Full moon tonight and a 200-500 lens.....

NancyMoranG · Sep 16, 2016

I want to take a shot of the full moon and a foreground rock wall jetty with the intention of trying to have the moon look 'unusually' huge. Not sure how to describe it.
I think it is done with a long lens.
But, how do you expose for that with such a lens as mine? It is the f 5.6 so maybe it is not possible. I have a tripod, Nikon D7000
Thanks as always...

dxqcanada · Sep 16, 2016

The moon can get pretty bright.
I just took a handheld photo yesterday ... ISO400 | 1/250s | f16 | 400mm

ronlane · Sep 16, 2016

I'm sure there are multiple ways to accomplish this. How would I do it? I would most likely do it in two exposures. One for the foreground would be a long exposure and the one for the moon, would be a much shorter exposure. I would take a few foreground shots and maybe a couple of the moon as it rises and then merge the two images in PS using layer masks.

I would for sure use the tripod and lock it into location and use the mirror lock-up.

NancyMoranG · Sep 16, 2016

I have had the camera 4 yrs and I have never used the mirror lock up, but don't tell anyone :}
Thanks for info.
Am trying to get the moon to look SOOO huge, it looks fake. I believe it's done with a foreground image and using a big zoom, it throws the moon out of proportion.

ronlane · Sep 16, 2016

The mirror lock up just helps keep things sharp.

dxqcanada is right, the moon is just reflected sun light so it is bright and why I would do it with two images composited in PS.

The moon and sun will look bigger on the horizon than at mid-day or night. (I don't know the technical reason or name.) But I would venture that a lot of the images you see like this are composite and they used a free transform layer to make the moon look bigger.

I've done this myself with the super moon last year.

astroNikon · Sep 16, 2016

Last night I showed my 10yr old daughter how to take a photo of the moon.
Handheld with a d600 & tamron 150-600. This lens is sharpest at f/8, thus I always use f/8 on it.
The moon was 30degrees above the eastern horizon, so a lot of atmosphere abberations.
but I think ISO 800, f/8 and a higher shutter speed.
Not bad for the first time with 2 ppl holding the camera lens.

I used shutter speed instead of a tripod to remove shakiness.
in other words, first make sure your lens is at it's sharpest. Then a Tripod,
Mirror Lockup for d7000 (I had one, just like the d600 and d750)
Your Release mode dial (the Single Frame, Continuous Low, Continuous High, Quiet, Self Timer, Remote, and MUP --> Mirror Lock Up) -- the lower dial on the top left.
then when you press the shutter you'll get focus (assuming auto focus is turned on) and the mirror will lock up out of the way
press the release again and the shutter will take the image. Thus you want a remote to do this to prevent the finger press from shaking the camera for the smoothest shot.

I normally take pics of the moon when it is straight up in the sky. Then that is the thinnest layer of atmosphere between you and the moon and you'll get the sharpest image.

dxqcanada · Sep 16, 2016

my handheld shot

SquarePeg · Sep 16, 2016

Nancy - I believe what you want is to have the foreground subject (the jetty?) far from you and use your 500 at close to full zoom. When the moon is at the horizon or just above it will appear huge in the frame. I don't think you need a very long exposure for the moon itself so if you don't want the jetty in silhouette you'll need to take a second longer exposure for the foreground. Was thinking of doing something similar tonight so did some research but now not sure if I'll be able to get out there since I have another commitment that came up.

NancyMoranG · Sep 16, 2016

Ok, thank you all for the help and guidance. Am going to try it as experiment. Then I will keep my eyes open for a better foreground for next months moon.
SquarePeg, you are correct in what I am trying for. Good luck if you get out tonight.

NancyMoranG · Sep 16, 2016

AstroNikon, I do have a remote, so I will hook that up. I usually forget I have it.

I will actually be standing in wet sand to get this angle. Low tide is 6 ish and let's me get out far enough on the beach for the moon rising.

SquarePeg · Sep 16, 2016

NancyMoranG said:
AstroNikon, I do have a remote, so I will hook that up. I usually forget I have it.
I will actually be standing in wet sand to get this angle. Low tide is 6 ish and let's me get out far enough on the beach for the moon rising.

Sound like the stars are aligned for you tonight.

KmH · Sep 16, 2016

ronlane said:
The moon and sun will look bigger on the horizon than at mid-day or night. (I don't know the technical reason or name.)

Optical Illusion, is the technical name.
The moon is the same size at the horizon or high in the sky.
High in the sky we compare the moon's size to the big expanse of sky, instead of to terrestrial objects when it's near the horizon.