Mount Williamson Moonrise

This photo of the moonrise at Mount Williamson was taken from the hills next to the famous Movie Road in Alabama Hills. The best way to get there is by car and it would take 20-30 minutes from the nearest town, Lone Pine. Take Highway 395 and turn to Whitney Portal Road. After following the road for about 3.5 km, turn right towards Movie Road. In about 4.5 km, you will see a parking bay where you can park your car. After that, it will take a 10-20 minute hike to reach the spot where the photo was taken, marked in the GPS coordinates. Face west and you'll see Mount Williamson in all its glory!

You can get a similar shot of Mount Williamson year round, but if you want to have the full moon behind the mountains at sunrise, you'll need to plan ahead! I recommend using a photo scheduler like the app Photopills.

To capture moonrise, you'll most likely need to visit at sunrise or the early morning. Also at this time you'll be able to capture the first light hitting the mountain peaks, but it will still be dark enough making it look like the moon is illuminating the mountains. For a darker sky, be sure to arrive a bit before sunrise.

The rocks of Alabama Hills can be slippery—be careful! Hiking shoes would be useful.

I used a telephoto lens with a 200m focal length to capture a close and compressed view of Mount Williamson. It also allowed me to capture more detail of the moon in the background.

Consider positioning the moon in the center of your frame for balance and to be a distinct focal point for the viewer.

Alabama Hills is a great place for camping. I definitely recommend spending a few days here, especially if you enjoy hiking. Camping is free and there are restrooms you can use.

Check out Mobius Arch Loop Trailhead and Shark Fin Trailhead for hiking

For more information: https://www.blm.gov/visit/alabama-hills