Bubble Gum Moon


We were set up overlooking Crissy Field with a clear shot to the skyline, waiting for the moon to rise. I had been envisioning this image for too many months and here it was unfolding in front of my eyes. The sun had just set behind us and the April moon was breaking the horizon a little to the left of the Transamerica building. We were positioned perfectly. The moon was bubble gum pink and the sky clear and twilight blue. The moon slipped behind the pyramid just as I had hoped and dreamed. I shot fifteen or sixteen frames, a good half a roll of film, when the camera jammed. I couldn't advance or rewind it. It was just stuck. I had the shot in the can, the one I had been planning for so long; the moon pierced by the pyramid, the olive on the martini stick. My mind raced through the options as the moon continued to climb with the light changing every second, colors mutating and the sky doing amazing things. I only had the one camera body with me. After several moments of considering the options, I decided to pull the half-exposed roll out and reload and continue on while this outrageous display of beauty and magic evolved. One of the toughest decisions I have had to make. It took about a minute to reload and in that short time the moon had moved up and to the right of the pyramid, my dream shot gone. I love this image, but it still hurts to think about what I had to give up to get this one. It's been several years now and I still go back to that spot, but the moon has never quite lined up like it did that night. But I keep watching, waiting...

 

 

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