Beyond Full Moon Photography

The rising full moon is a shot on many photographersʼ bucket lists,

but how many of us remember that the moon is even there on those
other 28 days of the lunar month? Forget the moon no longer; there
are many great reasons to keep shooting the moon throughout its
phases.

Better Craters and Contrast

Craters are a fascinating feature of the lunar surface, and they are
easier to feature when the moon is no longer full. During a full moon,
an entire side of the moon is visible and reflecting the sunʼs light
back to us. Craters, by contrast, look better in shadow, as this less
direct light highlights the differences in elevation on the surface and
bring better contrast and definition. A gibbous moon (the lumpy
phase between full moon and the first or last quarter when the

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 moon looks half full) is an excellent choice for craters. Along the
edge where the moon fades into blackness, you will be able to
capture the deep shadows of the craters in your moon photographs.

As the moon continues along its progression, it will pass from

gibbous through the first quarter, and enter the crescent phase.
Before the moon reaches its classic, skinny crescent shape, there
are also many opportunities to capture it that emphasize the
craters. Because the moon is visible at different times of day and
night during different phases, you will also be able to capture the
different colors of its light.

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 Crescents and Earthshine

The crescent moon is the phase between first or last quarter and
the new moon, when the unlit side of the moon is facing the earth.
The crescent shape is hugely significant in many cultures. It is often
the version of the moon drawn by children, yet it can be overlooked
by photographers. The crescent moon is generally visible during the
daytime hours, which can make it more difficult to see and
photograph successfully. But, as the crescent reaches its smallest
size, you will be able to capture it setting in the early evening,
against the brilliant deep blue skies that are well-suited to moon
photographs.

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 Another phenomenon to photograph with the crescent moon is
known as earthshine. If you stare closely at a slim crescent moon,
you should just be able to see the darkened outline of the rest of the
moonʼs surface. That surface is dark because it is no longer
reflecting the light of the sun. The fact that you can see it at all is
because that part of the surface is reflecting back light from the
earth, hence the term “earthshine”.

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 If you want to capture a shot of the crescent moon showing
earthshine, you will need to shoot in manual and significantly
overexpose the image. The crescent part of the moon will become
overexposed (very bright) as you bring out details within the
shadowed sections of the moon, which can result in a very unique
moon shot. A tripod or a camera with good high ISO performance is
critical, as is a longer zoom lens. Try to keep your shutter speed
below a second or two, otherwise the moon will begin to move
during the exposure and blur the image.

Timing and Backgrounds for Moon Photography

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 A moon photographed alone, however, is simply a shot of the moon.
To really make an impact with your moon photography, regardless of
the phase, you need to feature an interesting foreground or
background. The two critical components here are knowing the
timing of moonrise or moonset, and knowing the approximate
location of the moon in the sky.

The Photographersʼ Ephemeris is downloadable software (free for

laptops and desktops but a paid app for Apple and Android phones
and tablets) that lets you view the moonrise and moonset times (as
well as sunrise and sunset times) against a map, which allows you to
plot out exactly where the moon will appear in the sky, depending
on where you are standing. Moonrise and moonset tables and times
are also easily available and searchable online. You can use the
ephemeris to determine exactly when and where to stand if you
wish to photograph the moon rising or setting over a specific place
or landmark.

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 You are not limited to only shooting the moon at night. Depending
on its phase and timing, you can photograph the moon during the
daytime too, which makes it easier to experiment with interesting
foregrounds. By walking around, moving up and down, and
otherwise changing your perspective, you can ‘moveʼ the moon
where you want it to appear in your final image. The longer the focal
length that you can use, the larger you can make the moon look,
relative to the other objects in the image.

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 Variations

There are an infinite number of variations on moon photography. Do

not let yourself be limited by the full moon, only shooting the moon
at night, or only when it is rising or setting. Do not let clouds stop
you from looking for the moon. Pay a little more attention to the
moon throughout the month, and you will find many opportunities
for moon photography.

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 Have you got some great shots of the moon or some addition tips?
If so please share them in the comments below!

More night photography articles:

Moon Photography: 6 Tips for Better Moon Photos

The Mystery of Night Photography – 35 Images of the Night
How To Photograph Star Trails
Light Painting Part One – the Photography

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