On April 15, 2014 there was a lunar eclipse. Now, what has this photo got to do with it? Let me explain.
In Victoria, the eclipse was forecast to occur not long after the moon had risen, which was early in the evening. With the moon low to the horizon, it would appear large and the whole event had ‘super-sized photograph epic’ written all over it.
What to do when you’re sitting in the suburbs? I’d worked that day, so I didn’t really have time to get to a clear spot with an uninterrupted skyline. A compromise was needed, so I headed towards the vast, outer paddocks in Melbourne’s west, which was about 15 minutes drive from my house.
I don’t even remember which road I took, but I found one which gave me a view above the city and the sky being relatively open. Actually, there was one problem, but that might appear further along in this photo month.
Anyway, I parked at the side of the road and hopped out. Lugging camera and tripod, I waded through the long grass and suddenly came across this overgrown roadside memorial. If I was walking ten feet either side, I’d never have seen it.
Roadside memorials have always interested me and I still don’t know the exact reason why. On the vast, Australian roads they’re a common sight and at one point, I was going to catalogue them photographically. Not just snap shots, but proper photos. Low angles, low light etc. It was an interesting idea, until I found out someone has already done a book about them, so I long abandoned the project.
This is another one, just like the other hundreds out there.
Oh, how did the eclipse photos go? Crap.
This doesn't look much like the roadside memorials I see. Usually they are marked with colourful bunches of plastic flowers and pictures. I notice them too and wonder about the circumstances. It usually has me checking my speed as well… This pic is strangely beautiful as well as being poignant. I like the subtle browns and the brighter white paint remains on the cross. Sad that it's lying forgotten. I wondered how you went with the eclipse. My efforts were pretty poor due to cloud clover, a tripod that kept collapsing, too much light pollution and lack of skill.
I'm sure it looked bright white and pristine when it was first placed there, but time has marched on. There may have been flowers there, but the spot is quite isolated and really, I'd have no idea how to find it again. I can't even remember the road it was on.
Oh yeah, the eclipse was a fizzer. I couldn't work out how to get it at all. I need to read up on the moon again. Generally, the moon has to be way underexposed than what the camera suggests, otherwise you just end up with a ball of bright light, with no lunar features at all. I can do a full moon shot okay, but the combination of half a moon in sunlight and the other in eclipse did my head in. Either the bright side was too bright and the dark side too dark. Maybe next time.