Redrock by Moonlight

[drdan]

This is a picture of the Garden of the Gods and Pikes Peak taken at night during the last full moon. This was about a 2 second exposure. I brightened it slightly but had to reduce color saturation as it was oversaturated as it came from the camera. You can see the movement of a plane or satelite in the sky on the right.

 

[alexanderhip]

cool shot, was that taken in Colorado? early morning? (the stars)

 

[vonnagy]

wow, the colours still look super saturated in that photo. unreal. :thumbsup:

 

[drdan]

It was about 8:00pm looking west. Sony 717, no filter, tripod set at an overlook on the mesa east of the park.

 

[LaFoto]

So I assume the sky still had a little blue left? It hadn't already turned pitch-black?

Wonderful colours, and those peaks really stick out - what makes THEM so red and the rest of the rocks rock-grey?

Well, isn't it time to either get my tripod repaired or replaced? I think so... But along with that, someone'd have to push some mountains into my area... not ONE to be seen for miles around. This is a very, very, VERY flat part of the country I live in...

 

[mrsid99]

Well, for what it's worth I'm impressed!
If it wasn't for your explanation I would have thought it was a complete Photoshop fake.
Very nice!

 

[photobug]

Cool shot!

Was that a 20 second shot, or a 2 second typo?

Nicely done in any event.

 

[cowbert098]

wow that is spectacular!

 

[drdan]

It had been full dark for 2 hours, there was no residual lightness to the sky. During a full moon, especially here, the sky is not pitch black at night but blue.

No, it was about a 2 second exposure (actually I think it was 1.6 seconds but I can't remember for sure). A 20 second exposure looks like full daylight except for the stars. This picture is brighter than it actually looked out there but it is still extremely bright at this altitude in a full moon. It is plenty bright enough to hike in those hills, which I often do on full moon nights in the summer. The park is actually pretty crowded with people walking around on a nice full moon night. The thin dry air makes it close to twice as bright as a full moon in much of the east. You can read a book in the moonlight with little trouble, at least I can if I have reading glasses. Of course I need them in the daytime too.