Pink Moon

A few nights ago, there was a pink moon.

The moon wasn’t actually pink; that’s just the name given to it because the phlox is in bloom…somewhere where things actually bloom in April.

And, it wasn’t just a pink moon, but a super pink moon.

A supermoon occurs when a full moon happens at the same time the moon is closest to earth. At these times the moon can appear 15 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than when it’s at its farthest point from the earth (aka a micromoon).

I tell you all this because that’s what the picture is.

I didn’t take this picture; borrowed it from a friend. But it’s a cell phone shot of a remarkable astronomical appearance.

And, let’s be honest here, the image sucks.

If you were to put this image into a computer and ask it to tell you what it was about, it might say it’s about black. Because that’s what makes up 90 percent of the image.

If you were to ask a human, they might say it’s about a street at night or an apartment building at night. We recognize that the black isn’t the important part of the image.

A few might even recognize that the shot is about the moon, because that’s the highest point of contrast.

And if this person is your friend, too, you might say “what a great picture.”

But it’s not. What makes it interesting is the fact that it is a friend who took it.

If you had been there when they took the picture, you would have marvelled at how big the moon was, how bright, how impressive. You might have stood there for five or ten minutes admiring it, until it got too cold.

If you are like me, you might have drove into the country, where it’s dark, to find a place where you could see the moon better, without any lights. Toss some blankets in the back of the truck, and laid there for hours, just watching the sky.

I’ve been thinking about this in terms of self image.

You see, sometimes we take pictures of ourselves like this picture of the moon. It’s blurry and fails to capture what is actually there.

Yet you’d never accuse the moon of being ugly, or fat, or too tall or too pale. You would never confuse a bad picture of the moon for the moon itself. Nor would you think “This is as good as it gets. There is no better image that will now or ever capture the moon better than this crap-ass cell phone shot.

In fact, one of the greatest images of the moon, ever is this shot, by Michael Collins

(RIP to the Loneliest Man in the World).

You see, there are better pictures of the moon. Sometimes, a picture is better because the camera is better. Often times, it’s because the photographer is better, or because you’ve shifted your perspective. The picture above? Isn’t technically a great image. He didn’t have to do much in the way of lighting or composition. Just like the image above, Collins pointed the camera and clicked. He even caught the window frame in the shot. Which goes to show how much changing your perspective—both physically and mentally—can take you.

Not everyone gets to shift their perspective quite as much as this, but it’s important to realize that there is a difference between a snapshot of the moon and a professional photo of the moon. And there is a difference between a cell phone snap of you and a professional shot of you.

Indeed, one could say that you get the better end of the deal, what with professional hair and make-up, a full consultation, guidance in how to pose and a photographer who seeks to capture beauty in all its guises, who wants to celebrate you and capture everything about you that is beautiful and lovely and worthy.

I know this can be a challenge for some: putting themselves out there, getting photos taken. And I want this to be a great experience for you. I’d love to talk to you and you can ask questions and find out what the experience entails.