Photographing the moon can be a tricky task, but it can also be very rewarding. It’s fun to go out at night with your camera, tripod, and telephoto lens and try to shoot some pictures. The best time is when there is a full moon or almost full moon. In this guide, you will learn the basics of photographing the moon and how to capture its beauty in your photos, like Bruce Weber Photographer.
What Equipment do You Need?
For this kind of photography, you don’t really need any special equipment. You can use a point and shoot camera or a DSLR. The lens that you use will depend on how close you want to get to the moon’s surface (remember: the closer you go, the more detailed your photos become). Generally speaking, though, it is best to use a telephoto lens, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry; the moon is very bright, and you can easily capture it with a regular 50mm (nifty- fifty) lens. If you want to take some very nice close up shots of the moon’s surface, though, I would recommend using something like Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS USM Lens or Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED.
Whatever lens you choose, it is very important that your camera and tripod are stable enough to support the weight of the telephoto lens.
What is the Best Time to Shoot?
The best time to shoot the moon is when it’s full, so always check a lunar calendar before going out. You can also look at NASA’s website for live streaming of the moon.
How to Find the Moon in the Sky?
Hold your fist at arm’s length and look at it. The width of your fist is about 10 degrees in angular measurement. Now, if you extend your arm fully and look at the horizon with both eyes open, each degree on the horizon represents about 16 miles (the size of your fist when held at arms length). It’s that simple!
What is the Best Camera Mode?
The best camera mode to use would be manual. The ISO, aperture, and shutter speed should all be set manually. If you don’t know what those mean, just leave them as they are, and it will work fine. There is no need for flash because there’s plenty of light. You may use your flash as a focus aid, though, as it will light the area that you are focusing on, but be sure to turn it off before taking any pictures.
How to Photograph the Moon?
Go out at night and set up your tripod. Make sure it is stable and has a firm footing on the ground. Take some test shots to ensure your camera, lens, and ISO settings are all right, then take the moon’s picture. You can either turn off autofocus or switch it to manual focus mode before taking a picture. Make sure you don’t bump the focus ring while taking pictures.
Photographing the moon can be a fun and rewarding experience. By following the tips in this guide, you can create beautiful photos of the moon that you will be proud to share.
