Learning from Mistakes during a Lunar Eclipse

I have found a great way to quadruple the speed of my heart beat. There is a connection with the title of this article.

1. Put your moderately heavy Canon 50D + Canon 70-200mm lens on a flimsy yet surprisingly sturdy tripod.
2. Find your focal point.
3. Then tighten every thing on the tripod into position.
4. Take your hands away believing that it’s all OK. In the same 3 micro seconds that the rear end of your camera tilts backward and the lens shoot straight up, your hands reach out believing the whole tripod will go over – and your heart rate quadruples.

It didn’t fall over. Yet I  learnt something tonight about photographing the lunar eclipse:

1. A strong sturdy tripod is important. Never forget to pack it when travelling to a dark location with minimal street lights. Somehow the one thing that mattered most was left at home. Sigh.

2. A zoom lens helps. A Canon 70-200mm f4 is good, yet I highly recommend adding 1.4x or 2x connector. (Next on my purchase list!)

3. Whatever extra attachment it takes to fire your camera remotely. Most good camera’s can be shot remotely.

4. A good dSLR. I am not a brandist. Do your research.

What I learnt most this evening from my attempt to capture the blood moon is why I love photography so much:

1. The ability to capture a scene. Yes, I can see it with my eyes. Yes, everyone else has shot it. But I haven’t and I want to. So there.

2. The learning, trials, mistakes and tribulations of capturing that scene.

3. The fact that none of it is easy.

Anyone who thinks photography is boring has clearly never tried to shoot a blood moon lunar eclipse. IMHO.