The Moon

I only have a short blog this week, with information on how to photograph the moon.

The reason I have chosen this topic for the blog is that it is one of the topics that I have been teaching while on board the MV Magellan.

The first thing to say is that the camera, left to its own devices, will get it wrong.  You are likely to end up with a small white disc with no detail.  This is because the camera is trying to expose for all the black sky that is taking up most of the frame.

Getting a correctly exposed image of the moon is actually a lot easier than you might think.  There is a very simple rule to photographing the moon and it always works.  “Set you ISO and shutter speed to the same value and then set your aperture to f/8.

Doing it for real

Ideally, you should use a tripod.  Put your camera in manual mode (M on the mode dial), set your aperture to f/8, set your shutter speed to 1/125s (nearest to 1/100s) and your ISO to 100.  Zoom in as much as you can, make sure the moon is in focus and you are good to go.

If you don’t have a tripod, (or you are travelling on a ship), and you are going to hand hold your camera you need to keep your shutter speed faster than 1/<focal length>.  Eg. If you are shooting with a 400mm lens your shutter speed needs to be at 1/400s.  Because you have changed your shutter speed you will need to increase your ISO to compensate.  To photograph the moon set the ISO to be the same as the shutter speed.  In the above example that would be ISO 400, and again you are good to go.

Hope you find this short blog post helpful, why not give it a try and let me know how you get on.

Until next time, keep MAKING great photos,

Ian.

PS.  I had written this blog to coincide with the recent super-moon. Unfortunately, due to poor Internet connections at our recent ports, I was not able to get it out in time for that…. but the information is still valid for any time you wish to shoot the moon.

Do you find the information in these blog posts helpful?

Did you know that Academy members get a weekly Inspiration Sheet with loads more hints, tips and advice than I ever put in the newsletter? Also, each month Academy Members get a downloadable monthly PDF with all of that month’s blog posts in a magazine format that is easy to keep or print for future reference.

So what are you waiting for?

Join the Academy Today!

It only costs £6 per month or £60 for a year. Not only does The Academy provide you with regular photography advice, and discounts on training at the studio, but joining the academy helps me keep this blog and it’s associated free newsletter going.

https://www.ians-studio.co.uk/join/