Okay, so I’ve been wanting to do this “first watch on the moon” thing for a while now. It’s kinda nerdy, but hey, I’m embracing it. Basically, I wanted to recreate that iconic moment, you know, with a watch and a lunar backdrop.
Getting Started
First things first, I needed a watch. I didn’t have a Speedmaster like the astronauts, and let’s be honest, those things are pricey! I went with a decent-looking chronograph I already owned. It’s got that classic vibe, so it works.
Next up, the “moon.” I obviously couldn’t go to the actual moon. So, I searched for a high-resolution image of the lunar surface online,and I found this really detailed one and printed that baby out on a big sheet of photo paper. Made a few adjustements. I gotta say, it looked pretty convincing, all craters and shadows.
Setting the Scene
I cleared off my desk and taped the moon print to the wall. Pretty simple setup, really. I wanted to get the lighting right, so I played around with a desk lamp. I ended up positioning it off to the side to create some dramatic shadows, just like on the real moon. It made the watch look cooler, too.
I even crumpled up some aluminum foil and put it around the base of the ‘moonscape’ to mimic that reflective, dusty look. I felt like a real set designer, haha.
The Photo Shoot
Now for the fun part! I put the watch on a little stand I made out of some cardboard. I wanted it to look like it was floating above the lunar surface. It took a few tries to get it positioned just right.
- First try, the watch was too far away.
- Second try, the angle was off.
- Third try… almost perfect!
I used my phone camera, mostly because it’s what I had on hand. I played with the focus and exposure to make sure the watch was sharp and the “moon” looked realistic. I took a bunch of shots, changing the angle and lighting slightly each * know that I want to get the right one.
The Final Result
After snapping a ton of photos, I picked the best one. I did a little bit of editing on my phone, just adjusting the brightness and contrast a bit. Nothing too crazy. And boom! There it was, my “first watch on the moon” photo.
It’s not exactly NASA quality, but I’m pretty stoked with how it turned out. It was a fun little project, and it definitely satisfied my inner space geek. Now I’ve got a cool picture to show for it, and I learned a bit about photography along the way. Win-win!
