The Moonlight...

I don't know why, but I have this fascination of photographing the Moon, especially a Full Moon.  Every chance I get I try to go outside on my back porch practicing this view or that angle to get the best shot I possibly can.  Living in the country {deep, dark country out my way} allows for a less distracted sky {minus all the city lights} where the moon seems to shine brighter; the stars, too...

Ever since I was a little girl Ive always looked up towards the moon, whether it was in the winter months back in NY cascading its cool blue light over the mounds of glistening fresh white, pristine snow or in the Summers out camping under the stars {which Ive done many a times throughout my childhood} dreaming of the future.  As I got older, tho, I will admit that a new inspiration of the moon formed when my husband--then boyfriend--used to take me on late dinner-dates just so he could take me out to the beaches on the gulf coast in Bradenton to Coquina Beach where we walked along the beach line listening to the waves under the moonlight for hours, again talking about our future together.  Now that is one of the best views of the Moon ever!  Still is...

Haven't been to the beach in a LONG time, especially at night, seeing as we live more inland now.  Im thinking that on the next full moon maybe me & the hubby may take a ride to the beach one night [Date Night] to 're-live' some old-time memories as well as carry my camera along for a beautiful Moonlight shot.   ;-)

Ok, reminiscing over & back to 'today'  --Ive always been an Astronomy 'buff' & when I got my first DSLR I could not WAIT to learn how to 'shoot the moon'.  After a few tries I finally figured out how to capture a good photo without the moon blowing itself out & look as if it was a glowing ball, rather than the textured moon that it is...  Luckily, I had a good instructor when I took my first photography class who, himself, photographed the moon & the stars, but with MUCH better equipment than I had on me for a 1st time DSLR user.  One thing he taught me, and the class, was that a 'good' photographer was capable of taking a great shot no matter what equipment they used.  With that said, I learned to 'use' the lenses that I had & captured some really good photographs, including a few of the Moon!

Today I am slowly increasing my more professional lense 'stash' & will still continue 'shooting the moon'...