It’s been a long, cold winter. Dark and gray. For months we shelter in warm places and shroud ourselves in warm clothing and blankets. But every season has its end - every Winter its Spring. Daylight becomes dominant over darkness.
I took the opportunity on this Vernal Equinox to photograph the full moon rising. As is typical, when I intend to photograph one subject, I often find other interesting subjects.
I scaled the west slope of Mt. Tabor - a small, extinct volcano located in the middle of southeast Portland, which is forested with evergreens. The steep climb tired my legs quickly. I stopped about halfway up the mountain to catch my breath and recover some strength in my calves. Turning back to face west and check the position of the sun, I was taken aback by the sun coming through the giant trees, casting long shadows up the trail.
There is still time. The full moon rises opposite of the setting sun, at near the same time. But to catch it, I must get to the top of the mountain and find a clearing to the east. There are many visitors to Mt. Tabor on sunny days, and many come to watch the sunset beyond the Portland skyline. But while others watch the western sky, my focus is on the East.
The trees on Mt. Tabor are many and tall. There is but one clearing on the eastern side of the summit. The clearing frames Mt. Hood, towering 40 miles to the East. As the sun sets to my back, I focus my camera on the mountain as it catches the last rays of the sun as we transition out of Winter and in to Spring.
But where is the moon? Unfortunately, the trees concealed the moonrise on the horizon. But patience pays off. The full moon emerged, captured momentarily in the vertex created by the silhouetted trees. While I normally prefer the crescent moon for its elegance and mysterious look, the full moon illuminates the world below and gives us a look at our celestial neighbor in all its glory. Still low in the sky, the full moon is less brilliant, and easier on the eye. The moon’s face looks at us and gives us comfort as we dip in to night. It is so close, yet so far away.