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 Photographing
a large and luminous moon together with the landscape below can be a
frustrating affair. In normal pictures, the moon often seems less
luminous and large than you'd like. Getting a balanced exposure that
does justice to the landscape and the moon above can be difficult,
even impossible: If the moon is well exposed, the scenic is Usually too
dark and underexposed. Conversely, if the landscape is properly exposed,
the moon above is rendered as an overexposed, milky-white dot. Can you
shoot a lunar-lit landscape and retain its magic? Yes. With double
exposures.
Here's
what you'll need: ·
-
A
tripod.· A 35mm film SLR that can do multiple exposures. If it is not
obvious on your camera and it is an older one you can try taking up
the slack in the film with the rewind knob. Now, depress the
film rewind button and then advance the shutter level. This
may allow you to do multiple exposures.
If you are shooting digital you have a couple of options. One option is to take multiple images and bracket your exposures and plan to fix them at the computer. Another option, if your camera allows it, is to shoot in a raw format and then use the raw format processing program to create multiple images.
- You will also need a zoom lens (or single-focal-length lenses) with the right focal length for the picture you want to create.
- A
70-210mm zoom will do, but 75-300mm would be better, a 28-300mm
better still. (You'll see.)
To
shoot the moon, make a multiple exposure of two shots on a single frame
of film: one of a nighttime landscape on the lower part of the frame,
and the other of the moon on the upper part. For each shot, you'll
need different lenses (or zoom settings) and different exposures.
Your
first challenge? Finding a good nighttime scenic for the lower half of
your shot. No matter how large your full moon, if the landscape below is
uninteresting, your picture will be too. Scout out nighttime locations
to find landscapes with mixed artificial light, for example (tungsten,
fluorescent, or sodium vapor), to add unusual color to your scene.
What
focal-length settings should you use for the two pictures? To make the
moon loom large above the scenic below, you'll need a relatively long
focal length. The minimum? About 200mm, but 300mm would be better. If
you don't have a lens that goes out that far, consider buying, renting,
or borrowing a tele extender for the added reach. Meanwhile, the
landscape below that giant moon should seem smaller in comparison, so
think shorter focal lengths.
Depending
on the scene, a 70mm zoom setting might work; often something wider--say
35mm--is required.
What
about composition? If you've never done multiple exposures before, try
starting out with a relatively simple composition. Split your frame
roughly in half, reserving the top for the exposure of the moon and the
bottom for the landscape. As you become more comfortable with multiples,
you could, for example, position the moon between two buildings in a
cityscape.
For
the scene that fills the lower half of your frame, your camera's
built-in meter will provide a decent starting point for exposure. You can try
shooting in aperture priority at f/5.6, because most of your subjects
will be distant or at infinity, and you won't need much depth of field.
The shutter speed probably will be between two and thirty seconds, so a
tripod is essential. If you are shooting digital you will have good feedback by using the image display and histogram on the back of the camera. Keep in mind that when using the histogram you will not have a good curve because there are few highlights.
Automatic
exposure won't work for exposing the moon with this technique, however.
Instead, try something more basic: The Sunny 16 Rule. It works! Set your
aperture to f/16, and the shutter speed to the reciprocal of your film
speed. For ISO 100, for example, set a shutter speed of 1/125 sec.
Go and take some test pictures.
Compose
using a lens focal length that results in a large moon in the upper half
of the frame; your composition may work best if you place the moon to
one side
of the frame or the other, rather than dead center. Eliminate everything
in the frame except the moon (and perhaps a star or two.) Use the Sunny
16 Rule as explained above. To prevent camera shake, try a cable release
or your camera's self-timer.
For
that second exposure you will need to be able to take a picture without
advancing the film. Check the hint listed about or consult your
camera manufacturer for the appropriate how-to.
Recompose
so the scenic is in the lower half of your frame. You'll probably need
to switch to a wider focal length lens Make this exposure according to
your camera's meter. Again, consider using a cable release or your
camera's self-timer.
If
you tripod is a light duty model use bags of birdshot, sand bags, or milk jugs of
water tied to the tripod to add stability.
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