Critique Style: Standard
The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic / Expressive
About This Image
What a strange title for one my crescent moon photos. But let me explain.
The moon depicted is the moon of Muharram, the first month in the Islamic calendar and marks the start of the Islamic lunar year, the year 1448 in the Hijri calendar. This photo is a bittersweet one for me as I was in a weird location where I could not get a clear view of the moon. This photo is a crop of only about 25% of the original frame, and that is the bitter part.
The sweet part is that little spec on the left edge. Its not a dust spot, but a star. In fact it is the star named Mebsuta, and it resides as the waist star in the the right side twin of the Gemini headed by the star Castor. Mebsuta is an Arabic word which, among other meanings, means Happy. I found it so serendipitous to have a star named Happy ushering in the crescent moon marking the new lunar year. And then the regret of not researching this ahead of time and allowing for more image to the left of the star to make a better composition. Oh well, live and learn.
Feedback Requested
Any thoughts and feedback is appreciated as always.
Technical Details
Camera: NIKON D850
Lens: 400 mm f/5.6
Focal length: 400mm
Shutter speed: 1/2s
Aperture: f/8
ISO: 800
Processed in ACR and finished in PS. Heavily cropped to remove unwanted distracting and out of focus elements in the bottom half and right half of the original frame.
2 Likes
We’re always our own harshest critics, Youssef, but I think it’s cool.
Hi Youssef,
I like many things about this image: the crescent moon “facing” up at the blush of color, the blush of color looking like it’s just entering the scene, but the story and the translation (Happy New Year and Happy and of course the imperfect process) The image has a significance, and a purpose too: Happy New Year and embracing wabi sabi (to our cultural references here). I would have missed the star, but it actually makes the image if you know what it is, and of course, it would have been even smaller in the frame if you hadn’t had to crop so much.
Nicely done,
ML
Youssef,
I have always enjoyed your new moon crescent images as long as I can remember. This one is wonderful.
Youssef, you never cease to amaze me with these crescent moon images. So beautiful. The colours and composition work so well.
I love the story that goes with the image.
Superb!! I love the tiny crescent with the hint of earthshine and the clouds and haze. The star would be a plus even if it wasn’t a special one, and it is very clear (as is the crescent), especially for that SS. Good work!
I tried to photograph this last evening but by the time I spotted it, it was barely above a low spot in the trees we have to the west. And that’s when my camera decided to have a problem and then it dropped below the trees and before I thought of moving to a higher location, the fog rolled in.
But tonight I hope to redeem myself with the second-day crescent near Jupiter. The luck I’ve had with crescent moons, I’m not holding my breath. Here are hopes for the fog staying out just long enough!
Best of Luck @Diane_Miller Can’t wait to see what you get.
Unfortunately, that was not enough luck. The June gloom fog rolled in at the worst time.
@Diane_Miller tonight is another great combination of the crescent and Venus And both are in Cancer on either side of the Beehive Cluster. I’m going to try for it around 9 pm
1 Like
OOOHH – that would be lovely! The fog will probably be back by then but I’ll give it a try if it holds off.
Today at 11:33 the moon occulted Venus. And the fog was still in the treetops. (Yesterday it cleared early…)
And this afternoon the fog rolled in an hour before sunset. Wishing you better luck!!
This is a fascinating image. Well composed. Nice lighting and mood.
And this next afternoon (Thursday. the 18th) the fog rolled in two hours before sunset. Sigh…
