Shooting the moon

[WolfSpring]

I have been experimetning with moon shots the last few days and cannot seem to get the moon and my foreground, or even the moon, and the clouds. If I pick the right settings for the clouds the moon is washed out or glowing with no details, if I step down to capture the moons details I get no clouds or foreground, just darkness and then the moon. My only thought is to use a tripod and capture the moon and it's details, then shoot the foreground and combine in PP. is this my only hope, and is this because the moon is so bright, and there is no other light to work with so it's like shooting into the sun?

 

[Sideburns]

You can't get detail you'll need to combine two shots

 

[JerryPH]

2 shots, one exposed for the moon and one exposed for the clouds is indeed the way to go. HDR sounds like a quick and neat way. I plan to test that out one day myself.

 

[WolfSpring]

I figured it might need to be two shots. TY

 

[Urban Grimshaw]

The two shots might seem cheating a little, but it's the classic method. Even way back in ye olde days when folk shot film it would generally be a double exposure, so you can't even upset the purists with that one.

Unfortunately you can't double expose on digital, but Photohop's your friend. You'll also be able to get the moon bigger.

 

[WolfSpring]

I thought that was the answer, I really liked the look of it with the trees and clouds last night.

 

[JerryPH]

Unfortunately you can't double expose on digital, but Photohop's your friend. You'll also be able to get the moon bigger.

Depends on the camera, the D200 has 2 methods to "double expose" built right in it.

Photoshop will likely give you better results, though becuase it is more controllable. In either case, one will need a tripod, else it will be very hard to line things up.

 

[WolfSpring]

is this something I could set up my bracketing to do on a D80? I've played with it breifley I know how to set it up, but havn't tested it's full capability yet.