Moonset in the Garden

Well,

After driving up to RMNP *early* Saturday morning to catch the sunrise/moonset and getting completely shutdown by complete cloud cover, sub zero temps and 30-40+ mph winds I was a somewhat discouraged.

So I headed over to the Garden before work on Monday to try and catch what was left of this month's dawn/moonset. Although the moon was a bit high and the skys where not all exciting, at least I was able to see the moon.

http://derek.zenfolio.com/p711049873

Did anyone else getting any mooonsets this month, just curious?

Derek

Derek,
Were you there with your Son? I saw a photog up on the hill north of the VC with a long zoom shooting the moon over the peak. I was in traffic and couldn't stop.

I like the moon over kissing camels, must have been one heck of a long lens to get that much angular size out of the moon.

I was up there on Monday morning at the Mesa Rd overlook.

link1
Canon XT, Canon 17-40L at 34mm/f9/.3/ISO100 Cokin 121P Cropped to 4x5

link2
Canon XT, Tokina 28-70 ProSV at 56mm/f9/.5/ISO100 HoyaCPL, Cokin 121P jpg straight from camera.

And as to your shots Derek, I also like the kising camels series.

Kalin,

Yes, my 5 y/o was begging me to take him out shooting with me. So we were walking around on the hills just above the VC. I still have to do some more exploring up there to find the best locations.

Last month I tried to shoot the moon from the construction zone on the road above the VC. Unfortunately the moon hid behind the clouds. But the clouds made a great sunrise. You may recall these shots:
http://imageevent.com/dereksurfs/winter20062007
I like that perspective for capturing the GoGs grand scene. But it is too far to get closer up moon shots.

I was using my Canon 70-200 4L on my old Canon 10D I love that lens! With the crop factor it works out to be closer to 300mm.

- Derek

Mel,

Great shots! I like the effect of the Cokin GND and the polarizer on the sky.

Are you referring to the construction zone to the south of the VC up on Mesa Rd? Or is there a lookout/pullout as you travel up that road? If so, it was hard to see in the dark.

Thanks,

Derek

Derek, thanks for your comments.

Sorry, I though it was Kalin's shots originally. Derek, my compliments to your shots.

I am referring to the pullout north and uphill from the visitors center. If you are heading south on 30th, you'd turn left on Mesa a little after you pass the navigators compound, but before you reached the visitros center. Then when you going up Mesa, just before the gate to enter kissing camels neighborhood, there is a pullout on the right. It is easy to see.

This location is best to line up the north gateway and pikes peak, where the visitor center lines up Pikes Peak between the South Gateway rock and the Cathedral/White rock.

Mel-

Great shots everyone. Derek, I like your #6 best.

Thanks Momo,

It is interesting to find which shots people like the most. Although I like the light in #6. It has a little too much negative space in the sky for me. So I may try a cropped version (panoramic view).

Mel - I have read somewhat mixed reviews on the Tokina 28-70. But because I really like my Tokina 12-24 I am considering giving it a try. Some complain of softness wide open and difficulty with the manual focus clutch mechanism. I don't think I will use it wide open too often. Are you generally happy with this lens?

- Derek

Yeah, I like the Tokina. I use it wide open quite often. I'd be happy to share more examples. The manual clutch is a pain to slip into, but when you do, this lens feels like a true manual focus lens. Much better than a Canon USM lens. Color and contrast are similar to the Canon 17-40L. I don't think it is as sharp, but it isn't bad either. Certainly better than the consumer lenses I've used in the past and a steal for $250 including a bag and hood.

Since you have a Canon mount, you are welcome to try mine. I live in NW colorado springs and work downtown. Just let me know if you'd like to do so, and I'll work it out with you via email. FYI, the Tokina 28-70 ProSV has been discontinued, so you'll probably have to shop for a used one. B&H have been out of them for months.

Mel-

Darren,

It would be no problem to catch the moon between the camels. You can do it every month, but you just have to choose a different position on the hill behind the visitors center.

The trick is lining up the moon, camels and pikes peak, and I believe April and October are the best times.

Mel-

Derek,
You're welcome to try my Tamron 28-75/2.8 if you want to compare. I can't say how it might compare to the Tokina, I've never seen/used the Tokina. I'm pretty happy with the Tamron and it's price is right too.

Darren, I was able to get the moon between the camels on Monday. But there was a little too much cloud cover right there. So I liked the other shots I took with the moon right above them a little better. I think I will lighten up the first one a bit. But I don't want to blow out the sky or lose moon detail. It will probably take some more PS work. Very little post processing was done to these shots so far.

Thank Mel. The Tokina sounds like a great lens for the price. I was going to email to ask you about it, but your email doesn't seem to be available through the site. I think I would probably buy there current version of this lens. They have several models with almost the same exact specs.

Kalin, it is funny that you mention the Tamron. I was just reading about it today. Although I am partial to Tokina, the Tamron is the other lens I have considered in this range. It seems to get nothing but great reviews once one finds a good copy.

- Derek

Derek, Nice moons.

Derek,

What I meant about the Tokina is that Tokina is no longer making a 28-70 f2.8. The ProSV that I have was the last version. I'm not really sure why they pulled away from this lens. They seem to be focusing almost exclusively making lenses for the APS-C format now. The rumored 16-50 f2.8 and the newish 10-17 fish and 50-135 f2.8 are all APS-C only. There are no full frame lenses on their roadmap now as far as I can tell.

The Tamron is supposed to be nice and light and it seems like alot of people like it for this (I've never handled one myself). The Tokina is an absolute tank. Somehow the sigma 24-70 f2.8 just doens't seem to be very popular even though it is in the same price category.

I also sent you an email.

Mel-

Great shots Derek...especially the camels. I was there Thursday AM and got a few moonset shots.

Pam

Thanks Pam,

I am already starting to think about where I want to shoot the moon from next month. Although René's Moon Over Wooden Shoe Arch demonstrates that a full moon isn't always necessary to add a nice composition element to an image.

Were the clouds cooperating enough on Thursday morning to catch the moon? I remembered some fog but also a few breaks in the cover.

- Derek

Hi Derek,

Yes, the clouds did cooperate that morning. I don't want to hijack your topic here by posting an example. If you care to check, I've added some shots to demo this in my "In the garden" thread

Pam