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Blown Out Pics of the Moon
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Jan 12, 2012 14:39:21   #
coco1964 Loc: Winsted Mn
 
Went down to the lake night before last and tried to take pics of the moon. I tried going with the f16 rule, tripod mounted, VR off, spot metering, WB-daylight, and ISO at 400 with 18-270mm zoom, AF on. Total washout of the moon on every shot. Tried bracketing, it was either way under exposed or blown out, nothing in between. Took 43 shots and these were the best so you can imagine what the others looked like. Suggestions welcomed---no photoshopping, looking for what I did wrong---too high of ISO???















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Jan 12, 2012 14:48:32   #
richardp1958 Loc: Los Angeles
 
coco1964 wrote:
Went down to the lake night before last and tried to take pics of the moon. I tried going with the f16 rule, tripod mounted, VR off, spot metering, WB-daylight, and ISO at 400 with 18-270mm zoom, AF on. Total washout of the moon on every shot. Tried bracketing, it was either way under exposed or blown out, nothing in between. Took 43 shots and these were the best so you can imagine what the others looked like. Suggestions welcomed---no photoshopping, looking for what I did wrong---too high of ISO???
Went down to the lake night before last and tried ... (show quote)


If you're using the "sunny 16" rule, that applies only to the moon in this situation. Will not work for the moon plus foreground. The rule applies to sunlit subjects. In this case the moon is considered sunlit, and the foreground is not.

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Jan 12, 2012 15:05:48   #
SDav612 Loc: Texas
 
The moon is hard to shoot because it is such a bright light. If you can shoot before it is pitch black, it is better. I set my camera like this, ISO - 100, white balance either K-4000, daylight, or tungsten, manual settings - speed 125, F/11, focus infinity or just shy of.

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Jan 12, 2012 15:20:35   #
coco1964 Loc: Winsted Mn
 
richardp1958 wrote:
coco1964 wrote:
Went down to the lake night before last and tried to take pics of the moon. I tried going with the f16 rule, tripod mounted, VR off, spot metering, WB-daylight, and ISO at 400 with 18-270mm zoom, AF on. Total washout of the moon on every shot. Tried bracketing, it was either way under exposed or blown out, nothing in between. Took 43 shots and these were the best so you can imagine what the others looked like. Suggestions welcomed---no photoshopping, looking for what I did wrong---too high of ISO???
Went down to the lake night before last and tried ... (show quote)


If you're using the "sunny 16" rule, that applies only to the moon in this situation. Will not work for the moon plus foreground. The rule applies to sunlit subjects. In this case the moon is considered sunlit, and the foreground is not.
quote=coco1964 Went down to the lake night before... (show quote)
Thanks for that tidbit, unfortunately one I didn't know but this is how you learn.....

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Jan 12, 2012 22:59:44   #
Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA
 
coco1964 wrote:
Went down to the lake night before last and tried to take pics of the moon. I tried going with the f16 rule, tripod mounted, VR off, spot metering, WB-daylight, and ISO at 400 with 18-270mm zoom, AF on. Total washout of the moon on every shot. Tried bracketing, it was either way under exposed or blown out, nothing in between. Took 43 shots and these were the best so you can imagine what the others looked like. Suggestions welcomed---no photoshopping, looking for what I did wrong---too high of ISO???
Went down to the lake night before last and tried ... (show quote)


What was the shutter speed?

Pat

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Jan 13, 2012 05:22:28   #
JRiddle Loc: San Martin, Ca.
 
Too high ISO, I always start at ISO 100 and adjust shutter speed with my Canon 7D in live view to see the detail coming out in the Moon's surface. I've shot at higher apertures up to f40 and speeds as low as 1/40 with good results. I use daylight WB and in RAW using Lightroom to process.

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Jan 13, 2012 07:19:25   #
martinfisherphoto Loc: Lake Placid Florida
 
ISO400 is fine for your shot, must use faster shutter speed, Start at 1/160 and increase till you get what your looking for. The problem is the moon will be perfect exposure and the landscape to dark to see. I feel your pain as you want both to be the same exposure. I think most people photoshop the perfect moon into the photo after taking the landscape shot.

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Jan 13, 2012 08:42:38   #
Jay Pat Loc: Round Rock, Texas, USA
 
fstop22 wrote:
ISO400 is fine for your shot, must use faster shutter speed, Start at 1/160 and increase till you get what your looking for. The problem is the moon will be perfect exposure and the landscape to dark to see. I feel your pain as you want both to be the same exposure. I think most people photoshop the perfect moon into the photo after taking the landscape shot.


I agree with fstop!!!

As for my question, whatever the answer is, it is/was not a good shutterspeed.....

Pat

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Jan 13, 2012 09:48:11   #
LovinCO Loc: Colorado
 
I am not sure what kind of a look you were going for....however, I like your pictures...especially the first one. They have a kind of a mysterious feel to them. Would be great for the cover of a mystery novel.

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Jan 13, 2012 09:56:42   #
LittleRedFish Loc: Naw'lens (New Orleans)
 
Val, had given me a these settings and they worked for me. ISO,400, f-9-11, 1/400. I also realize when I was shooting that I could not extend my 70-300mm lens but about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way out. The focus would be blurred. So I also had to Crop them by about 50%. they still came out pretty good, and I was happy with the results.

I did hand hold my camera so it took about 10 tries.

As far as getting the silhouette of trees etc. in the forground I have not tried that yet.

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Jan 13, 2012 10:40:37   #
flyguy Loc: Las Cruces, New Mexico
 
coco1964 wrote:
Went down to the lake night before last and tried to take pics of the moon. I tried going with the f16 rule, tripod mounted, VR off, spot metering, WB-daylight, and ISO at 400 with 18-270mm zoom, AF on. Total washout of the moon on every shot. Tried bracketing, it was either way under exposed or blown out, nothing in between. Took 43 shots and these were the best so you can imagine what the others looked like. Suggestions welcomed---no photoshopping, looking for what I did wrong---too high of ISO???
Went down to the lake night before last and tried ... (show quote)


Don't forget that both the moon and the earth are moving at the same time (not quite so apparent to us, but camera will show fuzziness or minor blur with long exposures) a shutter speed of 1/60sec or 1/120sec at ISO 200 might do nicely.

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Jan 13, 2012 12:41:51   #
twowindsbear
 
My suggestion. Check your calender for the next full moon. Set up your shot for the next day! Shoot the landscape as soon as the sun sets & the 'darkness' suits what you've visualized for the scene. Shortly, a nearly-full moon will rise and you can make anohter shot properly exposed for the moon. Then - PP them, merge them together. As others have said, proper exposure for the moon = grossly underexposed landscape. . . and properly exposed landscape = grossly over exposed moon - either 'blown out' and/or blurred from the apparent motion.

Good luck! & keep posting

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Jan 13, 2012 13:04:51   #
patrick28 Loc: Port Jeervis, NY
 
SDav612 wrote:
The moon is hard to shoot because it is such a bright light. If you can shoot before it is pitch black, it is better. I set my camera like this, ISO - 100, white balance either K-4000, daylight, or tungsten, manual settings - speed 125, F/11, focus infinity or just shy of.


Amen.
Add spot metering if there is foreground. If you're not going to post process and your camera provides the feature, boost contrast or 'vivid' setting.
'Clarity' is good in Adobe RAW as it increases the contrast only of the mid tones.
It is surprisingly bright. Work your histogram until it's exactly what you want. You got lots of time. Moon's not going anywhere for a while.
***************

You're first photo is one I would be proud of.
(But, then again, people used to say that I was gullible --
and I believed 'em.)

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Jan 13, 2012 13:37:03   #
melphoto60
 
try for and exposure for the moon then one for foreground and stack them, of course you will be on tripod.

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Jan 13, 2012 13:53:28   #
coco1964 Loc: Winsted Mn
 
Thanks all for your input, I've learned alot especially the "sunny16" rule. These are 7 of 40 some odd pics I took so to tell you exactly what shutter speeds, and F stops I used would take up alot of space and merely confuse myself and others. I can say of the above shots the SS went from 1/160s to 30sec and the f stops were from f16 to f6.3. Proably won't be taking anymore pics of the moon until spring as it is getting a little nippy up here. Hope I can pull this thread up at that time. Can't seem to find any other "moon landscapes" on the site just pics of the moon---would like to see what settings they used and I don't mean moons photoshopped. Once again thank you all for your help, it will be used......

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