Cityscapes, May 2022 - Calgary, AB

2022 - May 13 - May 17

16x9 Panoramic Cityscape (5 shot) of the downtown skyline [Sunset (sun altitude -0.1 degree)] from near Valleyview Park, Calgary, AB - May 13th

16x9 Panoramic Cityscape (5 shot) of the downtown skyline [Nautical Twilight (sun altitude -6.4 degree)] from near Valleyview Park, Calgary, AB - May 13th

16x9 Panoramic Cityscape (5 shot) of the downtown skyline [Nautical Twilight (sun altitude -6.9 degree)] from near Valleyview Park, Calgary, AB - May 13th

This next image is a 16x9 cropped out portion from the image shown directly above (only involves 3 of the 7 shots originally captured).

16x9 Panoramic Cityscape (3 shot) of the downtown skyline [Nautical Twilight (sun altitude -6.9 degree)] from near Valleyview Park, Calgary, AB - May 13th

I went to West Hillhurst on the evening of May 14th as a bit of a dry run for what would be tomorrow evening's Full Blood Moonrise shot, captured from about the same spot, more or less. Also, I wanted to try and capture the moon centered between some downtown buildings, just for a bit of a challenge, and to try out this app that I use that helps me to know where to be, and when, when lining up the moon with some other interesting subjects. I must say, it's fairly accurate, and makes things much easier than if I were using other separate resources to calculate the same thing (Google Maps, websites like Date and Time). I knew, before going there on this evening, it would be a full daylight lighting scenario, but thought I'd get some practice in anyway. Kind of funny that a WestJet airplane entered the frame just as the moon was at about center between the buildings (below). Would have been pretty cool, and very lucky, if the plane was centered within the moon. Hmmm..may have to give making that happen somehow some thought.

Moonrise (Waxing Gibbous phase @ 98.3%, elevation 2.75 degrees) between some familiar downtown buildings, from Grasshopper Hill, West Hillhurst, Calgary, AB - May 14th

3x1 Panoramic Cityscape (8 shot) of the downtown skyline and Moonrise (Waxing Gibbous phase @ 98.4%, elevation 5.6 degrees), from Grasshopper Hill, West Hillhurst, Calgary, AB - May 14th

I thought it'd be fun to try and center the setting Full Moon over, and between, two twin tower downtown buildings. Was looking not too bad (below) just prior to the desired positioning.

Moonset (Full phase @ 99.3%, elevation 3.9 degrees) (Nautical Twilight, Sun elevation -6.7 degrees) over twin tower downtown buildings, Tom Campbell's Hill Natural Park, Calgary, AB - May 15th

Just as the Full Moon was about to settle down, and over, into center position between, and over, the towers, it faded out of sight (below) behind clouds to the Southwest.

Moonset (Full phase @ 99.3%, elevation 3.6 degrees) (Nautical Twilight, Sun elevation -6.5 degrees) over twin tower downtown buildings, Tom Campbell's Hill Natural Park, Calgary, AB - May 15th

So I ended up moving over to my right several meters and tried to capture the setting Full Moon between some downtown buildings, and over the Rocky Mountains. Was looking not too bad (below) just prior to the desired positioning. Sound familiar? Some clouds are good to add interest and mystery, but too many will definitely ruin the desired shot.

Moonset (Full phase @ 99.3%, elevation 2.1 degrees) (Civil Twilight, Sun elevation -5.1 degrees) over the Rocky Mountains, and between downtown buildings, Tom Campbell's Hill Natural Park, Calgary, AB - May 15th

With some fine tuning and adjustments of moving the tripod/camera around somewhat, just as the Full Moon was about to settle down, over the Rockies, and into center position between the buildings, it faded out of sight (below) behind clouds to the Southwest. YET AGAIN! Yeah..this happens a lot. Oh well, it makes the successful outings just feel that much more gratifying I suppose. Plus, there was still this evening's Full Blood Moonrise to look forward to after all!

Moonset (Full phase @ 99.3%, elevation 1.9 degrees) (Civil Twilight, Sun elevation -4.9 degrees) over the Rocky Mountains, and between downtown buildings, Tom Campbell's Hill Natural Park, Calgary, AB - May 15th

No Full Blood Moonrise for us here in Calgary due to an overcast sky..second straight year that happened to us..both times in May. Maybe next time..we'll see. I captured an image (below) anyway since I went all the way up there (a 52 km round trip for me).

3x1 Panoramic Cityscape (8 shot) of the downtown skyline and (would be) Full Blood Moonrise (Full phase @ 100%, elevation 5.3 degrees) (Nautical Twilight, Sun elevation -6.2 degrees), from Grasshopper Hill, West Hillhurst, Calgary, AB - May 15th

These next 2 images (below) are 4x5 cropped out portions from the image shown directly above (only involves 3 of the 8 shots originally captured each).

4x5 Panoramic Cityscape (3 shot) of the downtown skyline and (would be) Full Blood Moonrise (Full phase @ 100%, elevation 5.3 degrees) (Nautical Twilight, Sun elevation -6.2 degree), from Grasshopper Hill, West Hillhurst, Calgary, AB - May 15th

This next image (below) is a 16x9 cropped out portion from the 3x1 full image shown above (only involves 4 of the 8 shots originally captured).

16x9 Panoramic Cityscape (4 shot) of the downtown skyline and (would be) Full Blood Moonrise (Full phase @ 100%, elevation 5.3 degrees) (Nautical Twilight, Sun elevation -6.2 degree), from Grasshopper Hill, West Hillhurst, Calgary, AB - May 15th

On the morning of May 16th I headed up to the Crescent Heights Lookout Point in hopes of capturing an image that involved the (almost) Full Moon setting over the Rocky Mountains, aligned with the Bow River and Peace Bridge. Since I went all the way up there (a 56 km round trip for me), I thought why not capture a pre Sunrise Panoramic Cityscape before hand as well. Glad I did that, because I like the way it turned out. The sky is pretty plane and boring sure, it's true, but I like that particular color of blue. It was captured within the first couple of minutes of the Blue Hour (the times of day when the sun is between -4 and -6 degrees elevation). It's not daylight, but it's no longer dark either. To me, the best part of the image (below) is in it's balance. The sky is even all the way across, and contrasts well with the still shining city lights that are no longer blaringly bright, if you get me, due to the ambient light starting to form from the sky, Also, there is good balance with the way the brighter Northeastern sky is subtly being reflected off the mirror like windows of the downtown buildings, warm tones on the lower portions of the buildings, cooler at the top, the way the sky looks when you're looking in the direction of the sun about to rise..warm tones on the horizon, transitioning to cooler the higher you go up. Difficult to explain, I just know when I see something I like lol. It may be easier to see what it is I'm trying to describe within the cropped out portion pictures (displayed directly after this 3x1 original, below). One other thing, I like the tall square building being lit up in red at the top of it, that's been that way since the Calgary Flames started their playoff run. The usual default color for that building is a pale steel-blue like color, but I've also seen it in a kind of beige color as well, maybe even green for March 17th.

3x1 Panoramic Cityscape (8 shot) of the downtown skyline and Moonset (Waning Gibbous phase @ 99.9%, elevation 5.2 degrees) (Civil Twilight/Blue Hour, Sun elevation -5.6 degrees), from the Crescent Heights Lookout Point, Calgary, AB - May 16th

This next image (below) is a 4x5 cropped out portion from the 3x1 full image shown directly above (only involves 2 of the 8 shots originally captured).

4x5 Panoramic Cityscape (2 shot) of the downtown skyline (Civil Twilight/Blue Hour, Sun elevation -5.6 degrees), from the Crescent Heights Lookout Point, Calgary, AB - May 16th

This next image (below) is a 16x9 cropped out portion from the 3x1 full image shown above (only involves 3 of the 8 shots originally captured).

16x9 Panoramic Cityscape (3 shot) of the downtown skyline (Civil Twilight/Blue Hour, Sun elevation -5.6 degrees), from the Crescent Heights Lookout Point, Calgary, AB - May 16th

This is the planned photo I went to the Crescent Heights Lookout Point for (below) on the morning of May 16th. It didn't go exactly according to plan, but pretty well for the most part, given the conditions and scenario. I will be back to try it again when the conditions line up just a little bit better. The clouds over the Rocky Mountains cut the plan a bit short, but it wouldn't have mattered much anyway, because by this time, it was getting to be too light out anyway. I envision this photo with more city lights being a factor, and they were already faded too much, or turned off completely by this point. If those clouds weren't there, and another 5 minutes went by, the amount of time for the Moon to descend to the Mountain peaks, it would just be way too bright overall by then. I don't know, the sun could have been up by then too, lighting up the mountains with the first light of the day, often in pink color on a clear morning such as this was, this side of the mountains anyway. I didn't stick around once the Moon descended fully behind the clouds. Don't get me wrong, I am happy with this image, but I just know it can be better is all. The trees don't have their full leaves yet either, something that just bugs me a little bit. It did manage to get the "Pic of the Day" on a recent CTV Calgary News broadcast, so I guess it can't be too bad.

3x1 Panoramic Cityscape (7 shot) of the Bow River, Peace Bridge, and Moonset (Waning Gibbous phase @ 99.9%, elevation 2.5 degrees) (Civil Twilight/Golden Hour, Sun elevation -1.8 degrees), from the Crescent Heights Lookout Point, Calgary, AB - May 16th

This next image (below) is a 4x5 cropped out portion from the 3x1 full image shown directly above (only involves 3 of the 7 shots originally captured).

4x5 Panoramic Cityscape (3 shot) of the Bow River, Peace Bridge, and Moonset (Waning Gibbous phase @ 99.9%, elevation 2.5 degrees) (Civil Twilight/Golden Hour, Sun elevation -1.8 degrees), from the Crescent Heights Lookout Point, Calgary, AB - May 16th

This next image (below) is a 16x9 cropped out portion from the 3x1 full image shown above (only involves 5 of the 7 shots originally captured).

16x9 Panoramic Cityscape (5 shot) of the Bow River, Peace Bridge, and Moonset (Waning Gibbous phase @ 99.9%, elevation 2.5 degrees) (Civil Twilight/Golden Hour, Sun elevation -1.8 degrees), from the Crescent Heights Lookout Point, Calgary, AB - May 16th

I'm quite surprised this image (below) even turned out at all due to how windy it was at the time of shooting. I definitely had to place the tripod on firm concrete, and extend it at it's lowest possible setting, as well as remove the hood from the lens.

3x1 Panoramic Cityscape (8 shot) of the downtown skyline (Civil Twilight/Golden Hour, Sun elevation -3.6 degrees), from Tom Campbell's Hill Natural Park, Calgary, AB - May 17th

This next image (below) is a 16x9 cropped out portion from the 3x1 full image shown directly above (only involves 4 of the 7 shots originally captured).

16x9 Panoramic Cityscape (4 shot) of the downtown skyline (Civil Twilight/Golden Hour, Sun elevation -3.6 degrees), from Tom Campbell's Hill Natural Park, Calgary, AB - May 17th

It was a pretty dramatic sky all around on the evening of May 17th to say the least, so I decided to head out and see if I could get anything interesting with regard to capturing images. Sometimes you just can't know what it's really like until you arrive at the shooting location, especially when you can't see the horizon, like I can't from where I live. Anyway, when I arrived at Edworthy Park (it's pretty much the closest to where I live of all the good vantage points of the downtown skyline from around the city, at a 44 km round trip), the sky looked very interesting in all the directions I could see, except for the direction I'd be shooting from at Edworthy that is, East Southeast. It was just a plane, bland, boring, soft, and very dull gray backdrop for my downtown skyline subject. The sun was due to set within about 30 minutes I'd say. I was kicking myself for not coming out about 45 minutes to an hour before I did. I saw a pretty well defined rainbow on the way to Edworthy, the kind that went all the way to the horizon at both ends of it. Well, I didn't just leave. I decided to wait it out a while and see if anything changed. Within a fairly short period of time the sky did change quite a lot, as one could pretty much see the clouds being blown across the sky as you gazed around. Just to change things up a little bit, I decided to shoot at a little wider angle than I typically do from this spot. Placed the horizon at about a 1/3 the way up from the bottom of the frame to capture more sky than usual. Didn't even get wet through this process, though there were rain showers all around the area. Here's the photos I captured. Nothing exceptional, but not too bad.

The near setting Sun threw up a bit of color on the high clouds which helped on the first image.

16x9 Panoramic Cityscape (5 shot) of the downtown skyline [Sunset, Golden Hour (sun altitude 1.4 degrees)] from Edworthy Park, Calgary, AB - May 17th

16x9 Panoramic Cityscape (5 shot) of the downtown skyline [Civil Twilight, Blue Hour (sun altitude -5.2 degrees)] from Edworthy Park, Calgary, AB - May 17th

16x9 Panoramic Cityscape (5 shot) of the downtown skyline [Civil Twilight, Blue Hour (sun altitude -5.7 degrees)] from Edworthy Park, Calgary, AB - May 17th

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