How to Do Long Exposure Photography During a Full Moon

in #photography8 years ago (edited)

Full moon only rolls around once a month and it happens to be June 9th, are you going to do some long exposure madness?
_DSC4087.JPG
The good thing about using the moon to light your environment is you have about 3 days on either side of the full moon to actually shoot; I call it this the "Full Moon Shoot Cycle." So what are you waiting for?

What I love about this technique is that your naked eye can't see the final result. Long exposures force you to really think about camera settings and light from the moon. It's pure bliss when you see the final outcome_DSC5791.jpg
_DSC5798.jpg
I'm not going to get too detailed here because it would be a really long post, but I'll give you a few pointers regarding the images:

  1. experiment with camera settings and take mental notes
  2. 30 seconds, f5.6, ISO 100, red and purple gels taped to a flashlight
  3. long star trails take more time - not my thing
  4. have fun
  5. rock your mistakes or incorporate mistakes - see the blue streak camera left?
  6. you need to get out of town if you live in a big city, light contamination -google it
  7. a good steady tripod is a must
  8. patience and practice...enjoy the quiet of the night

The image below is a little out of focus. Focusing is difficult in the middle of the night. I typically set it to the infinity mark.
_DSC4041.JPG

_DSC4109.jpg

Daytime shot:

_DSC4159.JPG

*****UPDATE: if you like this post there is a part 2. : )~

Sort:  

nice shots, almost hauntingly pretty.

that's why I love it...it's so weird with full moon light

Congratulations @lightenup!
Your post was mentioned in my hit parade in the following category:

  • Pending payout - Ranked 2 with $ 252,99

Right on!!!! I love it!!!

nice...tips....I have learn something news....upvote and resteem for your tips...

Thanks !!!! Try it and let me know the results.

u r welcome....

Those are really awesome pictures

That looks amazing

Amazing photography! It makes me want to buy a decent camera and take some photos :)

you don't need a decent camera!!!! get a cheap camera that is about 5 years old and rock it! The key is to keep the ISO low and a 30 second exposure. cheap will work just as good as an expensive camera with low ISO. 100 to 400 and you should be good!!

Thanks for the tip! Is there any model/s you would recommend?

I recommend getting out and shooting. My main reason for doing this is to build chops in photography, what happens personally is up to you.

Such a surreal effect!

Your eye can't see it...but the camera can

What amazing shots! Thanks for sharing! Really like what you did with the lights on the bus... Followed and resteemed.

Yeah...just a flash light with colored gels. Its easy! Just have to get out and do it.

Oh, that's along the lines of what I was thinking you used. Thanks! I am was planning on doing similar stuff. One idea I had was to do long exposures of climbers on a rock wall, climbing at night with colored headlamps on a full moon. Really tricky to organize though and I live far away from any climbing location at the moment.

Yes, think of it as an ongoing project that may span over years. You go on a vacation and plan it around the full moon. Organize it, but practice your technique ahead of time so that you nail the shots (ART).

Thanks for the helpful advice! It is kinda tough for me to be organized but I know I must jot down some of the ideas I have and seek opportunities to fulfill them. All the best, and looking forward to more of your posts!

Go shoot outside your city (if you are in a big city) and just experiment.

That's exactly my plan after I will be able to afford owning a car again.

I love the pictures

Great tips. Thanks. The result is amazing!

Thanks dude!!! Have you tried it yet?