When I took a few shots of the full moon tonight (later learning that it was also a “Blue Moon”) I was disappointed with them, because I wasn’t seeing the sharp focus that I’d gotten in the past.

7:56 PM, 200 mm, ISO 250, f/8.0, 1/250 sec

I wondered if it was the lens; when I sold my Nikon D90 to buy the Canon 60D, I also sold some nice lenses like the 300 mm telephoto I’d used for the sharp moon shots, including those of the “Super Moon.” Had I made a big mistake selling the Nikon (and the lenses)?

However, I went back into my Lightroom library and found pictures I’d previously taken with the Canon 200 mm lens and they revealed clear details of craters on the moon. I must be doing something wrong tonight.

This shot, which I took about 11 PM, has an even softer focus.

10:56 PM, 200 mm. ISO 250, f/8.0, 1/250 sec

Now I was really getting frustrated. I went out an hour later, when the sky was clearer. I also lowered the ISO to 160. This image is a little closer, but still not what I want.

11:54 PM, 200 mm, ISO 160, f/8.0, 1/250 sec.

Had I messed with some settings, thus affecting the images in some way? I haven’t learned this camera yet, and that is possible. And now, ladies and gentlemen, as I type this, I remember that last night, I had played with the white balance setting, moving it from auto white balance to tungsten. I don’t suppose the moon is lit by tungsten light, now is it? LESSON: Always check the settings. Now, I remember advice from one workshop teacher to always, after a shoot, return the settings to normal.

2:28 AM Sat Sept 1, 200 mm, ISO 160, f/8.0, 1/250 sec. AUTO WHITE BALANCE!