There is a total lunar eclipse coming up this Sunday night, January 20th, beginning around 7:30pm and ending about an hour after midnight. (AZ MTN; GMT-7)

This event will take place at the same time for all observers on Earth. What you call that time will depend on the timezone in which you are viewing.

I’ll be watching the eclipse in Arizona. Here is some of the information I’ve gathered to help me prepare to enjoy the eclipse.

Lunar Eclipse Timings

Finding dark sky

One of the best things you can do when watching a lunar eclipse (or any astronomical event, really) is to find some dark sky, as far from light pollution as possible.

You may be wondering, “How does light pollution refract off atmospheric dust to cloud my view of the night sky?” To which I’d say, “More or less like that, you answered your own question. Good job!”

Light pollution is caused by bright light sources shining up into the atmosphere and refracting off particulates in the air, causing the air to appear cloudy. This in turn means fewer stars will be visible.

The Stars Come Out

The difference in the number of visible stars between full moon and full eclipse is staggering. It’s more or less the same difference between seeing the sky on a moonless night vs seeing one during the full moon. The full moon lights up the atmosphere enough to drown out a lot of the stars. This effect is noticeable but takes a couple weeks to oscillate.

My favorite tool for finding a good area with dark sky is http://darksitefinder.com/map/. This interactive map allows you to see major cities and the fall off from their light pollution. I utilize this tool to easily, visually, find areas of darkest sky.

During a lunar eclipse, however, this effect can be seen oscillating over the course of just a few hours and is stunning to watch. I’m very much looking forward to seeing just a handful of stars in a blue sky, the watching as the moon falls into earths shadow, the sky darkens, and many more stars come out. The contrast will be exciting to witness.

Wear Layers of Warm Clothing

Lunar eclipses happen at night. That’s how the geometry works. I mean it is possible that a lunar eclipse could occur while you are on the daytime side of Earth, but in that case you will not be able to see the eclipse take place. (As Occured for Arizonans in July 2018)

That being said, you should make sure to dress warmly. One good way to stay warm is by building layers of clothing. Have a good pair of wool socks, thermal base layer, and a wind-proof outer shell. Coverings for your ears and hands will also be helpful and for the extra touch, consider using hand warmers.

My Past Lunar Eclipse Experiences

This will be the 3rd time I’ve chased a lunar eclipse with the intent of photographing it. Check out the results from my other lunar eclipse trips:

Joshua Tree 2018

Bloody Basin 2014

Have Fun!

Grab a Thermos full of your hot beverage of choice, a picnic blanket, sleeping bag, plenty of warm clothes, and your favorite cuddle buddy, and head out to an area of dark sky to enjoy this relatively rare celestial event. And tell me how it went for you in the comments below.

Check Back Here For Updates

I’ll be out chasing the eclipse this weekend. My plan is to capture 2 timelapse sequences. I’ll be uploading them as soon as they are ready to share, so be sure to follow my blog or

Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter to stay informed of my most recent updates.

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It’s time to start looking for a 2019 Calendar, and larue.photo is selling a great one. We are accepting pre-sale orders for the 2019 larue.photo 12-Month Fine Art Wall Calendar.

The Photos

The 2019 larue.photo Fine Art Wall Calendar contains 12 images from the larue.photo collection. Each month a new long exposure photograph depicting the passage of time. Moonlit landscapes of the Sonoran and Mohave deserts of Arizona and California.

Witness the relative stillness of the earths surface, as we spin with it through the cosmos.  The universe appears to streak by as earth bound boulders rest peacefully. So when life is overwhelming, let these photographs be your escape. Take a break from the chaos of life, grab some earth and hold on tight, because we’re spinning like mad. 

Calendar Specs

The 12-month calendar measures 12 inches x 8 inches, when folded. Spiral bound to allow the calendar to sit flat against the wall. The calendar grids contain plenty of space for you to write all the important things that are happening in your life. 

Astronomical Events

As a citizen of the universe, I find it important stay up to date on the astronomical events happening in my celestial neighborhood. So, I’ve collected the data and formatted for easy visual consumption. Now you can, too, can prepare for and be ready to witness the wonders of our solar system.

Full Moons / New Moon

This 2019 Calendar labels several astronomical events throughout the year so you can be sure to plan to witness them all. Full moons and new moons are labeled along with the time they hit 100% or 0% illumination. So you’ll know not only which day the full and new moons occur, but also which night to go out for best viewing. All times are listed in AZ Mountain Time (GMT-7).

Eclipses

Eclipses are a relatively rare occurrence. So use this calendar to help you you prepare to watch. There is also a total lunar eclipse in January that you will not want to miss. An orange moon symbol to marks the date of that lunar eclipse.

Meteor Showers

There are many meteor showers each year. They occur regularly as the earth passes through debris fields left by passing comets. Some meteor showers are minor, yielding only 5-10 meteors per hour, while others boast up to 60 meteors per hour. This calendar will tell you which night to go out if you want to see the peak of any given major meteor shower. Make sure you’re ready with blankets and a warm beverage!

Holidays

Major holidays are labeled, including all US Federal Holidays, as well as several Christian, Jewish, and Muslim holidays. Also marked are the Solstices, Equinoxes, and Daylight Savings Time changes.

Connect With larue.photo

Connect with larue.photo on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, to stay updated when new photos are released.

The post 2019 Calendar Pre-Order | 12-Month Fine Art Wall Calendar appeared first on laruephoto.

On that night I drove from Phoenix, AZ to Joshua Tree, CA (and back) and captured three timelapse sequences. See two of the three below. I’ll be publishing the finished products over the next few weeks, so be sure to check back, but here’s what’s ready to show now!

Blue Moon Eclipse Path Timelapse

This timelapse sequence shows the path of the moon through the sky during the blue moon eclipse. Each frame of the video represents 30 seconds of exposure time. Before the eclipse begins, the landscape appears to be lit by the sun. But that’s actually the moon lighting the scene. And, if you look closely, you can see the stars shining as well.

When the eclipse begins, the available light dims dramatically. The changing light causes the landscape to darken nearly to black and with less light scattered through earth’s atmosphere, the sky darkens to reveal the stars.

Blue Moon Eclipse Cast Light Timelapse

Facing away from the moon, I was able to capture this sequence using the light cast by the moon. Watch the brightness and color temperature change as the earth’s shadow falls across the moon and causes its light to dim and redden.

Blue Moon Eclipse Info

The Lunar Eclipse of January 31st, 2018 was a rare overlapping of several astronomical events. The events which coincided, from most to least frequent were:

1. Full Moon 
2. Blue Moon
3. Lunar Eclipse

A blue moon is the second full moon within a calendar month. A lunar eclipse will always occur on a full moon. Geometry requires it. Therefore, we can drop “Full” from the name, as Blue Moon and Lunar Eclipse both imply a full moon.

Then we’re left with a Blue Moon Lunar Eclipse, a Blue Moon Eclipse, or as I like to call it, a “Blunar Eclipse”.  No one else has called it that though. My Astrophysics teacher from High School says it was a Blue Moon Eclipse. Blue Moon Eclipse sounds professional. Blunar Eclipse sounds made up, but it makes me smile!

Joshua Tree National Park as a Shooting Location

I love photographing in Joshua Tree National Park, and have returned there many times. It is a beautiful location with many large rock features and strange trees that seem straight out of a Dr. Seuss illustration. 

Secluded from city light pollution, the park has beautiful views in every direction and dark skies. The rocks reflect lots of light and don’t move in the wind, so I know I can capture them clearly at long exposures.

I felt confident that I could find a spot where I could set up cameras near one another looking in opposite directions and each would be an interesting composition. It was for these reasons I felt justified in taking a 10 hour round trip drive.

Connect with Me

Thank you for being here; for reading my words and viewing my photographs. It means a lot to me that you are interesting in seeing what I’m doing. Connect with me on Facebook and Twitter to be notified of my most current work. I’d love to hear your reactions to my work; tell me by leaving a comment below.

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Broccoli Tree

Image 1 of 5

Joshua Tree captured in Joshua Tree National Park. Lit by Moonlight, with stars burned in place in the sky with fireworks.

There are many ways to photograph fireworks. Personally, I’ve used several different techniques. Last summer, I captured pictures of the fireworks display I attended. Using my SLR and a telephoto lens, I handheld the camera and captures several hundred images of fireworks launching and exploding. I got some cool images but I feel like I wasn’t present enough with my wife to enjoy her company.

So this year, if I capture any photos, my plan will be to setup my camera on a tripod and use an interval timer or a remote shutter release. This way I can be capturing images while my mind and body can be with my wife.

In the gallery above, I have taken some of the best captures from last years fireworks display, and Photoshopped them in to some of my favorite fine art photographs. You can see the originals of these images without fireworks in my Fine Art Portfolio.

How to Photograph Fireworks Using your Smartphone

If you’re trying to capture photographs of fireworks using your smart phone camera, you may find it frustrating to get the timing just right. You press the button to take a picture, and the camera hesitates a second or two and then fires.  You attempt to compensate for this delay, but it delays inconsistently. It’s maddening. How can you get the timing right.

Well, for best results I recommend an SLR and a tripod. I also recommend putting your phone down and enjoying the show with your loved ones. But if you must capture pictures of the fireworks display, here’s what I can recommend about compensating for the timing.

The reason there is a delay between when you tell your phone to take the picture and when it actually captures it is because the camera is evaluating the scene to set the proper focus and exposure value.  You can get around this by locking the focus and exposure value ahead of time. 

Try this: with your camera app open, watch for a firework to detonate. When it explodes, press and hold its image on screen. This will lock the focus and exposure (you’ll likely see something like AF/EV Locked). Then, when the next firework explodes, you should find there is little to no delay in capture

Safety with Fireworks

In Arizona, there are currently severe fire restrictions. Due to the lack of rain and the extremely dry conditions, it is currently illegal to have an open flame anywhere within the state. The only fires allowed are those produced by a fuel source which can be turned off. This means that propane and butane powered grill are allowed, while campfires and charcoal grills are not.

So with the 4th of July approaching, I am concerned about the possibility of wildfires being started by careless celebration. Most of the “fireworks” for sale in my area do basically the same thing: shoot showers of sparks. Those sparks can ignite dry grasses and spread into a wildfire. So here are some tips for enjoying your spark showers safely:

1. Establish an area for your fireworks – think concrete or asphalt
2. Clear that area of any flammable debris – dry grass, leaves, small sticks
3. Have a fire extinguisher nearby and know how to use it.

I am not a firefighter, a forest ranger, or a fire prevention spokes-bear. Therefore, I am not an authority on fire safety. I am an Eagle Scout, and a human adult with what I like to consider common sense. Please try to exercise some common sense this 4th.

Have fun, be safe, and share your fireworks pictures and stories in the comments below!

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Check out the larue.photo 2018 Fine Art Wall Calendar

Papa La Rue’s BBQ

Papa La Rue’s Competition BBQ team, based in Palm Desert, CA, competed last weekend in the Indio California State BBQ Championship. Turn-in categories included Chicken, Pork, Brisket, and Dessert.

The post Papa La Rue’s BBQ at Indio California State BBQ Championship appeared first on laruephoto.