Zhangren Peak, Chanfang Temple Pagoda, was first built in the Liao Dynasty. The day after filming the Blood Moon, on the morning of September 9th, the full moon fell on the top of the tower, and the scene hidden in my mind was finally firmly captured by me in the camera. With the previous experience of shooting the hanging sun on Mount Tashan, the process of chasing the hanging moon was particularly smooth this time. The aerial survey only used once to find the core position, and the official shooting was fortunate and successful.
The seven or eight trips to shoot the hanging sun have already allowed me to understand the light and shadow patterns and terrain texture of Zhangren Peak. Knowing where to have a wide and unobstructed view, and understanding how to predict the best composition based on the trajectory of celestial bodies, these accumulations have become the confidence for this shooting of the hanging moon.
The next day, before dawn, I set off with a heavy camera bag on my back. Compared to the anxiety of taking pictures of the hanging sun before, this time I was more confident and composed. At that time, the sky was already clear and it happened to be the time of the blues. The moon was no longer a solitary ball of light hanging at night, but a warm white jade plate, waiting for it to quietly perch on the top of the millennium old pagoda.
When we arrived at the parking spot, the night had not completely faded away, and a faint blue had already appeared in the eastern sky, which was the prelude to the blues moment. I surveyed the camera position based on the pre calculated location, without the need for repeated adjustments. I simply placed the tripod on the designated position, aimed the camera at the direction of the Zen temple tower, and adjusted the angle slightly to determine the optimal shooting angle.
At this moment, the mountains are quiet and silent, with only the gentle sound of a gentle breeze brushing against the vegetation. The blue sky gradually becomes lighter, but still retains the clarity and softness of the night, outlining the ancient outline of the Zen temple tower more clearly. The full moon hangs in the sky, shedding the brightness of the night and transforming into a large white jade plate, with a faint halo at the edge, warm and without a hint of sharpness.
I held my breath, my gaze wandering between the viewfinder and the sky, and gently adjusted the exposure parameters with my fingers - thanks to my experience in controlling the light ratio during sunset shooting, I didn't need to repeatedly try shooting in the special light environment of blues moments, and quickly set precise parameters.
Finally, the full moon slowly descended towards the tip of the Zen temple tower. When the edge of the white jade plate precisely matched the tip of the tower, time seemed to come to a standstill. The blue sky is the background. The millennium Liao Tower firmly holds the warm full moon. The arch of wooden architecture on the eaves and the brick and stone lines on the tower body are faintly visible in the soft light. The moon's outline is clear and transparent, complementing the vicissitudes of the ancient tower. A gentle breeze swept by, and the thin mist in the mountains gently flowed, adding a touch of hazy poetry to this scene. I decisively pressed the shutter button, and the "click" sound was particularly crisp in the quiet mountains. After taking several consecutive shots, this perfect moment was permanently preserved.
When the shooting was completed, a faint rosy glow had already appeared in the eastern sky, and the blues moment was gradually coming to an end. I flipped through the images in the camera, and each one captured the scene of the full moon falling on the top of the tower clearly. The fusion of the white jade plate and the ancient Liao Tower under the blue sky fully displayed the tranquility and magnificence between heaven and earth. Compared to the hardships and persistence of shooting the hanging sun, the smooth and fortunate shooting of the hanging moon has made me realize the significance of accumulation. The past that ran around in the light and shadow has turned into the confidence to capture beauty calmly now. As I was packing up my equipment and descending the mountain, the light of the rising sun shone on the tower, and my heart was filled with complete joy. This was not only a successful shooting, but also a light and shadow encounter intertwined with experience and luck, adding a warm mark to my photography journey.