Take it yourself

A good picture of the moon is a staple in any photographer’s image library. Make yours stand out with these creative ways to capture it differently

EQUIPMENT

DSLR You’ll need a tripod and shutter-release cable to get pin-sharp images. Lenses with focal lengths upwards of 200mm work best for magnifying the moon. Smartphone Try shooting through a telescope. Read this tutorial bit.ly/2phFX4k for tips.

SETTINGS

Use an aperture of f/8 to capture detail and a shutter speed faster than 1/125 sec to freeze the moon’s motion as it travels across the sky. Start with ISO 800 and increase to gain extra light if needed (see Know your stuff overleaf). Use spot-metering and underexpose by two f-stops.

PRACTICAL For crisp moon shots, switch your lens to manual focus and Live View mode. Adjust the focus until the moon’s surface is sharp. Photograph just after the sun

has set and the moon starts to rise. There will be enough ambient light to capture detail in both the moon’s surface and the foreground in one image. Paint the moon red during its own ‘golden hour’, which happens when the sun sets and within 20 minutes of the moon’s rise. Use lunar calendars to track times. bit.ly/2p3fya5 Shoot when the moon is

waxing and waning for better contrast of its contours and craters. During full moon it’s evenly lit, appearing flat.