The Full Worm Moon bathes Motif #1 in moonlight

The Full Worm Moon Beckons

Yesterday’s moon was known as the “Full Worm Moon.” According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac: ”The Full Worm Moon was given its name by the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior. At the time of this spring Moon, the ground begins to soften and earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return of robins. This is also known as the Sap Moon, as it marks the time when maple sap begins to flow and the annual tapping of maple trees begins.”

Ahhh… Hello Spring!

The Moon… The Sun… The Tide…

People usually notice a full moon on the rise while driving home from work, or sometimes through a window in the evening while watching television. When you’re a photographer, however, a full moon is an event. It beckons us. It’s pull is magical. We plan for it.

The Moon Doesn’t Just Rise

What many people don’t realize, however, is that moonset is just as exciting as moonrise. The deal breaker for some people is simply the time of day that moonset occurs. That time varies from day-to-day.

This year’s Full Worm Moon had me out the door at 5:00 a.m. I wanted to make sure I had allowed for travel time, parking time, walking time and setup time. The moon has its own schedule. It waits for no one. Better to be too early than too late when photographing it.

Rockport Harbor and The Headlands

This year in Rockport, Massachusetts, the Full Worm Moon was scheduled to set at 6:21 a.m. A quick check of The Photographer’s Ephemeris program showed me that the moon would set over the town behind Rockport Harbor and appear directly between the harbor’s two wharfs when viewed nearby from The Headlands.

Two Shoots In One

Sunrise was scheduled for 6:33 a.m. Again, a quick check of The Photographer’s Ephemeris program showed me that the sun would rise behind Straitsmouth Lighthouse when viewing from the opposite side of The Headlands. All I would need to do was be fast on my feet and get to the other side in time to set up for my shot. As you can see, the hustle was well worth it. The colors were breathtaking.

The blue hour of sunrise provides a beautiful backdrop to Straightsmouth Lighthouse

Know The Tide

The tide is also an important thing to check when shooting along the coast. High tide versus low tide can greatly affect such things as shooting perspective and reflections. Getting down low in a tidal pool at low tide will garner a shot much different from one taken from the top of a rocky cliff. Which is better? That’s up to you! I say try them both. Step outside of your typical shooting zone and see what new perspectives you can personally witness and capture.

Preparation — An Important Thing To Remember

When checking the times for moonset or sunrise, remember the horizon and surrounding terrain. Setting times refer to when the sun or the moon is no longer visible on the horizon. Rising times refer to when the sun or moon first becomes visible on the horizon.

To shoot the last of the Full Worm Moon here in Rockport, I knew that I had to be ready long before the moon actually set. I needed to be in position before the moon disappeared behind the elevated tree line in the distance.

Moonset is perfectly aligned between the harbor's two wharfs

My iPhone Apps

While some of the reference programs I used for this shoot (such as The Photographer’s Ephemeris) are readily available on computer, I like to have them with me at all times. That’s where my iPhone comes in handy. Here are the links to the specific apps I used to plan this shoot.

• The Photographer’s Ephemeris (TPE)
• MoonPhase
• TideGraph

In Case You’re Wondering…

The next full moon is April 25th and it’s called the Full Pink Moon. If you’re in the Rockport area, moonset is 5:26 a.m., sunrise is 5:45 a.m., and low tide is 5:09 a.m.

And Don’t Forget…

Conversely, don’t forget to consider the times of a full moonrise and sunset. When both of these events occur close together, the shooting possibilities are again only limited by your imagination and perhaps the speed of your feet.

Warm weather is coming! No more cold weather excuses. Get out there and capture the celestial magic!

~ Liz Mackney

Website

Editor’s Pick Gallery

New England Photography Guild Gallery

When doing nature photography, I’m out and about shooting everything from butterflies to wildflowers to insects and spiders. My eye is always on the lookout for something new and interesting that’s either flying, growing or crawling. My biggest challenge, however, comes after the shoot — identifying what it is my eagle eye spotted and my macro lens captured. That’s when good reference tools come in handy — and a great education begins.

Giant Robber Fly

Diversity in the Modern Age

There is a diverse variety of reference tools available today for nature photography. Many of them I use almost on a daily basis. Everything from books… to Mobile Apps… to the Internet… to even Social Media. Here’s a list of the primary reference tools I use as a nature photographer living in New England. Note: Several of the tools I list are region specific. Make sure you look for the appropriate one for your geographical region.

National Audubon Society Field Guides Books

I love the National Audubon Society Field Guide series, for they use photographs rather than illustrations throughout their books. Photographic examples happen to be my personal preference. A finely illustrated book is just as good, however, if not better in some cases. Note: For those who prefer illustrations, the Peterson Field Guide series is also available.

Audubon Field Guide to Butterflies

Butterflies

As described on Amazon.com… “Butterflies are among the natural world’s most colorful and intriguing creatures, so what could be more useful than a handy field guide with more than 1,000 photographs of all the butterflies of North America north of Mexico, including all true butterflies, the most common skippers, and many migrants and strays. The color plates are visually arranged by shape and color, and thumb-tab silhouettes provide a convenient index to identification of butterflies in the field. The species account for each butterfly provides measurements, descriptions of each stage of the life cycle, and information on coloring or distinguishing markings, flight period, habitat, and range.”

Audubon Field Guide to Wildflowers

Wildflowers

As described on Amazon.com… ”This fully revised edition brings a new level of beauty, accuracy, and usefulness to the field guide that wildflower enthusiasts have relied upon for more than 20 years.

More than 940 all-new, full-color images show the wildflowers of western North America close-up and in their natural habitats. The guide has been completely revised to make identification in the field easier than ever. Images are grouped by flower color and shape and keyed to clear, concise descriptions that reflect current taxonomy.”

Audubon Field Guide to Insects & Spiders

Insects & Spiders

As described on Amazon.com… ”Spiders, bugs, moths, butterflies, beetles, bees, flies, dragonflies, grasshoppers, and many other insects are detailed in more than 700 full-color photographs visually arranged by shape and color. Descriptive text includes measurements, diagnostic details, and information on habitat, range, feeding habits, sounds or songs, flight period, web construction, life cycle, behaviors, folklore, and environmental impact. An illustrated key to the insect orders and detailed drawings of the parts of insects, spiders, and butterflies supplement this extensive coverage.”

iPhone / Mobile Apps

Technology is a photographer’s friend. You can now download many of the field guides to your Mobile Device and have the reference tool with you on the go. There are several that I use on my iPhone, and there are others as well for other mobile devices. Definitely check to see what Apps are available for your Mobile Device. Favorites of mine for the iPhone include the Audubon Field Guides, Scotts Bird ID (lists birds by state and plays the bird’s song), and iBird Explorer (which features both photographs and illustrations).

iPhone Audubon Field Guide Apps

Google

What did we ever do before Google? It’s pretty amazing that the word is even used as a verb now. How many times have you heard, “Go Google it.”

I use Google all the time when trying to identify new things. What surprised me, however, is the number of people who Google something and then search through all of the pages of links, when what they are really looking for are simply photo examples. That’s where the IMAGES tab comes in handy.

Here’s an example of me searching for “tall purple flowers.”  I simply entered that phrase into the Google Search Field, and then clicked on IMAGES to show only the photos found. To view a photo of interest, just click on it and it will take you to that image’s website. By the way, I found the answer I was searching for – Liatris!

Google Image Search

Other Reference Tools

There are numerous other nature photography reference tools available locally or right at your fingertips. You can always consult Social Media and also knowledgeable people such as:

• Facebook Photography Pages – Photographers from all over the world join these pages and are very helpful. Just ask a question!
• Landscapers – Good ones should know everything from plants to insects.
• Garden Clubs – Flowers are their passion. Members are a great source for information!
• Garden Centers / Nurseries – As a potential customer, your questions are welcome!
• Neighbors – Have a neighbor with a great garden? Ask for a tour!

How About You?

Are there any additional reference tools that you use and recommend for nature photography? If so, please post a comment and let me know!

Happy shooting!

~ Liz Mackney

Website

Editor’s Pick Gallery

New England Photography Guild Gallery