Dos and Don’ts for Shooting the Moon

Do use a tripod

Don’t use a slow shutter speed

The moon is actually moving very quickly around the earth at a speed of 2,288 miles per hour (3,683 kilometers per hour). Because of the moon’s speed and the long focal length necessary to capture an image of the moon, you need to use the fastest shutter speed possible. A good rule of thumb for tack sharp moon photos is nothing slower than 1/125th of a second.

Do use a telephoto lens

To successfully shoot any kind of detail of the moon in your image, you need at least a 300mm telephoto. For a full frame image, you will need around an 800mm lens.

Don’t use any filters on your lens

Do try the Looney 11 rule

The Looney 11 rule is similar to the Sunny 16 rule. Set your f-stop to f/11, then match the shutter speed to your ISO.

• With ISO 100, set the shutter speed to 1/100 or 1/125 second
• With ISO 200, set the shutter speed to 1/200 or 1/250
• With ISO 400, set the shutter speed to 1/400 or 1/500, etc.

Don’t touch the camera to start your exposure

Using a cable release or remote trigger is the best way to start your exposure. If you don’t have either of these gadgets, use the self-timer feature on your camera to begin your shot.

Do use Mirror Lock-up

If your camera gives you the option to lock up your mirror this can greatly increase your chances of getting a tack sharp image.

Don’t use Image Stabilization

Canon’s IS (Image Stabilization) or Nikon’s VR (Vibration Reduction) must be turned off anytime your camera is on a tripod.

Do know the cycles of the moon

The Photographer’s Ephemeris will not only give you the phases of the moon, but also show you when and where the moon will appear in the sky. By far the most photographed stage is the full moon, which is also the brightest and the most difficult to expose correctly. The side lighting of the Gibbous stage produces some interesting shadows which may allow you to capture craters and mountains. The crescent moon is, of course, the darkest stage, but one which may create some interesting effects when added to a nighttime landscape.

Don’t always place the moon in the center

Don’t just put the moon in the center of your image with nothing else –  it’s been done a million times before and there is nothing exciting about this. Try to include other objects in the frame with the moon.

Don’t just place the moon in an empty sky. Including a foreground object will create a more dramatic image.

Do switch to manual focus

Don’t just shoot the moon at night

The best time for photographing the moon is just after it rises or just before it sets, when it is very low in the sky. When the moon is near the horizon, it is closest to Earth and will appear larger in your images. Also, as the full moon rises the sun will be setting, and as the full moon sets the sun will be rising. This may give you great lighting to include or accentuate foreground or landscape objects. Shooting the moon in the day time will give you opportunity to include foreground objects, and you also may be able to capture some craters on the moon’s surface.

The June full moon, called the “Honey Moon”, captured as it sets at sunrise.

Do use exposure bracketing

After you are satisfied with the exposure you have dialed in, bracket two stops under and two stops over, just to ensure that you get an exposure you will be happy with later.

Don’t use Auto White Balance

Using auto white balance will give you very inconsistent results. What is the source for the light of the moon? That’s right, the sun! So try daylight white balance, but if you are looking for a different effect, try tungsten or cloudy.

Don’t depend on your meter

Most likely your camera’s light meter will be fooled by the amount of light reflecting off the moon. Also it is important to note that as the moon rises, the exposure will continual change. It gets brighter as it rises, so you need to keep adjusting your shutter speed.