Super, Blue Moon Rise, San Cristobal, NM 09-06-2023

Geraint September 6, 2023 10 Comments

Greetings from San Cristobal, NM. This week the Super, Blue Moon Rise from the deck at home in San Cristobal. I said I would share the moon rise if the skies were clear. They cooperated fully, with the thin veil of clouds adding an air of mystery.

I’ll begin with the first glow I saw about five minutes before the moon appeared. It gave me time to adjust my settings and anticipate the next few shots.

Super Blue moon rise San Cristobal — Super Blue Moon Rise San Cristobal, NM

Full moon rising over the ridge San Cristobal — The full moon’s appearance over the foothills.

Super Blue moon rising San Cristobal — Moon and trees on the ridge.

Full moon over the ridge San Cristobal — Super, Blue moon rise, in all its glory.

Of course, every moon rise is a sight to see. I am always excited as the moon clears the mountains where we live. Also, there is nothing like having a bright moon that you can drive with your headlights off and see the driveway ahead and the whole valley beyond lit up. The upside is that it’s like daylight in the house, so no nightlights are needed. The downside, sleep may be elusive on such a night.

The next full moon will be the Harvest Moon on September 29. Here’s a Harvest Moon nearly full with a rainbow for added glory. Read more here about the Super Blue Moon.

As always, thanks for looking and for all the comments and compliments. Have a great week. G

Foggy Morning, Moonrise, Rio Grande Cloud, Abiquiu Photo Tour.

Geraint July 28, 2021 6 Comments

From fog in the Arroyo Hondo Valley to a full moon rise over Taos Mountain. From a photo tour/workshop in Abiquiu and the Rio Chama Valley to a large cloud over the Taos Valley, Taos Mountain, and the Rio Grande Gorge.

It’s been all go for the last month with tours. I have a few more tours coming up and then a short break for a couple of days following up on some personal work. I’m grateful for the photography tours and workshops and the wonderful photography clients I get to work with.

In the first two photos, I got up and out early to shoot the moon setting. Well, it set, right into a big bank of fog. So I shot the fog lifting in the Arroyo Hondo Valley just south of where I intended to catch the moon. Fog is a rare occurrence in this area, but we’ve had so much rain recently that it was only a matter of time until it filled the valleys.

Fog in Arroyo Hondo, NM — A foggy morning in Arroyo Hondo, northern NM

Fog in Arroyo Hondo, New Mexico — A tree in the fog in Arroyo Hondo, northern NM

In the following shot, I sat out on the deck waiting for the nearly full moon to appear from behind Taos Mountain. When it did, it had a pinkish hue to it from the fire smoke in the atmosphere. It was still beautiful nonetheless.

Full Moon rise Taos Mountain — Nearly full moonrise over Taos Mountain from the deck in San Cristobal, NM

The cloud below formed very quickly and filled the sky from Taos to the west of the Rio Grande Gorge. I had to shoot three frames and stitch them together to capture the immense size. I liked the corkscrew-looking form. I’d not seen one like it before.

Lastly, a fun panorama shot at the Rio Chama overlook in Abiquiu with William, a client on a cross-country road trip who stopped in Taos and joined me for a three-day photo tour.

Fun on a photo tour/workshop in Abiquiu, Rio Chama, NM

As always, thank you for looking. G

Sangre De Cristo Mountains, Moon Rise, Colorado

Geraint December 29, 2020 No Comments

This evening we went north, in a more timely manner to catch the moon’s majestic rise over the Sangres. It was low light and I forgot my tripod so I held on tight resting on the car window. I need to make a checklist and check it twice, no, three times. Thanks for looking. G

Mountain Moon Rise, Vallecito Peak

Geraint April 7, 2020 6 Comments

Mountain moon rise, Vallecito Peak, and another view from last nights moon when it rose over the snow covered Sangre de Cristos. I’m familiar with this view and if you’ve followed my work you will probably recognize it too. Last night was more subtle than it sometimes is, but while we’re in this lock down situation I’ll take it. I don’t have to go very far for inspiration either, just a couple of miles down the road. Thanks for looking. G

Sunflower Pods, Moon Rise

Geraint April 6, 2020 4 Comments

Sunflower pods, Moon rise, from the meadow. I just got back in and decided this image from earlier this evening, when the moon first rose over the mountains, would make a good post. The colors were pretty cool and the moon was bright when it cleared the hazy clouds. It’s a composite exposure. I shot last years sunflowers in focus in the first image and racked focus to the moon in the second. Same exposure in both images. Combined them in Photoshop®. Thanks for looking and happy moon watching. G

Wolf Moon Rising, Lama, New Mexico

Geraint January 9, 2020 2 Comments

Wolf Moon rising, as the clouds cleared, Lama, New Mexico. I drove north to get away from the mountain clouds. I could see a break in the sky ahead, then there it was. My heart skipped a beat. I pulled over and made a number of images and when the clouds built up again I left. Thanks for looking and for all the compliments and comments. G

Dennis’s Tree, Moon Rise, San Cristobal, NM

Geraint January 8, 2020 No Comments

Dennis’s Tree, moon rise, over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, San Cristobal, NM. My few favorite evenings of the months are around the full moon and the waxing and waning crescent moons. I hope you get out there and check out a moon somewhere near you! Thanks for looking. G

Long Shot, Moon Over The Ridge

Geraint December 11, 2019 No Comments

Long shot, moon over the ridge. Lives intersect! Characters, families, relatives. Time is immaterial. D.H. Lawrence spent a couple of years at the ranch, six miles up the road from here. There’s a poem from D.H. below. Thanks for looking. G

And who has seen the moon, who has not seen
Her rise from out the chamber of the deep,
Flushed and grand and naked, as from the chamber
Of finished bridegroom, seen her rise and throw
Confession of delight upon the wave,
Littering the waves with her own superscription
Of bliss, till all her lambent beauty shakes towards us
Spread out and known at last, and we are sure
That beauty is a thing beyond the grave,

That perfect, bright experience never falls

To nothingness, and time will dim the moon
Sooner than our full consummation here
In this odd life will tarnish or pass away.

D. H. Lawrence – 1885-1930

Taos Mountain Moonrise

Geraint December 10, 2019 2 Comments

Taos Mountain moon rise. Love the moon as it rises behind Taos Mountain on a cold and crisp, clear evening. Take a look outside for the almost full moon and tomorrow’s full moon. Thanks for looking. G

Taos Mountain Moon Rise

Geraint May 17, 2019 1 Comment

Taos Mountain Moonrise. The moon rose well to the south this evening, so we didn’t have to go very far to watch the moon rise over Taos Mountain. A few wispy clouds and the last light on the mountain made for not only a nice photo op, but also a beautiful evening. Thanks for looking. G

Geraint Smith Photography

Tag: Moon Rise