• Sony a6000
• Sony – 210mm
• ISO – 100
• Exposure – 1/20s
• Aperture – f/14

April 26th, 2021 I got the opportunity to shoot the first super-moon of the year. As the moon rotates around Earth in it’s elliptical orbit, there is a point in which both celestial bodies are at their closest. This phenomenon is categorized as a super-moon and allows the best opportunity to capture Luna in her full beauty.

Who cannot admire a full moon? The moon is awe inspiring, epic, beautiful, mysterious, vast, provoking, charming, graceful, radiant, and balanced. I’ve always considered the moon to be a powerful thing. The moon’s gravity affects tides here on Earth by pulling water to the side that is closest to it. Ask any police officer or EMT about nights of full moons and they will tell you wild stories. The moon’s cycles affect plant growth and coral reproduction, while also determining when sea turtles will lay their eggs. It would be naive to believe that the moon does not have an effect on us humans. Throughout history, literature has been inspired countless times by Luna and cultures all over the world subscribe a sense of meaning or symbolism to her. The mysteries that surround the moon and it’s legends intrigue me, and whenever it’s out, my heart beats just a little faster.

• Sony a6000
• Sony – 16mm f/2.8 E-Mount Wide-Angle Lens
• ISO – 800
• Exposure – 0.8s
• Aperture – f/6.3

I took this picture on the night of December 20th, 2020. A remarkable end to a year that will never be forgotten. Off the coast of San Diego, CA the Sun set as I waited for the two planets to become visible. It was one of the clearest evenings in California that I have ever experienced and the conditions were just right for this spectacular peculiarity. In the end, I couldn’t have asked for a better result after taking my photograph. The colors emanating from Earth’s atmosphere as our star drops below the horizon is depicted brilliantly and is an accurate representation of what was seen from the coast of the Golden State.

Once every 20 years, Jupiter and Saturn meet in our sky to perform a great dance over the planet. Legend says that this conjunction signifies a change taking place within humanity. Whether you believe in legends or not, it is evident in today’s world that great change is happening. In the year of Covid-19, the two largest planets in our solar system meet for a short period of time and then go their separate ways. If I was to subscribe some sort of symbolism to this event, I would say what it represents is fellowship and companionship. We go about our lives floating through space just as the two planetary giants do, but once in while we meet with one another and share our life experiences. With this event taking place during the holiday season, it’s a reminder of the real reason we celebrate. To be with friends, family, and cohorts, to share our lives, to love one another, and display to the heavens what it means to be alive.