We were set up overlooking Crissy Field with a clear shot to the
skyline, waiting for the moon to rise. I had been envisioning
this image for too many months and here it was unfolding in front
of my eyes. The sun had just set behind us and the April moon
was breaking the horizon a little to the left of the Transamerica
building. We were positioned perfectly. The moon was bubble gum
pink and the sky clear and twilight blue. The moon slipped behind
the pyramid just as I had hoped and dreamed. I shot fifteen or
sixteen frames, a good half a roll of film, when the camera jammed.
I couldn't advance or rewind it. It was just stuck. I had the
shot in the can, the one I had been planning for so long; the
moon pierced by the pyramid, the olive on the martini stick. My
mind raced through the options as the moon continued to climb
with the light changing every second, colors mutating and the
sky doing amazing things. I only had the one camera body with
me. After several moments of considering the options, I decided
to pull the half-exposed roll out and reload and continue on while
this outrageous display of beauty and magic evolved. One of the
toughest decisions I have had to make. It took about a minute
to reload and in that short time the moon had moved up and to
the right of the pyramid, my dream shot gone. I love this image,
but it still hurts to think about what I had to give up to get
this one. It's been several years now and I still go back to that
spot, but the moon has never quite lined up like it did that night.
But I keep watching, waiting...