2008-02-08 15:30

A pure delight this one Ryan, ordinary i'm used to see that kind of shots against low sun, but on moon this is so rare !
You really got something here and for a point and shoot this is excellent, at 300 mm you were not too shaky.
Incredible mood in this one, i just love it

bostankorkulugu (33508) 2008-02-08 23:56

this is not only luck... i would rather call it the passion ryan... the passion you have for good photography... when you are devoted to something this much the luck comes with it... how many of us would do what you did to take this shot?... only the ones who care for the real good stuff...
you are good so this is no surprise... brilliant shot, more like a movie scene... congrats pal...

korkut

Floydian (30970) 2008-02-09 5:59

Hi Ryan,
I missed this one...how dumb can you be :-(
But i found it again...how smart can you be ;-)
Your note is telling a great story of every great photographer, always the gear next to you. This picture is awesome in the way how you present it. Of course without the plane it would be less attractive, but that dark blue sky is also something i like...very good work.
Regards, Henk

jwmunro (6571) 2008-02-09 13:26

Hello Ryan -

Considering what you had to go through to get this shot it is a real knock out. Kind of Steven Spielberg (ET). I like it! Well done!

Thank you for sharing.

John

kmarscher (2881) 2008-02-09 15:54

Sweet!

Congratualtions for making it happen, nice story and results.

luisafonso (858) 2008-02-11 3:17

Very good Ryan! That deep blue backkground is amazing and is very effective providing all the contrast that this picture needs to achieve its goal. Your composition is striking, with that dark elevation and the perfect exposed large moon. The plane is in the right spot. A winner.

Dpbours (218) 2008-02-11 7:00

Hi Ryan,

I'm now really wondering about your iso settings here!!!! iso200?! Hard to believe that! How did you ever get 1/250 of a second at night with such a moon?!

Greetings, Dennis

AyseGurel (542) 2008-02-11 12:41

Hello,
I agree with Korkut's comment..this is the photo of passion!
an excellent one.

ayse

rbcy1974 (20742) 2008-02-13 4:02

Hello Ryan
There is a spielberguesque charm to this photo.
Be it a plane, an alien or anything else, putting any one silhuette against the moon gives it a magical angle,
very well done
Regards
Daniel

robiuk (10763) 2008-02-16 14:07

This is a smashing shot Ryan and I'm really happy you
were so lucky to get the right timing!
You say it's a crop, but the sharpness is sufficient and
I can't really see any flaws in it.
Beautifully composed, too.
Simple, with only three colours - smashing!
Congratulations,
Robi

Isa-M (4026) 2008-02-17 11:03 [Comment]

Show Comment

Mistral (13690) 2008-02-17 13:21

Hi Ryan,
your fast reaction allow us to see this stunning result!
Great work!
A smile
Luca

gary91 (15321) 2008-02-19 11:27

Hello Ryan,
What an impressive shot !
The composition looks at the same time simple but it is so sophisticated. Pressing the shutter just at the very right moment when the plane was aligned with the moon is already a performance. Thinking about the result before it happened is really the thing !
All my congratulations for this outstanding image.
Have a nice evening.
Best regards, Christian

claire526 (1261) 2008-02-22 19:40

Hi Ryan,
Thought it was a witch ;) Very nice shot. Great composition, I like the exact position of the moon and the mountain and the bonus! plane. I like the color contrasts. Minimalism at its best.
Regards,
Claire

[2]

sagar (2307) 2008-02-23 3:51

Hi Ryan,
When I view shots like this , I wonder why cant I take a shot like this. This is amazing!!!
Regards,
Sagarneel.

pboehringer (770) 2008-02-24 7:52

Ryan,
this is real cool shot! Gald that the photography gods were with you at this moment. Lookong into this shot I'm pretty sure that there wasn't any time to think about the right camera and lens adjustments - it was point and shoot and hope that things would turn allright. It didn't turn allright and its truly awesome. I'm amazed that you got such a sharp and clean shot with a 300mm at 1/125s and additionally magnified by cropping. Yes you were extremelly lucky to get that airplane exactly in front of the moon, but you also excelled with perfect execution.
Peter

jusninasirun (10150) 2008-03-01 21:02

Hello Bryan. Browsing through you gallery, I can tell that you are very skillful in capturing images with superb impact and pleasant to view. You have unlocked the key to capturing the moon here and you have done it in a well balanced composition. The foreground foliage make it a good sense of being on the ground and the silhouette of the plane inside the circle is just amazing and very well timed. Good clarity of the moon complemented well with good saturation of the blue sky. Well done and have a nice day. Regards. Jusni

Matthew-Watt (4463) 2008-03-04 23:24

Hello Ryan,

Magnificent photo, the capture is extremely precise for a decisive moment. I think this was a combination of skill and luck! The four main elements of the photo, being the moon, plane, sky and mountain are all complimenting each other well to create atmosphere and spark. I like how it’s all capped off with a gentle white frame which really helps with the contrasts and helps compliment the white of the moon. The details are very sharp especially clever when considering the lengths you went to and the rapid moment of capture. Sensational!

Matt

chpp (3956) 2008-03-06 7:04

Hi Ryan
excellent shot. Great timing, the plane looks just great. the exposure looks really nice, the bright moon and the blue sky. It's true that the moon is not the sharpest but the whole picture is beautiful
cheers
C

PS: very nice gallery

cfreire (11647) 2008-03-07 7:53

Hi Ryan
Splendid, wonderful shot. It's very smart captured with excellent controls of lights and contrasts. I've never been it before in TE. So, Congratulations for this work. Regards, Consuelo

giorgimer (20990) 2008-03-08 0:19

Hi Ryan, GREAT shot!

Not easy to catch the plane and the moon in that way. Excellent result.

Very well done!

Gio

Scharan (13951) 2008-03-27 19:20

Olá Ryan

Uma foto linda e interessante, cheia de arte e bom gosto. Cores maravilhosas.
Parabéns!
Grande abraço,
Vera

Tue (25608) 2008-03-29 14:12

Hi Ryan,
Wow, you were lucky indeed to capture such a great photo. But great timing too to see the plane as a beautiful silhouette right in front of the moon. The dark blue colour of the sky is gorgeous too and good inclusion of the tops of the trees in the bottom part of the shot. Very well done and thanks a lot for sharing!
Regards,
Lars

veronika (6022) 2008-03-31 4:17

Hi Ryan,
perfectly captured this one, what a timing you have :)
I like it, looks simple at the first moment but isn't.
Nice day
Vero

npecanhuk (13595) 2008-04-03 10:16

No, I still want to get a very good shot with the moon...
Will I ever beat yours?
Hard task!
Congratulations!
TFS
Neyvan Peçanhuk - Brazil

IgorDeleze (9247) 2008-04-04 12:37

Hello Ryan,
Great timing !
Very nice shot.
Greetings.
Igor

Glint (3040) 2008-04-21 6:16

Hello Ryan,
you have so many brilliant pictures that they are hard to choose between. Perhaps when I have time I will critique more. I have chosen this one for now as I immediatley thought of the old song with the line
Fly me to the moon, let me play among the stars...
A decisive moment captured for eternity!
regards
Bev

Angshu (33533) 2008-04-24 20:56

Hello Ryan
I don't remember the last time when I had so much of a problem in picking up a picture from a TE member's album to critique, as I had in your case. Each of your posts is quality, class stamped all over. So why did I choose this shot? The timing of capture….there are, as you say, lots of pictures of the moon, but this is so very unique. The small plane is excellently placed against the massive moon (We don't see this size in India) & the dark blue sky is very attractive as well. A shot straight out of fairy tale...possibly a chance of a lifetime shot…awesome!
Regards
Angshu

ku-fotak-chtik (1132) 2008-04-27 3:03

To be in the right place on the right time is the most important thing and you were the man who went for your camera and tried it. Excelent and very special picture of moon and the airplain gives a new dimension of the view! Well done! Regards Jirka

niphredil76 (684) 2008-07-01 14:49

Ciao again Ryan,
lookijng at this shot I can't stop thinking about a wonderful book, 'Vol de Nuit' by Antoine de Saint Exupéry. I cannot imagine a best cover for it than your shot!
You say you didi not have time to think before you shot... what can I say? I'm really green with envy!
Laura