Randy Bell
July 2025 - Moonset
About the Image(s)
A trip to the coast a few months ago happened to coincide with a nearly full moon (full moon
was the day after this shot) . The moon set just before sunrise and I was out early to get some
shots of it. I took several exposures trying to not blow out the moon, but the shorter the
exposure, the less light was reflected on the ocean. The moon is a very bright object in a dark
sky and I was never successful getting a perfectly exposed moon, but I did like the moon's
reflection on the ocean in this one. Perhaps this will give me and excuse to make more trips to
the coast to practice…
I shot this with my Nikon camera with an 85mm lens attached. Exposure was 20 seconds at f/8,
ISO 125. I did some basic tonal adjustments in Lightroom.
12 comments posted
Randy, this is very nice!
I also find moon shots hard. This one if very good, I love the reflection. Posted: 07/09/2025 20:16:59
I also find moon shots hard. This one if very good, I love the reflection. Posted: 07/09/2025 20:16:59
Thank you, Sylvia. I appreciate your feedback. Yes, moon shots can be challenging, especially this early in the morning and before coffee :) Posted: 07/14/2025 18:56:16
Randy, I have taken moon shot images, but none have turned out as nice as yours. Your exposure setting created a very soft texture on the water's surface and the reflection of the moonlight is very realistic. I like the color in the sky and the star effect radiating from the moon adds a great touch to this photo. This is a warm, calm and inviting image. Great job! Posted: 07/10/2025 13:33:00
Thank you, Jim. It was a peaceful morning to be out there with no other people around. Maybe I captured some of that with this image. Interesting to think about that. Posted: 07/14/2025 19:08:26
Hi Randy!
The color gradation is quite extraordinary. There appears to be a deep purple, perhaps puce, at the upper edge which fades and morphs to a taupe at the horizon. Then, abruptly, the photo shifts to grayscale with movement of the water. I also like that you avoided the possible temptation of centering the moon and reflection - it does angle in a bit - but doesn't feel forced! Posted: 07/12/2025 20:27:14
The color gradation is quite extraordinary. There appears to be a deep purple, perhaps puce, at the upper edge which fades and morphs to a taupe at the horizon. Then, abruptly, the photo shifts to grayscale with movement of the water. I also like that you avoided the possible temptation of centering the moon and reflection - it does angle in a bit - but doesn't feel forced! Posted: 07/12/2025 20:27:14
Thank you, Douglas. The colors in the sky were very nice that morning. I appreciate your comments. Posted: 07/14/2025 19:17:46
Randy, Mysterious and yet peaceful! The monotone colors create a sense of calm. The moon shimmering on the water would look great framed with a thin white border to define the scene. Great image!
Posted: 07/14/2025 22:04:39
Posted: 07/14/2025 22:04:39
Thank you, Yvonne. That is an interesting idea you have for framing the photo. I may just give that a try! Thank you for your comments. Posted: 07/19/2025 16:37:30
Randy, I had to look closely to get your image. I think it's great. At second glance, the theme became clear to me. I grasped the situation and was impressed. I've never seen a moonset on water before, but I have seen sunsets.
The reflections of the moon are clearly visible on the sea, the background is rather hazy and foggy.
A great image, but that shouldn't stop you from going back to the coast :-)).
I've made two changes and I hope that's ok for you. Firstly, I moved the moon to the center by free transformation in Photoshop and converted your image to black and white. Finally, I increased the brightness in the lower part so that the reflections can be seen even more clearly.
Posted: 07/16/2025 18:10:23
The reflections of the moon are clearly visible on the sea, the background is rather hazy and foggy.
A great image, but that shouldn't stop you from going back to the coast :-)).
I've made two changes and I hope that's ok for you. Firstly, I moved the moon to the center by free transformation in Photoshop and converted your image to black and white. Finally, I increased the brightness in the lower part so that the reflections can be seen even more clearly.
Posted: 07/16/2025 18:10:23
Thank you, Sabine. I like your idea to convert it to black and white. Centering the moon also helps it, I think. These ideas give me somethings to think about. I will go back and play around with it some more. Thanks! Posted: 07/19/2025 16:51:05
Hi Randy, I really love this moonshot-so refreshing to see a peaceful night scene like this instead of the usual sunsets. It feels calm, quiet, and almost meditative. While I usually prefer things off-center, in this case the centered moon and reflection really work. Beautifully done-captivating and serene. Posted: 07/18/2025 12:44:55
Thank you, Linda. I appreciate your thoughts on this. It was very calm and peaceful while I was there. Not another soul on the beach. I agree that the centered moon, as suggested by Sabine, works well. Posted: 07/19/2025 16:56:33