The shot is a two-shot taken on the same day and in the same setting, with the exception of the moon, which was exposed at 1/125th and combined in Photoshop. I have seen dozens of images of the Lost Dutchman, located in the Superstition Mountains near Apache Junction, just outside of Phoenix, Arizona. My daughter lives there, and I was staying with her. My purpose was to explore a few areas for photography. This location had always been a priority for me, and I wanted to take advantage of the Coyote Moon, which I knew from PhotoPills was set to rise behind the mountain.
When scouting the location the previous afternoon, I aimed to find a strong foreground, an interesting midground, and, of course, the star of the shot—the mountain. The full moon provided captivating shadows to enhance the scene. To me, the strongest foreground element was the Cholla cactus, with the Saguaros in the middle drawing the viewer’s eye up to the mountain.
The main challenge with this shot was to focus on changing the focal point while exposing for the moon’s details. It was crucial to align the layers and enhance the moon without losing the natural feel of the scene. Beyond that, all editing for sharpness, contrast, exposure, texture, and basic adjustments was done in Lightroom…