March 2020 • Nebraskaland 47
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Plan your shot. A wealth of
resources exist to help you know
when and where the sun and moon
will rise. I use the Sun Surveyor smartphone app.
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Exposure on lunar images can be a challenge, as the
camera's meter will surely adjust for the moon's surroundings
and deliver a blown-out white circle with none of the lovely
cheese-like topography. Because the moon is lit by the sun,
the "Sunny 16 Rule" is an effective place to start. That is, at
an aperture of f/16 set the shutter speed to match your ISO.
For example, 1/100 second for ISO 100. If elements in the
atmosphere are making it less bright, adjust accordingly.
•
For the best moon images, shoot during "the blue hour." That's
the period of twilight in which the moon is low and the sun is
below the horizon, yet provides enough indirect light to illuminate
the scene with a blue cast. Ideally, the brightness of the moon and
partially obscured sun will come close to matching that of whatever
foreground element you are trying to include in the scene.
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Shoot in RAW mode, which will give you more capability to
make adjustments to exposure and other settings later.
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Use a lens with a large focal length, essential for capturing
the enormity of the sun or moon as it appears to your eyes.
Most of my best moon shots were taken at 500mm. The
bigger the telephoto, the farther you will need to be from your
foreground subject. For instance, for the image of Sugarloaf
Butte in this spread, I was on Toadstool Road at the ghost town
of Orella, which is about one mile away from the butte.
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Invest in a solid tripod and cable release. Shooting in low light
conditions requires long exposures and the most miniscule of
movements will blur the image at a long focal length. To avoid
camera shake, this is the time to incorporate the "mirror lock-up"
feature, if your camera has it. I spend a lot of time cussing the
wind, which is sure to move a big lens hood, during these shots.
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Be ready and willing to move. One nice thing about shooting
these scenes in western Nebraska is that there is plenty of
elbow room. I am always thankful, or at least hopeful, there are
not people watching me during these shoots, because I surely
look goofy running around with a tripod or two trying to get in
just the right spot.
Tips for Photographing the
Moon and Sun
