Since I’m frequently asked how I create my Moonscapes, I put together this not-so-brief tutorial to illustrate my process.
Let’s dive right in, okay?
TIMING
First things first! Timing is everything. While there are great opportunities to capture spectacular images of the moon year-round, I generally plan my shoots around notable occasions like Supermoons and Lunar Eclipses.
Supermoons are full moons that appear larger than normal in the sky and are great to capture rising and setting. When supermoons rise as the sun is setting, we have the opportunity to not only capture the moon itself, but also the brilliant colors on display after the sun dips below the horizon, which we frequently see here in the Rocky Mountains of Central Colorado.
COMPOSITION
The next important thing to consider is the final image we’re trying to create. Do we want an image of the moon itself, with all its craters and peaks on full display? Or do we want to display the moon in a natural setting as we Earthlings see it?
Although the former is enjoyable, I generally go for the latter and create what I call Moonscapes—aka the moon on display in its natural setting from here on Earth.
SCOUTING
Creating Moonscapes usually requires some location scouting. I grab my iPhone, open the PhotoPills app, and drive around looking for interesting compositions where the moon will rise. Using the Night AR feature in PhotoPills (did I say awesome?), we can do this hours or even days in advance.
LENSES
Regardless of which type of moon shoot I’m going for, I usually shoot with my Sony FE 70-300mm mounted on my Sony A7R IV. While this combination is acceptable for close-up shots of the moon’s peaks and valleys, the moon won’t fill the frame, and generous cropping is required in post. On the other hand, for Moonscapes, I find this combo works perfectly. For those looking to fill the frame with the moon itself, a lens with a longer focal length might be better.
TO TRIPOD OR NOT TO TRIPOD
While under certain lighting conditions we might get by shooting handheld, I wouldn’t count on it. So yes, we’ll need a sturdy tripod. One that supports the gear listed above comfortably. Trust me on this—or perhaps ask my wife??
EXPOSURE SETTINGS
Now that we’ve scouted our location for composition, have our tripod firmly planted, gear mounted, and are patiently waiting for the moon to crest the horizon, we can start adjusting our exposure settings. Enable Manual Mode and let’s get started.
ISO: 100
Aperture: f8 (since we’re shooting a Moonscape, we want some depth of field)
Shutter Speed: Anywhere from ¼ to 1 second.
This will largely depend on the lighting conditions at the moment, and some trial and error will likely be needed as the moon rises. As you’ll soon learn, the moon moves relatively quickly in the sky. I find keeping the shutter speed under 1 second is crucial to preserving the moon’s detail.
Shutter Delay: 2 seconds
I enable shutter delay to eliminate camera shake. Optionally, using a remote trigger accomplishes the same.
FOCUSING
Again, we could get lucky under the right lighting conditions using Auto Focus, but I wouldn’t count on it. Focusing manually is the way to go.
Focus manually on something close to the horizon where the moon will rise. I use a combination of Live View and Focus Peaking built into my Sony A7R IV to do this. For your camera model, consult the manual or—well, you know—RTFM.
TEST SHOTS
Now’s an excellent time to take a few test shots.
Check for a balance of dynamic range between the sky and landscape. The dynamic range between the brightness of the moon, sky, and Earth is crucial. Assuming we’re somewhere between golden and blue hour, we have an excellent chance the moon won’t rise so brightly that it blows out the entire scene.
If everything isn’t in balance, we might have to resort to more advanced techniques like exposure bracketing and blending/compositing in Photoshop. These techniques yield spectacular results, but that’s a bit more advanced.
GETTING THE SHOT
It’s time to work the scene!
The moon is rising, big and bold over the horizon. We’re firing off exposures. Check the focus. Re-check the focus. Check the composition. Try different compositions. Experiment with different shutter speeds.
We might only have about 20 minutes to work the scene before the moon brightens, blowing out the scene, and starts getting relatively smaller in our Moonscape. Work quickly and with intention using everything we’ve learned to this point.
POST PROCESSING
Now that our hours (probably days) of planning and 15 minutes of shooting are complete, it’s time to download the images and prepare them for sharing with the world.
Hopefully, it goes without saying—but I’ll say it anyway—that our images should be captured in RAW format. This gives us the greatest flexibility in post-processing. Assuming we got a dynamically balanced scene, standard adjustments for light, color, and crop in your application of choice (cough Lightroom cough) should suffice.
Personally, as I develop my images, I aim to portray the scene naturally, as I felt and saw it unfold in front of me. I want to captivate the viewer’s eye the same way the scene captivated me.
IN CLOSING
Thanks for following along—you did great! I hope you find this tutorial informative, and more importantly, that it inspires you to get out in the field and practice your love of photography. Like everything else in life, practice makes perfect.
And don’t get discouraged! If there’s one thing I’ve learned over several years of landscape photography, it’s that things rarely go as planned—or as I like to say, “the mountain doesn’t care about your plans.”
Fortunately, the more you get out in the field, the better your chances of having those perfect conditions and ultimately creating images that perfectly convey your vision as a photographer.
Cheers!
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