June 23, 2013 Supermoon | Skye Valley Ranch Nighttime Photography

You may have heard me mention Skye Valley Ranch in past posts. It’s my hubby’s family ranch which is located way out in the middle of nowhere in East County, San Diego. We spent the weekend there and I had my camera ready to capture the big June 23rd “supermoon” event.

We went out the night before to test out a few things. Roxy was a good helper.

The sunset that night was just beautiful!

Please notice the lack of any other houses or signs of civilization for as far as the eye can see. It is heaven.

The next night, we were ready for the supermoon. Armed with the camera and tripod, we ventured around the valley to find the perfect spot. Thanks to a star-location app, we knew exactly where the moon was going to rise.

The moon was so bright, it was incredible!

After I had taken my moonrise photos, Greg had a fun idea to take a self-portrait-type photo of our shadows from the moonlight. Don’t believe it’s nighttime? Look at the stars in the sky!

I have a thing for fences. I don’t know what it is, but I love photographing them. The clouds were wispy and gorgeous and the stars were just starting to shine.

After we were done in the valley, we decided to head down to the Lower Lake. We need to drive there, so we walked back to the ranch house and Greg went to get the truck while I walked down the lane to get a shot of the house in the moonlight.

We arrived at the Lower Lake and scouted out the best spots. I couldn’t resist this rowboat perfectly placed near the water.

I just love how much color is in these photos. It was about 10:00 at night, so there was no other light except the moon!

After we finished with the rowboat, we ventured out on the dam. I have an intense fear of falling, so walking out there is not something I really enjoy doing. Anything for a great shot, though, right? I had my camera around my neck, a flashlight in one hand, and a death-grip on the railing with the other. I’m happy to report: I survived. Please note that the dam is not all wide and flat like the section you see below.

Still on the dam, I turned the camera and shot out over the lake. The stars, reflection in the water, and clouds really make me love this photo. I can’t get over how still the water is; this is a 30-second exposure!

Please be sure to leave a comment for me below! Do you have a favorite shot? Did you get to see the supermoon?