The second most impressive skyline—after New York City’s—is, in my view, Chicago’s. I am fortunate that my studio has a large rooftop deck with great views of the Chicago skyline, and a few times each year, the full moonrise comes up right over my city view. But like all full moonrises, shots like these are 100 percent weather dependent; a cloudy sky in the forecast spells doom for a shot like this. The night I took this image, we were blessed with a clear night, so my decision over where to put the horizon line was easy. This image was all about the vast universe and the full moon, and as such, the city would be “pushed down” toward the bottom third of the frame, allowing the dusky blue sky and moon to dominate the composition. Note, by the way, how an upside down “triangle” emerges, formed by the lines of the city’s buildings, as if to cradle the full moon.

Nikon D3X with Nikkor 70–300mm lens at 300mm, f/11 for 2 seconds, ISO 200