The Stars and the Moon

 

“I have seen the movement of the sinews of the sky, And the blood coursing in the veins of the moon.” — Muhammad Iqbal

Night Photography

I dearly love photographing at night. I love all the challenges of photographing things that inspire my imagination.

“Faith sees best in the dark." - Kierkegaard

The slimmest of crescent moon is my favorite of all the phases of the moon. It is also, at least for me, the most challenging to shoot. I shot this early Sunday morning at "moonrise" .

Shot notes: CanonEOS  R5 / RF800mm F11 IS STM + Canon 2x Extender RF / 1600mmm, 1/30, F/22/ ISO 400

"Without change something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.” -Frank Herbert, Dune

Shot notes: CanonEOS  R5 / RF800mm F11 IS STM + Canon 2x Extender RF / 1600mmm, 1/10, F/22/ ISO 100

"Let's just sit here and watch it all fade away, the day, the world and even the stars. Let's just sit here, your head on my shoulder and watch it all fade away..."

" And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your ear
You shout and no one seems to hear.
And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes I'll see you on the dark side of the moon." - Pink Floyd, Brain Damage

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.” - Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds

Crescent moon from August of 2025

“I cannot endure to waste anything so precious as autumnal sunshine by staying in the house."
[Notebook, Oct. 10, 1842]”

― Nathaniel Hawthorne, The American Notebooks: The Centenary Edition

“Just because you are soft doesn't mean you are not a force. Honey and wildfire are both the colour gold.” ― Victoria Erickson, Edge of Wonder: Notes from the Wildness of Being

And in despair I bowed my head;
"There is no peace on earth," I said;
"For hate is strong,
And mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep!
The Wrong shall fail,
the Right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will to men!”
― Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Another beautiful holiday with family. Good food, good conversation and some good spirits. The moon was a crescent tonight, my favorite, so after our Christmas dinner I grabbed up my camera and snuck outside for a shot or two.

“God leads into the dark night those whom He desires to purify from all these imperfections so that He may bring them farther onward.” - Juan de la Cruz, Dark Night of the Soul

"O Holy Spirit, descend plentifully into my heart. Enlighten the dark corners of this neglected dwelling and scatter there Thy cheerful beams." —St. Augustine