thrash50

The full moon is coming up. I could use some suggestions for settings, and composition. I'll be setting up in an orchard, and hope to frame my images with some trees.
Canon 6D mk2
Tamron 100-400mm
Canon A1 film camera
Canon FD 100-300mm
BW and color film 200iso
Various other shorter lenses
Both setups will be on tripods

Thanks
Steve

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

I know you are looking for a shortcut - but composition is entirely your choice, and exposure settings are quite variable. My best suggestion is you use an empirical approach and see what works best for you.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Gene has some great advice. For some step by step stuff, there is a plethora of videos on youtube discussing how to photograph the moon. Good for a start.
--Bob

hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Try to set up a day or two earlier to experiment with the settings. Start with the Loony 11 rule, F11 with the shutter speed 1/ISO.

Leitz Loc: Solms

Astronomical photography questions are probably better answered in the Astronomical Photography Forum: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-109-1.html

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Including landscape in a full moon photo requires shooting when there is still some light (Google "dynamic range") or doing separate exposures for the moon and the land, then merging. I like to shoot the full moonset in the morning right around sunrise. On the 7th moonset for me will be very close to official sunrise time, so there will be a lot of twilight in which to work.

Practicing a "day or two earlier" is difficult because moonrise times change so much each day. In Yakima on May 6 moonrise is at 7:35 pm; on the 7th it isn't until almost 9 pm. However, if you're planning to shoot only when it's full dark, go back to paragraph 1

A previous discussion topic that might be of value:
https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-560994-1.html

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larryepage Loc: North Texas area

The moon is illuminated by the same sunlight that lights the earth. So when overhead, the Sunny 16 rule will provide a starting point...that is f16 at a shutter speed of 1/ISO. We usually like to photograph it lower in the sky, however. In that case, its light has to pass through more of the atmosphere, so one or two (or sometimes a little more) exposure will be needed.

Daylight white balance is appropriate. And...the moon is not white...it just looks that way in the dark sky. So bring the exposure down such that it is rendered in various shades of gray.

Night photography is all manual. A big challenge is achieving proper focus. If you can focus on the moon, that's great. If not, pick a light or an illuminated object a few hundred feet away and focus on that.

If you want details of the lunar surface, you will need your longest lens. Maximum aperture is not a problem. And you will probably want to shoot at f8 rather than f16, adjusting shutter speed accordingly. (Although I've used f16 just fine.)

Two or three days before or after actual full moon will provide more interesting results of the lunar surface, when the lighting from the sun is not directly overhead.

If you are wanting moonlit landscapes, the challenges are a little greater, especially if you want the moon in the image. Dynamic range will be very high, and you will probably need to do quite a bit of post processing. I am not the best person to help you with those images.

Good luck.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Shooting in other phases, when the sun is from the side, gives you more definition with craters. This is a composite, but the moon is real and was shot about half an hour after sunrise. I call this the "awkward" phase of the moon when it looks only slightly squished

(Download)

steve33 Loc: Yarmouth MA

Last month I tried to shoot the full moon. It was a last minute decision. No planning. I kept getting shots with the moon blown out. No matter how much I adjusted settings. I realized after that I left the camera on auto ISO. Every time I adjusted, the camera boosted the ISO. Lesson learned. Don't forget to set the ISO. I hope this helps someone avoid my mistake.

ClarkJohnson Loc: Fort Myers, FL and Cohasset, MA

Been there! Good tip.

ELNikkor

Many years ago, I was interested in shooting the rising full moon against a blue sky. I still remember my settings. With Ektachrome 100 in my FM, I set my 200mm Nikkor Q at f8, with a shutter speed of 1/60 sec. I could see the detail on the moon, the sky was the perfect shade of blue, and the foreground was exposed perfect for the evening effect. The location was south Florida, east coast. Since then, I've used that idea; waiting until my light meter gives me that value for the sky. The reason it is not the "sunny 16" value is because at that time of evening, the moon is relatively low on the horizon and has more atmosphere and haze to shine through. These days, I bump up the ISO, shoot a faster shutter speed, and bracket around that setting I learned back in the '70s.

traderjohn Loc: New York City

Is helping someone with a question now considered a short cut?

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

1/iso at f16. So, if iso is 100, your BASE exposure is 1/100 sec. at f16. Good luck. Oh, you might consider putting something in the foreground.

Notorious T.O.D. Loc: Harrisburg, North Carolina

Spend $10 on the PhotoPills app as it has tons of tools and tutorials on shooting the moon, stars and Milky Way...

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

The problem with that approach is that the moonrise time is different everyday so the conditions will be different.