Pescadero, California

An unusual weather pattern afforded a shot that few ever get. Normally there's a thick marine layer offshore that swallows up the moon as it approaches the lighthouse.  This was my third attempt at this shot.

San Francisco, California

After lifting hundreds of tons of steel into place for the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge, this crane makes one final heavy lift.

This is a shot I've been thinking about for months. A combination of good weather and moon alignment finally made it possible. Luckily, the crane was parked pointing south at the end of the work day. The easter span opens up this fall so at some point in the coming months this crane has to come down. This shot is a lot closer to the subject (bridge) than I would normal prefer but I wanted the moon to appear to be "in proportion" with the crane and tower.  Update:  The crane has now been removed.

Ridgecrest, California

This moment is called "second contact." It is the point where Venus has ingressed into the interior of the sun. Even though completely inside, there is a momentary illusion that Venus is still touching the sun's limb. This illusion is called a "black drop effect" or to a lesser extent, the "teardrop effect." You can create the same illusion but very nearly touching your thumb and any other finger of your choosing. Right before they make contact, they will appear to touch. Go ahead and try it, you know you want to!

The next tranist of Venus will be in 2117 (not a typo) so start planning ahead.  There will be a transit of Mercury in 2016.

Sausalito, California

The full moon rises over San Francisco's iconic Transamerica Pyramid while the Golden Gate Bridge graces the foreground.  Full moons that rise 15-30 minutes after sunset are my favorite becasue the sky turns a beautiful blue color.

San Francisco, California

At 4.5 billion years old, the sun is arguably man's best friend.  Dogs are a close second of course.  This photo was taken on my favorite street in San Francisco - California Street.  Looking and shooting directly into the sun without a filter creates plenty of problems.  But the outcome can often be quite interesting.

Sausalito, California

Sausalito, California

Even without a full moon this is a pretty cool location. You can see the TransAmerica Pyramid through the north tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. I knew the moon would line up well but I'd be lying if I said we thought it would be this well.

San Francisco, California