Moonlight Serenade

Subtitle: Another Marvellous Night for a Moondance

Uluru – Northern Territory June 2016 (12 photos)

On a blue cloudless afternoon, we made our way to watch the sunset at Uluru. As I mentioned before, we had received special Media designation and privileges, and this allowed us to position ourselves to watch this particular sunset away from the sunset viewing areas set aside for tourists. This was important for this particular photography session.

Once again, Uluru put on a magical show as it caught the light of the setting sun.

With the land so flat, the shadows lengthen quickly.

Being a dedicated landscape photography trip, we were not there to watch any sunset at Uluru. Rather, that evening was one of those rare evenings when the sunset occurred at almost exactly the same time as the rising of a full moon. We were strategically positioned to watch this with the moon ascending above the horizon next to Uluru. At the usual sunset viewing spots over to the right of where we were, the moonrise would be hidden behind Uluru and the full moon would only be visible an hour or so after sunset/moonrise. The secret to landscape photography is preparation: the right time at the right place.

“Peek-a-boo”

Right on cue, the moon peeked above the horizon.

I stand at your gate and the song that I sing is of moonlight I stand and I wait for the touch of your hand in the June night The roses are sighing A Moonlight Serenade.

Moonlight Serenade is an American swing ballad composed by Glenn Miller. It was an immediate phenomenon when first released in May 1939 as an instrumental arrangement, originally as the B track to another arrangement, Sunrise Serenade. In 1991, Miller’s recording of Moonlight Serenade was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Later, lyrics were added by Mitchell Parish, the song being sung by Frank Sinatra in 1965, and many other artists since.

As the light faded, the full moon became the dominant light, too bright to photograph properly. I turned around to see the silhouettes of the last light of day disappear.

The cloudless night afforded other opportunities. I might indulge in some night photography in my next post.

The stars are aglow and tonight how their light sets me dreaming My love, do you know that your eyes are like stars brightly beaming? I bring you and I sing you A Moonlight Serenade