Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Halloween Astrophotography - Night, New Moon, Street-Lamp and Spider Web

This photo was not taken on Halloween, but the moment I reviewed it the scene naturally reminded me of a classic Halloween mood — a new moon behind thin clouds, a glowing street lamp, and a spider resting on its web. I captured this atmospheric moment near Yellowstone Lake Hotel while testing a new lens. The weather was not suitable for deep-sky photography, but sometimes small details create their own story.

Just after sunset, only the moon was visible in the sky while thin clouds drifted across it. The warm light of the street lamp illuminated the spider on its delicate web, giving the scene an unexpected, almost cinematic feel.

Moonlit scene at Yellowstone Lake Hotel with thin clouds, a glowing street lamp and a spider on its web creating a natural Halloween-like atmosphere.

Camera Settings

Camera: Canon 60Da
Lens: Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM Telephoto Lens
Exposure: 1/400 sec
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 3200
Notes: Fast shutter to preserve natural brightness of moon and lamp

About the Lens

For this image I was testing my Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM, a telephoto prime lens well known for its excellent sharpness and simple optical design. Unlike zoom lenses with many internal elements, a prime lens typically offers better contrast and fewer distortions — especially useful in astrophotography where precision matters. Since most night-sky photography does not require zoom, this lens is a great match for capturing small illuminated subjects or atmospheric details.

About This Photo

Even though this was not a Halloween night, the elements came together — moonlight, thin clouds, spider, and lamp — to create a scene with a Halloween-like character. This small moment became a unique part of my Yellowstone astrophotography series.