Another late afternoon shot I consider a failure

[HAB911]

I can imagine this with the moon as sharp as the vulture photo and will keep trying to achieve that.

This failed because somehow my shutter speed was 1/100 sec, waaaaaaaaay too slow for this shot which introduced fatal motion blur. I was able to save the heat signature behind the plane. Neither the plane nor the moon are of acceptable quality and I will not add this to my website.

This plane is at 5000' and 5 nautical miles, on approach to TIA. What I am really after is one at 35,000' with a nice contrail crossing the moon, similar to the 747 I posted a couple of week ago. This has been elusive!

[Walleye]

1. I really like it even though you may think it's a failure. We are all too hard on ourselves

[HAB911]

4. thanks, we must be our worst critic to advance!

[Walleye]

7. Sad but true

[KarenS]

2. wonderful photo!! n/t

[HAB911]

6. thank you!

[localroger]

3. I agree, not perfect but a good start

Usually when you see these plane-against-the-Moon shots the plane is silhouetted but you got it brightly lit with the markings clearly visible. The motion blur is a problem, as (to me) is the fact that the Moon is noticeably not quite full. I think it would almost be better if the Moon was at quarter phase, making a semicircle. This would also give the markings on the Moon better relief because they would be lit at an angle. But that said, even getting this shot was a big technical challenge. You've got the equipment and skill and with perseverence you'll get something great.

[HAB911]

5. So many variables it's impossible to predict

what opportunities will arise.

I have been concentrating on late afternoon, while the moon is up and the sun in the west to illuminate the plane or birds to my east. Tomorrow morning or the day after the moon will be up with the sun in the east and planes in the west, reversed to how these were taken.

[localroger]

15. Nice round full moons restrict you to dusk or dawn

Since the Moon is full because it's opposite the Sun, it's setting as the Sun rises and vice-versa. This is also probably why so many of those pics are silhouettes, because light here on the surface of the Earth is either just getting going or failing. Going for a more deliberately not-full Moon would give you more opportunities in the morning and afternoon, because the Sun and Moon are at a 90 degree angle then. Of course you're at the mercy of approach and departure paths for the final alignment, but that's where the perseverence comes in.

[localroger]

16. Another idea

...also to give better daylight hour possibilities, would be to try to catch the plane "piercing" a not too thin crescent Moon. This would be done about the same time of day as this shot, except on the other side of the month where the part of the Moon illuminated in this shot is dark and the part that is dark here lit. With the plane lit up that would be a dramatic composition you don't see much.

[Grumpy Old Guy]

9. I agree about the detail in the jet.

That was the first thing I noticed. These shots are almost always silhouettes.

[Grumpy Old Guy]

8. I wish I had a failure like that!

There are a few spots in L.A. where many photographers have gotten a similar shot, capturing the planes approaching LAX against the full moon. There is a group of people who call themselves the "Lunartics," who often head out every month for the full moon. I haven't gotten the shot myself, but several of my friends have it.

I think this shot of yours is amazing. Congratulations. Perhaps, if you're not happy with it, you could try working some "Topaz Magic" on it.

[HAB911]

10. "Lunartics"

I resemble that!

This is AFTER much Topaz magic, the original is embarrassing.

[Grumpy Old Guy]

11. What time of day did you take the photo?

[HAB911]

12. This was about 6:30pm

I use this site for moonrise/moonset

https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/usa/tampa

The moon becomes visible for me over trees about 1 hour after moonrise. The sun must still be up in order to illuminate the plane or bird.

This plane was to my east, circling around over the bay to land at TIA from the south. In the next couple of days, the the moon will still be up in the west as the sun comes up in the east, and I should get some opportunities to catch arriving or departing flights to my west around 6:00am and later.

[Grumpy Old Guy]

14. That's a great website.

I use TPE, The Photographer's Ephemeris, to get my sunrise, sunset and angles. A lot of my friends use Planit! Pro. I have it, but the learning curve has so far been too much for me. LOL!

[George McGovern]

13. Pretty dang good failure HAB911 -- or should I say Lunartic!

[ManiacJoe]

17. A great start!

The good part now is that you know what you need to do to get the desired shot.