[Eigengrau]

??? Aperture limitations? You aren't trying to shoot wide open are you?

Well, I was overexposing because I was forgoing moon exposure trying to get some cloud detail immediately around the moon - but even wide open wasn't enough to handhold. So, ya I had to tripod and eventually did end up with both a tighter aperture and faster shutter, because I couldn't get anything that worked how I wanted before the clouds blew away.

[Marc Sabatella]

Well, I was overexposing because I was forgoing moon exposure trying to get some cloud detail immediately around the moon

Makes sense. Unfortunately, the moon is so bright that it is impossible to get detail in it as well as anything else - it's just far outside the dynamic range of the camera. So no matter what aperture or other settings you tried, you'd be stuck with a burned out white circle if you wanted to see the clouds, or else detail in the moon but the clouds would sink into complete blackness.

Others here have claimed that wide open *is* best for shooting the moon, though, and I haven't experimented enough to say they are wrong. Just that it still seems counter-intuitive to me, except that indeed, the moon *does* move. Shoot at a long enough focal length and I can see that mattering. Just not sure it does shooting at 200mm as I was - even stopped down to f/8, you can still get shutter speeds better than 1/200 second, and between SR and good bracing, that seems to be good enough to me.

[Eigengrau]

True - I was actually able to get a few reasonably sharp pictures (out of many, many attempts) from the car the other night - nothing showable, but a fun way to pass the drive...

Never having "shot the moon" (except in hearts) I expected to need much longer exposures shooting at night and all, but that just goes to show how bright the dang thing is. Has anybody ever messed with HDR moon shots? It would be difficult with moving stars/clouds/moon and all, but I bet it would be nuts to stitch together a picture with the whole night sky evenly exposed.

I really need to improve my photoshop skills...

[rfortson]

Here's my version of the famous "full moon through the arches" shot.

[mhertel]

Talking about HDR.. just found this image (not mine)
Train Tracks Ellis County Texas on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Sorry, couldnt get the url for just the image..

[hinckc]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the comments, though not overwhelmingly positive...

Believe it or not, the magenta tones aren't "unnatural", though, obviously our eyes don't see it. It's been discussed here on the forums in the past... There are magentas and blues/cyans in the reflections from the moon that occur due to mineral content, and their reflective properties. I processed intentionally to draw them out. The color cast in that last one (and the one in my previous post), well, yeah, that needs a little fixing.. Especially the greens. I'm seeing them more now that you mentioned it. I'll try to subdue them a bit.... It really does look at bit "cheesy" ...



That night, I ran out and took that shot just because I saw this thread, and wanted to post it before I went to sleep. I think this one's better balanced.. The oranges are still there in spots, but they're really supposed to be there, at least when you consider physics and intent of the photographer...

Thanks for mentioning it!

-Chris

[John Kovarik]

OK, I'll play.........a little after six am today - K20/Tamron 1.4 TC/DA*300.........

Attached Images

 

[Peter Zack]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the comments, though not overwhelmingly positive...

Believe it or not, the magenta tones aren't "unnatural", though, obviously our eyes don't see it. It's been discussed on the forums in the past... There are magentas and blues/cyans in the reflections from the moon that occur due to mineral content, and their reflective properties. I processed intentionally to draw them out. The color cast in that last one (and the one in my previous post), well, yeah, that needs a little fixing.. Especially the greens. I'm seeing them more now that you mentioned it. I'll try to subdue them a bit.... It really does look at bit "cheesy" ...

That night, I ran out and took that shot just because I saw this thread, and wanted to post it before I went to sleep. I think this one's better balanced.. The oranges are still there in spots, but they're really supposed to be there, at least when you consider physics and intent of the photographer...

Thanks for mentioning it!

-Chris

Well maybe it's a function of the atmosphere in each area as well. I agree that the moon isn't monochrome but I've never seen those colours that strong where I live. Someone on the forum posted a shot with a Newtonian telescope that could sharply isolate a few craters and there was some colour but very faint. I like the second version better.

Sorry to sound too critical. It's a nice sharp shot without question. Looking over the other shots, everyone's version exhibits different colour and I wonder if that's a function of elevation and pollution as well.

[Blue]

Well maybe it's a function of the atmosphere in each area as well. I agree that the moon isn't monochrome but I've never seen those colours that strong where I live. Someone on the forum posted a shot with a Newtonian telescope that could sharply isolate a few craters and there was some colour but very faint. I like the second version better.

Sorry to sound too critical. It's a nice sharp shot without question. Looking over the other shots, everyone's version exhibits different colour and I wonder if that's a function of elevation and pollution as well.

Two68s and I took shots 2 days apart but close to Midnight. I am in Tallahassee and he is in Lakeland, FL which is about 200 miles apart. We had color differences also. https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/32645-full-moon-new-k200d.html

[ohce]

Here is my first try. Both are taken by K200D with Skywatcher Equinox 500mm FL telescope. Because I don't have the adapter to couple both equipments. So the telescope was siting on a triple, and I handheld the camera to look for the focus back and forth. Pretty tough!

#1, direct focus.No post processing, 100% corp, only portion of the image.


#2, 20X projection, image only resized, Photoshop auto-level only.

[hinckc]

Sorry to sound too critical. It's a nice sharp shot without question. Looking over the other shots, everyone's version exhibits different colour and I wonder if that's a function of elevation and pollution as well.

Hi Peter,

I didn't think you were "too" critical at all. When I looked a second time, I could tell it needed some help, too. I appreciate your input! When one looks at a shot for a long time, your mind will "auto white balance" it. So it can be hard to see a color cast like that after working on a shot for a while. I'm glad you pointed it out.

With respect to the color variations here across the shots, my bet is that it has to do more with auto white balance, though the factors you mentioned come into play as well with how the AWB makes it's decisions.

@once: Cool shots!


-Chris

[Blue]

Hi Peter,

. . .

With respect to the color variations here across the shots, my bet is that it has to do more with auto white balance, though the factors you mentioned come into play as well with how the AWB makes it's decisions.

@once: Cool shots!


-Chris

Its my understanding that atmospheric conditions effect the color of the moon. That is why it can be a dark orange when it first comes up in the night sky and gradually turns white as it rises to the highest point in the sky. I don't see why that wouldn't effect the color in the photos. Two68s and I were using k200d on the same white balance. He was using a Tamron 70-300mm and I was using the 55-300. We got a similar perspective of the moon shots but the basic difference was the color.

[Peter Zack]

I assume AWB has something to do with it as well as pollution that will differ from area to area. Rising heat and thermals may also contribute to both the colour and sharpness of a shot. A countryside sky vs a city with light pollution will effect the shots as well. The sky on the horizon has a lot more dust, debris and pollution for the moon to cut through and all those particles add to the colour just like a setting sun. It's the late night and high in the sky shots that differ quite a bit.

Makes you wonder sometimes if that purple flower someone posted is actually blue sometimes.

[Eigengrau]

That HDR Moon shot is pretty impressive. I couldn't find any secrets about his technique on there, but I only glanced over the comments.

[embrauer]

This is where we post moon photos eh

My first go a little while ago. Not very sharp, but I didn't have tripod or remote release.