Moonrise over Rainier
Mount Rainier National Park
I had consulted the astronomical guides and knew the nearly full moon would be over Mount Rainier, which was 97 degrees from my vantage point near Olympia. The clouds cooperated, and I had a clear view of the moon and the mountain. Because the moon is so bright compared to the rest of the landscape at twilight, I used a graduated neutral density filter to lessen the amount of moonlight reaching my camera, thereby balancing the light from the moon with the light reflecting from the mountain. This is among my favorite photographs. Photo © copyright by Stephen Penland.