Don Leach THOUGHTS FROM THE SCENE: Every...

Don Leach

THOUGHTS FROM THE SCENE: Every night during the Orange County

Fair, I see the glow of the giant wheel in the sky when I drive down

the offramp to the Costa Mesa Freeway. Several times last week, I

kept looking at it, trying to figure out how to photograph it from

afar. I kept driving.

Next week, I thought. Then came a clear night. The crescent moon

was out. Again I drove past the Le Grande Wheel standing tall and

brilliant above the freeway. As I glanced back this time, I saw a new

element -- that perfect crescent moon ready to drop in behind it.

I have to shoot it now, I thought, even though I was tired. It was

a long and frustrating day and I wanted to go home. I mustered up one

more ounce of effort and got off the freeway to find a spot to try

and line-up the picture. I wanted to get the moon and the wheel

together somewhere.

I drove a huge loop through residential streets and onto Newport

Boulevard. There was no stopping or parking anywhere on Newport.

Where could I leave my car and set up?, I wondered. Then, there it

was. The driveway of Santa Ana Country Club.

I jumped out, put on the 300 mm lens and flimsy tripod and began

to line-up the moon and the wheel. The perfect place for the shot was

further down the sidewalk, past the Club. I sat holding my breath on

every shot, so as not to move the camera. I managed to hold it steady

enough to get a sharp photo when the moon was just right.