Sometimes while driving about Siouxland, one gets lucky and sees an image right before one’s eyes and you do the best to take advantage of it. While returning from a photo shoot earlier in the evening, which was held indoors, I didn’t realize there was a full moon that evening. And my surprise as I was driving home to see this huge, round ball above the distant landscape. I needed to get home to begin processing and doing post production on the work I had already photographed, but then realized stopping to photograph this scene wouldn’t significantly add more time.
Many photographers plan their ventures out for certain events like a full moon. Deciding ahead of time where they should be to also incorporate some sort of foreground into the image for perspective and interest. Me, I do whatever I can to make an image interesting, most times coming upon something like a full moon by happenstance, not really planning ahead or even realizing that there is lunar activity in play. After seeing the moonrise and then thinking about stopping, the next thing that happens is a song that always pops into my head for me to hum as I contemplate the moon. Or maybe, for a certain generation, thinking about Ralph Kramden’s comment to his wife, Alice, when he feels displeasure about something, but ultimately knows she is right. And lastly, I tried a little experimentation with white balance adjustments, but ultimately went with what I started as it looked most real and natural. And just glad I didn’t hear the CCR song playing and the rest of my trip home was uneventful.
Jerry Mennenga
Sioux City, Iowa
