Pixeldawg Loc: Suzhou, China

The exposure for the moon is actually the same as daylight. So, in the examples shown here you have greatly overexposed the moon because the remainder of the scene is so dark. If you want detail in both, I would recommend you do the following things:

Shoot in RAW mode. You will have far greater adjustments to the blacks, whites and contrast with a RAW file. I constantly preach this to my students and in class, do a demo of a RAW file vs. a JPEG and they are amazed at the difference.

Next, if I were shooting this, I would try to do this earlier in the evening. You can still get the Moon, but will have better detail in the background and in the buildings. The other advantage of this is that you will get the moon lower on the horizon, so you can crop more like a panoramic, which to me in your situation would be desirable.

And finally, if you can't balance the light, you should shoot one image of the scene exposing for the land and buildings and the next shot in the exact same position exposing for the Moon, which should be about 1/250th @F8 with an ISO of 400. Then in your image editing software merge the two images so that the optimal exposure for each is shown.

Hope this helps.

genocolo Loc: Vail and Gasparilla Island

Thanks. I’m going to try these suggestions next month.

Golden Rule Loc: Washington State

You will need to take at least two shots. With camera on tripod expose for your cityscape and take the shot. Next expose for the moon and take the shot then combine the two. Or another way is to frame your shot and put your finger over the moon as you view it through the camera and expose your cityscape and take the shot. Then take your finger away and expose for the moon then combine the two shots in Photoshop. There are YouTubes on that technique. The third way is to use the ND filter one of the other members suggested.

genocolo Loc: Vail and Gasparilla Island

Thanks for the ideas which I will try.

flyboy61 Loc: The Great American Desert

Try multiple exposure mode. Some cameras haave a time limit on the time between the first and subsequent exposures. Consult your camera manual for exact details. Start with a photo of the mangroves/dock, taken before moonrise, then adjust exposure for the moon...as recommended...f/11 to start. Evaluate, repeat, and don't forget the bug repellent!

genocolo Loc: Vail and Gasparilla Island

I will be back in the same location mid-Feb and for the next several months. I intend to try a number of the suggestions and will post the results.

Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to give me the advice I was requesting.

SMPhotography Loc: Pawleys Island, SC

Just like there is a BSD (Bright Sunny Day) rule 1/ISO @ f/16 there is also one for the moon. 1/ISO @ f/11. This is a good starting point. If the difference in EV is so great that you cannot properly expose both the moon and foreground, you do have some options. A graduated ND filter is a good idea, or you could take two exposures and composite the two together.

SMPhotography Loc: Pawleys Island, SC

The BSD rule will underexpose the moon by a full EV. A good rule of thumb is /ISO @ f/11

theodorephoto

I was taught that the looney 11 is if you iso is 100 then set your shutter speed to 1/125 at f11. usually gets a very clear picture of the moon. I never tried a graduated filter, would be interested in the settings you used.

genocolo Loc: Vail and Gasparilla Island

Unfortunately, the clouds did not cooperate for retrying the shot in February and March, but hoping April will be better and I will get to try a lot of what all of you have suggested.

In the meantime, the sunrises in the same location have been terrific.

(Download)

Electric Gnome Loc: Norwich UK

The only way I can see is to shoot either two images on different nights one exposed for the moon the other for the scene, or shoot correctly for the scene just before the moon rises, then shoot the moon and blend the images together in post. This is a composite of three images shot on different nights, one for the pier, one for the moon, and the last for the stars then merged in photoshop. Its the only way I could get near to what I could actually see because of the limits of dynamic range with the camera.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/electricgnome/48685214548/in/datetaken-public/

genocolo Loc: Vail and Gasparilla Island

Your composite was extremely well done. Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately my photo op arrive only monthly and then the clouds move in and make it impossible. Good advice re shooting on different days.