Capturing the Super Harvest Moon: A Connecticut Night Photography Adventure
Last night, October 6th, 2025, the sky put on quite a show. The so-called "Super Harvest Moon" hung overhead—though honestly, I just call it the moon. Big, full, and bright as hell. When you're a photo enthusiast like me, there's only one logical response: grab the camera and head outside.
My Insta360 Ace Pro2 is currently at the shop getting fixed (a story for another time that still has me a bit miffed), so I worked with what I had—the trusty Samsung S23. Mounted it on a tripod, switched to star mode, and started shooting. The results? Well, they reminded me of that old cartoon wisdom: the moon is big and bright until you try to photograph it, then it gets shy.
The Reality of Moon Photography
Here's the truth about photographing the moon—unless you've got a camera with serious zoom capabilities and the distance to use it, you're going to end up with a tiny bright dot in your frame. That's exactly what happened here. But the glow, the atmosphere, the way the light filtered through the trees? That still held some merit worth sharing.
The Super Harvest Moon lived up to its name in person, creating this ethereal halo effect that transformed the entire night scene. The foggy conditions added another layer of atmosphere, turning what could have been a standard moon shot into something more moody and dramatic.
Working with Limited Gear
Not having my Insta360 forced me to adapt. The Samsung S23 in star mode did a decent job capturing the ambient glow, even if the moon itself remained elusive in terms of detail. Sometimes photography is about working with what you have and finding the story in the limitations.
I positioned the tripod to include foreground elements—vegetation lit by the moon's glow—to add depth and context to the shots. The resulting images capture more of the feeling of standing outside under that massive moon than they do technical lunar detail. And sometimes, that's enough.
The Luminar Neo Experiment
I'm currently testing out Luminar Neo for post-processing these shots. The editing capabilities it offers are impressive, particularly for night photography and handling challenging light conditions. While I still appreciate Lightroom's catalog feature, the Adobe subscription model has been wearing thin on me.
Note: If you want to try Luminar Neo yourself, you can get 30% off using my affiliate link ( https://skylum.com/c/a5wr55ua84 ).
The problem? I use Illustrator just enough to stay hooked into the Adobe ecosystem. Yes, I know there are free open-source options and competitors with better pricing. Maybe I'm lazy about learning new workflows. Whatever the case, I'm starting the process of transitioning—teaching an old dog new tricks, as they say.
For these moon shots, Luminar Neo helped me enhance the atmospheric glow without pushing the processing into unrealistic territory. The goal was to maintain the authentic feel of standing outside in Connecticut, watching that giant moon rise through the fog.
Moon Photography Tips from the Field
If you're attempting moon photography yourself, here's what I've learned:
Tripod is Essential: Even with phone cameras, stability matters for night shots. The longer exposure times required for capturing ambient light mean any camera shake will blur your image.
Embrace the Atmosphere: Since capturing lunar detail requires serious telephoto capability, focus instead on the overall scene. Include foreground elements, capture the glow, work with the environmental conditions.
Star Mode Works: Most modern phones have night or star modes. Use them. They're designed to handle the challenging contrast between the bright moon and dark surroundings.
Post-Processing Matters: Night photography almost always benefits from editing. Don't be afraid to enhance the atmospheric qualities while keeping things natural.
Timing Counts: Shoot when the moon is lower on the horizon if possible. It appears larger (though this is an optical illusion) and you can more easily include interesting foreground elements.
The Super Harvest Moon Reality
The marketing around celestial events sometimes gets excessive. "Super Harvest Moon" sounds impressive, but it's just a full moon that happens to be slightly closer to Earth and occurs near the autumn equinox. Still, there's something undeniably compelling about heading outside when the moon is full and bright.
The night was cool, the fog added drama, and the light created interesting shadows and highlights across the landscape. These are the conditions that make night photography worthwhile, regardless of whether you capture the moon itself in perfect detail.
Final Thoughts on Moon Photography
My shots from last night aren't going to win any astrophotography awards. The moon appears as a bright, slightly hazy orb rather than a detailed lunar surface. But they capture something authentic—the experience of standing outside in Connecticut, camera in hand, trying to document something beautiful.
Photography isn't always about technical perfection. Sometimes it's about the attempt, the process, the moment of stopping to notice something worth photographing. The Super Harvest Moon gave me that excuse to step outside and shoot, even if my Insta360 was in the shop and the phone camera had limitations.
What do you think of the Super Harvest Moon? Do you like taking moon photos? Have you had success capturing lunar detail, or do you end up with results like mine—more atmosphere than specifics? Drop your experiences in the comments.
Recent Work & Publications
The Last Train: 46 Days with the Final Ringling Brothers Circus
In April 2017, I left my Atlanta circus company to join the final tour of Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus—"The Greatest Show on Earth" closing after 146 years.
The Last Train captures the last 46 days of an American institution from inside the legendary mile-long circus train. Experience the brutal 12-hour setups, the international community of 300 performers from over 30 countries, and the bittersweet reality of giving everything to something that's ending.
From lion encounters during load-out to watching America roll by from train vestibules, from emergency breakdowns to the emotional final bow at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on May 21, 2017—this memoir preserves how the world's most famous circus actually worked, and what it meant to the people who lived it.
Paperback – August 23, 2025
The Secret to 7-Figure Living: How to Open Your Life to Boundless Joy, Prosperity, and Freedom
This book redefines prosperity and success beyond superficial wealth, instead measured by intentional cultivation of creativity, adventure, strong relationships, and purpose.
Key concepts include:
- Prioritizing life experiences over material accumulation
- Embracing minimalism to create space for deeper connections
- Generous living with time, skills, and focus
- Choosing quality relationships over quantity
- Designing environments that spark inspiration
- Aligning actions with values-based goals
- Leaving meaningful legacy through everyday choices
The book provides a blueprint for cultivating happiness accessible to everyone willing to redefine affluence on their own terms, regardless of financial constraints.
Paperback – February 12, 2024
Continue following the journey at RoamingSparrow.com - where adventure meets authentic storytelling.