Starlight and Moonlight in the October Maple Forest

Here is another recent image celebrating the new forest views that are open to us with the annual falling of the leaves.  This image was captured along an old logging road in Grand Portage, MN and was made on the night of the half-moon about an hour after it had risen.  The subdued moonlight made a really nice accent to the starlight, adding depth to the foreground by illuminating the forest and creating tree shadows.  I sure do love the night sky and I love making images of it, especially when I can combine the elements of earth and sky in a way such as this.  The soft light of a just risen half-moon works really well for adding just the right amount of light to the foreground without overpowering the scene or washing out the stars.