Blood Moon April 15th 2014                click to enlarge

It is cold in the mountains at 6400′ at 1:00am in the morning, and having a 20mph wind whistling down your neck while standing in ankle-deep snow for hours doesn’t make it any warmer. Neither does wishing you were in bed sleeping. Or wishing that famous ‘Blood Moon eclipses’ happened at, say noon, in Bali, in the shade of a Banyan tree while you’re on a full-boat, all expenses paid assignment for Nat Geo. The hard truth is, this is where, when and why it is happening and if you have any ideas of calling yourself a photographer you have to stay up, put on your long-johns and go out and shoot the bloody thing (every pun intended).

Blood Moons are a pretty big deal to astronomer types, or those who like to make up legends and prophesies to scare the bejesus out those who like to hear that kind of stuff, but I believe their real value lies in their other-worldly beauty. Watching one of Nature’s spectacular events unfold in slow-motion is an experience everyone should have, even if you have it in the dark freezing night, high up in the Colorado mountains. If for no other reason than to be reminded that there are events and phenomenon’s that are bigger than individuals, bigger that humankind in general and these events may possibly call to our attention that we’re not as important as we think we are. Well, I am actually, but that’s the only exception to the rule.

I could tell you about why they call it the Blood Moon, what causes it, how often it happens, will it cause your rutabaga crop to fail, but you’ve either heard that already or seen in on the net and they’ve done a great job of giving you all the details. Instead I would like to show you the result of a really cool experience that makes being alive worth it. Enjoy.