Music to Life Song of the Week: Yellow Moon by Pearl Jam

The song, “Yellow Moon” by Pearl Jam can be found on their latest album Lightning Bolt. One of the best things I love about Pearl Jam’s music is that I feel an environmental connection with it. When I’m out camping at Joshua Tree National Park, hiking the woods by Big Bear Lake, or kayaking down King’s River, I love listening to Pearl Jam on the headphones. We shot this up by Lake Arrowhead, California with my friend, Stephanie, and there was this awesome breeze that flowed perfectly through her dress.

Here, far away
One could feel the earth vibrate
Moon changing shape and shade
as we all do under its gaze
Yellow moon on the rise
Yellow moon on the rise

Lyrics by Jeff Ament & Eddie Vedder

Conceptual Photography – How I Shot It

This is a composite image, and I shot Stephanie during the day and the moon later that night. I used the Canon 5D Mark III and I paired it with the Sigma 35mm f1.4 art lens. I’ve been using this lens for about 6 months and I absolutely love it. It’s the perfect environmental portrait lens. There’s no distortion, it renders color beautifully, and it’s incredibly sharp. I used only natural light, which was harsh midday sunlight in this case, and it was perfect for the picture that I wanted. The moon was shot with the Canon 70-200mm f2.8 lens at 200mm.

Later in the year, I saw Pearl Jam in Concert with my wife, and they played Yellow Moon. Needless to say, it was amazing.

Play “Yellow Moon”

If you’re interested in shooting a Music to Life series image, message me at contact@jimmybuiphotography.com and don’t forget to visit my website and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Thank you so much!