Holy moly… this one starts in the dark at Moonstone Beach in Cambria, California, chasing a moonset before sunrise. I framed the scene with rocks, stayed up on a safe landing (no way I’m gambling with a sneaky wave when I can’t even see the water), and tried to make it work with a Pentax 24mm at f/8. I also ran a variable ND because I like what it does over water—especially that little bit of polarization. In the end, I’m calling the moonset an epic fail, purely on timing: the moon was still too high by the time it would’ve hit the horizon and the sun was already coming up. But it wasn’t a loss. I got that insane pink morning color and nerded out a bit on why it happens (Rayleigh scattering—our atmosphere knocks out the blue and leaves the warm stuff). Then the video turns into a mini “three sunsets” run: one rushed, one calmer with the tide out, and a final one on the trusty Canon R5 with a Canon 35mm FL lens. I also played with my new camera using my favorite Chinon M42 lens (because with the right adapter it’ll fit just about anything). The big takeaway: even when the plan fails, getting out there, staying safe, and shooting what you can is still a win.