Total lunar eclipse was fully visible in Tbilisi, Georgia on September 28, 2015 between 05:07 and 06:55 (Tbilisi time). I must admit that I really enjoy photography, but I had never ever done anything like this (photographing lunar eclipse) before. This night was one of the strangest and mysterious nights I have experienced this year (at least) - what was meant to be just a photography turned ou to be a man's rescue from cold waters of Mtkvari river. (Spoiler: This story has happy endings).
Here is the story:
At first I was totally not into this thing - I slept well, and then without reason we woke up at around 4:00 AM. Hmm, OK, that sometimes happens... Then we started walk around our apartment and then we remembered - hey, there is that lunar thing happening sometime today... OK, we are awake, there is that lunar thing... Right, let's prepare a coffee in thermos, take a tripod, telephoto lens and let's capture this lunar thing.
We decided to use Queen Tamar Bridge (Tamar Mephe) as our vantage point, I installed camera on a tripod and started to play with camera:
Super moon above Tbilisi, Georgia
While I was busy with camera I heard a plop in the Mtkvari river, and I thought - strange - what was that?
My partner noticed there is a man in cold Mtkvari waters. We had left our phones at our apartment and we hadn't any chance to call 112 ... Right, what should we do next... turned out, the man flowing in Mtkvari tried to climb up the embankment walls and get out from river, but unsuccessfully... We were pretty desperate, it's a night, we don't have our phones but that poor guy in waters can loose his life. Luckily after some minute or something a police patrol car crossed Queen Tamar Bridge, we immediately stopped it - since we don't speak Georgian, I asked does they speak Russian - and explained in Russian there is a man in waters and lets save this guy. Police understood what we were telling and immediately rushed to rescue that man.
Georgian Police searching for a person in Mtkvari river
As you can see from the above image, the embankment walls are very high, and it's pretty impossible to rescue a person without a special equipment.
Georgian Rescue Services
Soon (in matter of 30-50 seconds) there were more forces involved in this rescue operation
Queen Tamar Bridge
We stayed back on the bridge
Georgian emergency services rescuing a person
Some special forces arrived and rescued person using rope. As we latter learned, that guy was probably drunk... we don't know any details more on this. But what's important - he was rescued and live.
Georgian Patrol Police
Police arrived back on the bridge to write down our testimony and draw up protocol.
We told the police the same I have written above - heard the plop, noticed a man, tried to figure out what do next, when noticed a police patrol car which we stopped.
We told as well, we are here for a lunar eclipse photography, whereupon policemen acted very interested, asked me some questions about photography, not on all I could answer, because I'm just a hobbyist photographer, first time ever doing something like lunar eclipse photography.Police probably taught that I'm some professional instead after looking on my equipment - a tripod, camera and telephoto lens.. ahh yes, a thermos with coffee as well.
Policemen from patrol car informed that there is a criminal police looking to take a testimony from us, and that we should join police car, and they will take us down to the embankment. Police allowed to pack up my belonging carefully, and then took us down to embankment. This was my first time driving in police's car backseat. (And hopefully the last).
Now, being located on the embankment I noticed there is another great angle to photograph lunar eclipse, so I asked can I continue shooting, while my partner is dealing with police officers (giving the same testimony again). Police allowed me to do that. Now after some 5 minutes guys from criminal police told us, that we should join them and go to the police station to write again that protocol thing. I asked why should we do this, we have already twice done that. Some problems because or conversation was held in Russian, and that we should have a translator/interpreter before signing those protocols. So my partner told - hey, dudes it's a lunar eclipse, we are actually here for some photography. Police asked - when will this thing end? We don't know (I even didn't know when did this thing started). After all, police guys offered, that one of us goes to the police station dealing with papers, but another can stay and do whatever he wants with that object in skies. So I stayed.
Lunar Eclipse in Tbilisi
I played with different settings - in above picture you can see P (program mode) in action - as you can see - there is nothing much you can see actually, so P is not your best friend doing night or lunar photography
Lunar eclipse in Georgia
While you can do much better in M (Manual mode)
Lunar Eclipse in Tbilisi
Lunar Eclipse in Tbilisi
Lunar Eclipse in Tbilisi
Lunar Eclipse in Tbilisi
Lunar Eclipse in Tbilisi
Total lunar eclipse in Tbilisi, Georgia September 28, 2015
Well, above posted image isn't close to perfect, but actually I don't care about that because of all written above.
The Bottom Line
First of all - I would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to all Georgian emergency rescue services, they acted professional, fast and most important - efficient - persons live was saved. Thank you! Second - I would like to call this nights adventure as a give and get. Probably we helped to rescue a guy, but thank's to him we were taken down to the embankment were we had option to see much better total lunar eclipse, than above on the bridge. And third I would like to say - that yes, this was one the strangest nights probably in my lifetime.
But what actually matters - don't be indifferent - call to the police, ask for the help to others, act. Every second matters when it's about saving live(s).