Shooting the Super Moon on 03/19

[CcAgan]

There's a thread here about the event, but my question is about the process of shooting such an event.

I'm not really sure how to treat this. If its going to be as close as they say, it's going to be incredibly bright, despite how the eye sees it from the ground.

Any ways, for all of you moon-heads out there, how do you suggest taking this beast on from the ground. I have some options as far as escaping city light however at only 221,567 miles from earth, it might not matter too much.

[SpeedRacerSlots]

A better question will be weather cooperation and do we have a prayer of getting clear, non-halo or cloud covered shots

[TXhummer2]

Looking around at TimeandDate found this:

Moonrise and Moonset Photography Tips and Tricks

[Tsladaritz]

Originally Posted by SpeedRacerSlots

A better question will be weather cooperation and do we have a prayer of getting clear, non-halo or cloud covered shots

That is my problem too. It is usually cloudy, plus I live in a valley of sorts. night photography is not for me unless I leave home.

[Hanky]

Originally Posted by SpeedRacerSlots

A better question will be weather cooperation and do we have a prayer of getting clear, non-halo or cloud covered shots

In Dallas if there is a celestrial happening you can bet weather will ruin your night.*
*Hanks 3rd law of celestrial event failures.

[venchka]

Oh. SNAP!
Thanks for the heads up. I'll be outside Blanco. Hey, all youse guys in Austin & S.A., turn off your lights!
Grinning.

[TXhummer2]

Intellicast gives southeast TX "partly cloudy" and 10% chance of rain, which means "no clouds in the evening/overnight, and not a chance in H E double hockeysticks for light inhibiting rain.

Intellicast - Houston Weather Report in Texas (77061)

[venchka]

Or 100% chance of a typhoon.

[The Loft Studios]

Originally Posted by CcAgan

.....Any ways, for all of you moon-heads out there, how do you suggest taking this beast on from the ground. I have some options as far as escaping city light however at only 221,567 miles from earth, it might not matter too much.

Exposure wise, use the basic "Sunny 16" rule..... with a little bracketing.

[adamsheehy]

Don't know if you guys have seen this before - Download The Photographer's Ephemeris 1.0.4 for Linux - An application designed for landscape photographers - Softpedia

Useful if you wanted to position yourself around certain areas, etc.

[slallen]

Not from me and do not remember where I got it from but in my notes. These seemed to work for me. Of course your mileage may vary.

Put your camera on manual, ignore the meter, and use the following exposures @ ISO 100 speed for different moon effects -

1/125 sec @ f8 to show a very bright moon, almost white
1/125 sec @ f9.5 to show a bright moon with detail
1/125 sec @ f11 for a normal looking moon
1/125 sec @ f13.5 to show a somewhat darker moon
1/125 sec @ f16 to show a very dark, almost transparent moon

These exposures will also work for any phase of moon. You may want to bracket all 5 exposures each time you shoot the moon so you'll have different 'looks' from which to choose. If you find your personal exposures are a little off from what I state, then simply re-assign whichever exposure gives you a 'normal', and then bracket the others from there. My idea of 'normal' may be a little different from your own.

[Hanky]

If you want to include landscape with a long exposure bring something to blot the moon out of the shot for the most part. This will require steady hands of course but doable.

[Nikonfan]

Just an FYI.. tonight is just the best night of many. If it's cloudy tonight go shoot tomorrow. It will be almost the same. The news only reports the night that the moon will be at it's closest but it's not like it jumps out of orbit for one night and gets really close to the Earth and then goes back into it's orbit. It has been approaching the Earth slowly for months and after tonight it will beging getting further away.