Reading mode: Light Dark

Please critique my bad moon shot

Go to last post
E

Eric and Kristin Brewer

Well-known member
Messages
109
Reaction score
7
Location
US
Hello,

I tried taking a picture of the beautiful full moon this morning, but I am very displeased. Could you please critique and help me figure out what went wrong. Please describe what specifically makes it look bad. For example, it doesn't seem to have a sharp line between the white moon and black sky.

Shot with 14-150 lens in aperture priority mode with auto white balance and single point auto focus. Not sure if you are able to see the full exif data.

Thank you!
Eric



 
and here is a cropped shot.
Eric




Eric and Kristin Brewer said:
Hello,

I tried taking a picture of the beautiful full moon this morning, but I am very displeased. Could you please critique and help me figure out what went wrong. Please describe what specifically makes it look bad. For example, it doesn't seem to have a sharp line between the white moon and black sky.

Shot with 14-150 lens in aperture priority mode with auto white balance and single point auto focus. Not sure if you are able to see the full exif data.

Thank you!
Eric



Click to expand...
 
Eric and Kristin Brewer said:
Please describe what specifically makes it look bad. For example, it doesn't seem to have a sharp line between the white moon and black sky.
Click to expand...
I don't think you can expect it much sharper than this. You may be able to obtain more detail if you adjust the contrast in the highlight area. Other things to consider is the air pollution, Excessive ISO (blurs the detail) and IBIS (should be off as your shutter speed is fast enough).

Vlad
 
Not bad, could of course have shot at ISO 100 at 1/100 sec f/5.6. Or maybe f/8.

The most important thing you could do differently is take a picture of a waxing or waning moon, not a full moon. When the moon appears half lit to us, the sun is hitting it from the side, casting long shadows from every crater rim near the terminator (separation between light and darkness). If you take a picture of that it will show texture! It will be more interesting.

The flat appearance you see in a photo of a full moon is the same thing that happens with on camera flash. Because the light is coming from the same angle as the camera is to the object, you don't see texture, it looks flat.
 
There isn't much to critque about beacause there isn't much to see. Did you use a tripod? If you didn't, it might go some way to explain the lack of the "sharp line"

I'm not sure why you used autofocus of whatever type. One thing you can be certain of is that moon is always a very long way away, and setting to infinity will suffice. It also removes one more uncertainty.

This is a M4/3 forum, therefore I assume you used a M4/3 camera. I guess you have already worked out that 150mm is not really long enough for this sort of thing.

The picture looks a bit over exposed but that is fixed easily enough.

The full moon is a flat lit landscape far worse than anything you can get on Earth. It is easier to get more interesting results two weeks later
Eric and Kristin Brewer said:
I tried taking a picture of the beautiful full moon this morning, but I am very displeased. Could you please critique and help me figure out what went wrong. Please describe what specifically makes it look bad. For example, it doesn't seem to have a sharp line between the white moon and black sky.

Shot with 14-150 lens in aperture priority mode with auto white balance and single point auto focus. Not sure if you are able to see the full exif data.
Click to expand...
 
JosephScha said:
The most important thing you could do differently is take a picture of a waxing or waning moon, not a full moon. When the moon appears half lit to us, the sun is hitting it from the side, casting long shadows from every crater rim near the terminator (separation between light and darkness). If you take a picture of that it will show texture! It will be more interesting.

The flat appearance you see in a photo of a full moon is the same thing that happens with on camera flash. Because the light is coming from the same angle as the camera is to the object, you don't see texture, it looks flat.
Click to expand...
 
I think you might get a better result in full manual and with a considerably lower exposure. Also, if you want to limit atmospheric interference (and you're only interested in the moon itself) shoot it when it's as high on the sky as possible.

Best of luck.
 
Shoot RAW and change WB in post, or spot WB on the moon itself. Add contrast in post. Shoot moon when it's more interesting as others have said (waxing/waning). Shoot manual exposure and check the histogram to avoid highlight clipping (auto metering for the moon is often disastrous). Use a tripod, use shutter delay or remote cable.

But, most importantly, you must have a longer lens. 300mm (600mm effective) is the minimum that will generate reasonable prints from a crop. Ideally you would want 600mm (1200mm effective) to come moderately close to filling the frame.

A 400mm or 500mm cat lens is the cheapest way to get there. There's a M4/3 native 300mm cat lens coming, too.
 
although zooming with your feet might be tough in this case.

--
Supremely Lead Tedolph Zombie (tm).
 
I think this type of shot is more interesting when cloud is included. This wasn't taken with my 4/3 set up, for which I apologise,





because I just grabbed the nearest camera to hand.

A few minutes later and the cloud cover came over.

This is hand held.
 
Francis E said:
I think this type of shot is more interesting when cloud is included. This wasn't taken with my 4/3 set up, for which I apologise,





because I just grabbed the nearest camera to hand.

A few minutes later and the cloud cover came over.

This is hand held.
Click to expand...
I like photos like that. No need to have the moon fill the frame for an interesting shot. If you don't have a long enough lens for a detailed image, find another way to use the moon.





I'd suggest the OP try spot metering next time, too.
--
http://453c.smugmug.com/
 
Thanks for everyone's help! I was thinking that the biggest problem is the lack of zoom and now, with your help, I know for sure.

However, can anyone describe how to focus to infinity on the EP3 in manual focus mode? I put it in MF and assumed I would just focus all the way to one direction, but neither direction works, best focus is somewhere in the middle and I can't do a good job of it.

Thanks, Eric
 
You need to crop it and pull it up. Otherwise, it looks fine if yellowish. Try using a different WB -- perhaps sunny. Or take out the yellow in PP.

Fun stuff, playing with moon pix, isn't it? :)

now as for "bad moon shot" -- I seem to remember a Credence Clearwater Revival song. "Bad moon rising"? Yes, that's it!!! Great song!

Cheers, geoff
--
Geoffrey Heard
http://pngtimetraveller.blogspot.com/2011/10/return-to-karai-komana_31.html
 
I thought this was going to be one of those bad double meanin posts that have been plaguing the forum recently.

Not enough zoom and I would manual focus on a tripod. Doesn't look too sharp.
 
You require more zoom...300mm at minimum then a Teleconverter on top of that...fastest shutter speed you can get by focusing on the brightest part of the Moon it will speed up shutter in "A" Mode at lowest f/# possible...the fast shutter will help with details...SPot Metering...Spot Focus...DO NOT wait until the Sun has fully brightened the Moon as it obliterates the details and washes them out so when the Moon is low in the sky and just rising is a great time....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46756347@N08/sets/72157627727429977/with/6220268814/
--
FlickR Photostream:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/46756347@N08/
 
The power of the Sun on the moon isn't dependant on how high in the sky it is. What makes it seem less bright is that more air in the atmosphere is in the way and acts as a filter (and a prism). That's particularly the case when it's rising or setting because of refraction, but while "moonrises" and "moonsets" are great times to take pictures where you get some foreground as well, it also mean that you get the maximum interference from the atmosphere and thus a softer image. So, if you want a picture of the moon only, you should wait until it's at its culmination, that is, when it is at its highest on the sky.
LTZ470 said:
...DO NOT wait until the Sun has fully brightened the Moon as it obliterates the details and washes them out so when the Moon is low in the sky and just rising is a great time....
Click to expand...
 
Hen3ry said:
now as for "bad moon shot" -- I seem to remember a Credence Clearwater Revival song. "Bad moon rising"? Yes, that's it!!! Great song!
Click to expand...
Yes!

"Don't go round tonite.
It's bound to take your wife.
There's a bathroom on your right"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top