Once in a Super Blue Blood Moon
The Staten Island ferry heads to lower Manhattan as the super blue blood moon sets beyond the Hudson River. This image was shot on Fuji Pro 400h film using a Mamiya RB67 medium format camera. Photo credit: Jonathan Lopez
The last time north America had an opportunity to see the second full moon in a single month—known as a blue moon, which only happens about once a year, hence the phrase "once in a blue moon"—that was also a lunar eclipse where being in the earth's shadow causes it to turn a reddish hue was 152 years ago. Curiosity got me out of bed at 5:30AM so that I could see it with my own two eyes. And a couple of lenses too.
I tried to capture the moonrise over the NYC skyline but the overcast skies and the bright sun didn't allow for that, so I settled for this shot of the full (super) moon shining brighter than your average full moon and illuminating this basketball court at night. This photograph was taken on Fuji Pro 400h film using the Mamiya RB67. Photo credit: Jonathan Lopez
For this adventure I brought along one digital and one film camera. I used a 200-400mm telephoto lens for my digital camera and a 180mm prime lens for my film camera. The temperature was well below freezing and never made it above 9°F. Although I couldn't see the full lunar eclipse from New York City, the view was worth the early wake up call and the sub-freezing temperatures.
Searching for a memorable image of the super blue blood moon, I traveled to a basketball court with a view. Even aiming for a landscape image, I couldn't help but park myself on a playground. This photograph was taken on Kodak Tri-X 400 film using the Mamiya RB67. Photo credit: Jonathan Lopez
This photograph was taken on my digital camera using a telephoto lens which allowed me to compress the background and draw even closer to the setting super blue blood moon. The airplane flying through was a gift of serendipity and being in position. Photo credit: Jonathan Lopez
Here's another photograph taken on my digital camera and with the telephoto lens. The 200-400mm lens I used also had a 1.4x teleconverter built in which allowed me to get up to 560mm out of the same lens and get even closer to the moon. I had been trying to get the birds and the ferry with the magical colors of the moon and the dark blue sky behind it for a long time. Between trying to warm up my hands, even with gloves on, and trying to soak in the moment for myself, I put the cameras down for stretches of time. And then it all came together: the birds took flight, I could see the New York inscribed on the Staten Island ferry and the moon was a gorgeous hue of pinkish/red. This was one of my favorites that morning. Photo credit: Jonathan Lopez
Taken on Fuji Pro 400h film, I turned my camera away from the moonset to enjoy the reflection of the sunrise gently grazing the New York skyline. Photo credit: Jonathan Lopez
Back on digital, I was able to capture the full ferry, a bird flying in front of the moon, and a cloud cutting straight across the moon. Photo credit: Jonathan Lopez
Boat sails off into the super blue blood moonset. Photo credit: Jonathan Lopez