Moon Over the Inlet

Hillsboro Inlet, Pompano Beach, Florida

It was a lovely afternoon, and the sunset was about to happen. The sky was clear, and the light was warm and soft. As I arrived at the Hillsboro Inlet, the breeze from the ocean carried a fresh scent of the sea toward the shore. On the west side of the inlet, you may find the Lighthouse museum, with a small park between the museum and a charming marina nestled on the inlet's shores. This small park is a very calm place with benches and green areas where locals gather to enjoy the view of the lighthouse while a few kids play around with family and friends.

Visiting the Museum Lighthouse's park on any afternoon is an excellent opportunity to take a walk or simply sit back and relax on the park benches. However, on this particular day, there was an added bonus: a beautiful Supermoon displayed in all its magnificence at the east of the inlet, just behind the lighthouse.

The calm winds and weather conditions made this a perfect opportunity to use my drone for a spheric panorama.

Since this area has special regulations for drone flying. I had to request a Low-Altitude-Flight permission to make the shot.

After capturing the spherical panorama and packing up my drone, it was time to catch the Supermoon as it rose on the opposite side of the sunset. I quickly set up my tripod and attached a zoom lens to my camera to capture a freeze-frame of the Super-moon at its peak.

The final image is a photo-composition of the two shots: the spherical panorama and a freeze frame of the Supermoon.

When I originally planned this image, the artistic intent was to showcase the beauty of the Supermoon rising over one side of the planet in contrast with the golden-hour hues illuminating the opposite side of the Earth, making the scene even more magical.

But all this mesmerizing adventure took a whole new meaning because my family accompanied me the entire time.

I vividly remember the afternoon before when I excitedly shared with my family about a mirage I wanted to capture a few miles away from our home. It was a Saturday, and my family was equally thrilled to join me on this adventure, not just because of the Supermoon but because they could sense my enthusiasm and wanted to share that moment with me.

May this image's essence be a touching reminder and testimony that the most beautiful moments in our lives are meaningless unless we have someone to share them with.