Full Moon

Tonight is a full moon. I was hoping to get more detail in the moon but still be able to see the clouds. The moon is blown out, but you can see the clouds. I am wondering if there is a way to get more detail and less brightness in the moon while still being able to see the clouds. I was thinking maybe I should have used a Neutral Density filter, but then I probably won't be able to see the clouds. Tips?
f 5.6
1/2
200mm with doubler

Even though the moon is blown out, as you put it......looks pretty good to me. I personally think it looks good the way it is. To my eye, the main subject is the moon, yes, but it's the clouds that grab my attention, thereby putting the moon into a "second place" position...if you know what I mean. My eyes aren't fixated on the moon, they're wandering all over the picture, taking in the effects of the clouds. I like it.

The moon is reflected sunlight and very bright, My first attemps were long exposures, always blown out, yours isn't that bad, I'm like Jack, the clouds are really neat. nice shot.

Like Jack and Bill have said, it's a very nice effect, even though the moon is blown out; the clouds are fantastic and that was your objective. I might have taken several shots at less exposure to try to get a little more detail in the moon. Even if the clouds were a little darker, you could always lighten them up in PP, whereas you can't ever get the detail back in something that's been blown out. And I am also becoming very fond of the density filters!

Also, if you can get the moon before it get's totally dark, you have a lot more luck getting the detail since it's not as bright.

Best Regards

To get the moon exposed right, start with 1/250s and f8. Use a tripod Play with +- 1-2fstops.
The moon is a) very bright and b) very fast. You should not go slower than 1/200s.
Some of my moonshots: Picasa Web Albums - Kai Poitschke - Der Mond

//
Kai

Maybe HDR would work in this situation. This is a very wide tonal range that probably makes it impossible to get a good exposure of both moon and clouds with just one shot. The D90 will do a three shot bracket with as much as a 2 stop range.

Thanks everyone for your comments.
Kai, I will try this, perhaps tonight. Thanks, and your moon pics are awesome! I can get the detail in the moon when I am just trying for the moon, and I did last night but then I couldn't see the clouds.
Joseph, I did do HDR on the moon last night, but it brought out some colors that aren't even there, it looked fake, it could be the crappy HDR program I have. Once I buy photomatix I will try again.

I think I'll use the neutral density filters next time just for the hell of it, and see what happens.

Maybe a HDR would work in this situation.

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Joseph, I tried this. I'm amazed at how fast the moon moves. Motion blur is evident at 3 shots, and deghosting night shots adds a lot of noise. Of course, maybe I haven't practiced this enough. But I agree, it seems that hdr would be perfect.

Kai, your moon shots are spectacular! I especially like the one with the airliner!

Best Regards

ohkphoto said:

Joseph, I tried this. I'm amazed at how fast the moon moves. Motion blur is evident at 3 shots, and deghosting night shots adds a lot of noise. Of course, maybe I haven't practiced this enough. But I agree, it seems that hdr would be perfect.

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Doesn't photomatix allow for auto or manual alignment of your shots?

Amazing moons shots, Kai. I can't say as I have ever seen such good quality shots of the moon....except maybe from NASA.

While preparing for the recent lunar eclipse, I read that since the light of the moon is reflected sunlight, the Sunny 16 rule works. (Too bad it couldn't turn my 200 mm zoom into a 500 mm...)

As far as getting the clouds along with a bright moon, I'd think either blending multiple exposures or HDR would be necessary.

Jen, you're making me want to go out and try this myself again. The moon and me do not have a happy relationship together. I knew the moon would be a tough one to shoot, so I took it to the extreme the last time we danced together. Using just a 200mm 5.6 this is a crop of what I came up with a couple months ago.


f/32
1/80
ISO800

I had a lot of luck with the above photo and Photoshop CS5 putting it into other photos



I'm sure they're not the ideal settings, but I knew it was going to be bright and moving. Keep in mind the D3000 does poorly at ISO's above 400, so that is why I have so much noise and grain. Just throwing out some settings I used you might find helpful or get you close to settings to get that detail you're looking for.

I would agree with everyone else to go HDR or Photomerge if you have Photoshop. Personally I think you're going to need at lest two different shots to get the effect you're looking for. You got the D90, so set it up for some extreme bracketing and shoot the moon and see what you can pull off.

Photoshop CS5 does have HDR Pro, but I have not heard the HDR Pro's here talk about it and I'm new to HDR so can't offer much advice.

Maybe sometime before or after I shoot my 365 tonight I'll have to take a trip outside and dance in the snow with the Moon. Now if I could only find my fingerless gloves.

(Note to self: when shooting the moon remember to keep your pants on for this one)

UPDATE: not happening tonight, moon rise was about 8-9 o'clock, clouds moved in and it's snowing.......AGAIN

Here is a shot of the full moon taken with Tamron SP 70-300 f 4-5.6 VC lens. Taken at 300mm at f 11 at 1/20 sec, my D80 mounted on tripod.

this one I took previously, it was the Winter Solstice moon, on Dec 21st.


this one was a couple weeks later after I got my 70-200mm lens with doubler. It was also one of my 365 photos.

Hi Jen, you're getting there. I would crop the pictures even more. Did you use a tripod?
Are you using the TC20-III

I couldn't shoot a moon picture for weeks. Too cloudy. I want to try my new TC-20-III with the 300/2.8 and a D300.

Kai

I am using a Tamron-F Tele-converter 2x N MCA. It was used and came with the Nikon FG-20 film camera I got for Christmas. No AF. The Teleconverter is currently attached to a Kalimar 28-200 mm lens (I kept saying 70-200, my bad). I think they work pretty well.

Fine job Jen! Nice to watch someone take on a technique and conquer, good going.

Well wouldn't ya know it! The one night I want to go out and try my hand at taking a moon shot........and it's overcast! LOL Just my luck! So I did the next best thing. Rather than just come away empty handed, I took a shot of the snow and a deck light. Tell me what you think, and please.....critique the heck out of it!
View attachment 1460
ISO 200
F/8
Exp: 1 sec.
Manual Mode

and it's overcast

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Did your "rock" predict this?