The Nature, Wildlife and Pet Photography Forum - Fine Art Landscape Photography

Run-up to the Full Moon

Posted By: Buddy Thomason

Run-up to the Full Moon - 08/26/07 09:35 PM

Just a few more days... Here are a couple from last night.
#1


#2
Posted By: Buddy Thomason

Re: Run-up to the Full Moon - 08/27/07 04:18 AM

The first shot was earlier when there was still a lot of blue in the sky. The second one was probably 10-12 min. later.

Here's the set-up for these shots:

Canon 1D MKII (1.3 crop factor)
500 mm telephoto - 1.3X500=650mm
Tripod
miror lock-up function on
noise reduction on
10 sec. shutter delay
ISO 100
f 4 aperture
1/125 sec. exposure
auto white balance

It was cool. I set up on top of the parking deck over at my office. The moon was E SE and the sunset was due West. All I had to do was rotate the camera/lens on the tripod and take turns shooting both scenes. Here's a sunset shot.

Posted By: Buddy Thomason

Re: Run-up to the Full Moon - 08/28/07 03:59 PM



The eclipse thing was a total curve ball for me. I stumbled outside at about 4 AM, forgot my glasses, cranked up the ISO all the way (3200), open the lens up all the way (5.6 with the 1.4 extender - 910mm total) and still had to shoot at less than 1/15 (slower and the moon blurs because it's moving). All of that and I really couldn't tell if the focus was right or not. Finding the edge of the moon with autofocus provided enough contrast to trigger the system. The eclipse was overall a lot darker than I thought it would be - plus it goes on for hours and hours. I would love to see other folks' pictures of the eclipse if there are any.
Posted By: Tony Bynum

Re: Run-up to the Full Moon - 08/28/07 04:35 PM

cool stuff.

howe come your title is "total eclipse of the moon" when in fact, it's only partially eclipsed?

Please excuse me if I sound ignorant, but I've seen eclipses before an even a few total eclipses and they covered by a complete shadow. . . Is this a shot of a lunar eclipse? Maybe I'm thinking of a solar eclipse where the moon is blocked out?

In any event, I like the shots, very nicely done!!!!
Posted By: RomanJohnston

Re: Run-up to the Full Moon - 08/28/07 06:33 PM

Nice work!!!!

I went out early this AM...(been up since 1:30AM now)

My son and I had a nice time watching it...got a nice shot of it over Portland.



Wonder if any one else got some shots?

Roman
Posted By: DavidRamey

Re: Run-up to the Full Moon - 08/28/07 11:19 PM

I stayed up all night to photograph the lunar eclipse and just before the partial eclipse, a cloud covered the moon and kept the moon covered during the whole eclipse. It was as dark as a new moon.
Posted By: Buddy Thomason

Re: Run-up to the Full Moon - 08/29/07 05:06 AM

Quote:

howe come your title is "total eclipse of the moon" when in fact, it's only partially eclipsed?



Because I'd been up most of the night, probably.

Beautiful shot, Roman!

The shadow passed Left to Right. Very difficult subject to photograph, as I said. This one is a bit better.

Posted By: RomanJohnston

Re: Run-up to the Full Moon - 08/29/07 11:12 AM

Quote:

cool stuff.

howe come your title is "total eclipse of the moon" when in fact, it's only partially eclipsed?

Please excuse me if I sound ignorant, but I've seen eclipses before an even a few total eclipses and they covered by a complete shadow. . . Is this a shot of a lunar eclipse? Maybe I'm thinking of a solar eclipse where the moon is blocked out?

In any event, I like the shots, very nicely done!!!!




That ISNT a partial eclipse. The regular moon is about 4-5 stops brighter....your seeing the movement of the darkest part of the shadow across the face of the entirely blocked moon. On his AND my picture...the shadow has moved a bit to the right....and in about an hour later....portions of the moon are again fully exposed to the sun and you start to see the standard white crecent moon transform to a full moon over the next hour....the moon is never fully dark...as the distance of the moon from the earth allows some bleed over light to occur keeping it softly lit and the red is from the light bending in the prismatic atmosphere of earth. If the moon was further or closer.....it would be a diffrent color due to the prisim effect on the asmosphere....and be darker or lighter during the transition.

Roman
Posted By: Buddy Thomason

Re: Run-up to the Full Moon - 08/29/07 05:34 PM

Roman - Thanks for explaining so well. You're right on. We were out shooting at the same time - I can tell by your image (plus I checked EXIF).

I went outside when the moon was fully obscured by the shadow. It was quite a dark orb with some mottled orange glow showing through. The shadow continued to slowly migrate to the Right and eventually the Left rim of the moon began to really fire up. By that time I'd been shooting, checking my LCD and essentially trying to find the shutter speed that would work best. I couldn't change any of the other parameters as everything was max'd out.

I was disappointed with my images at first, but remembered that a lunar eclipse is not nearly as dramatic as a solar eclipse. The moon's beauty is not enhanced by a lunar eclipse, it is progressively obscured.

The images I posted above are exactly what I saw through the lens and looking at Roman's image confirms it. I really appreciate being able to compare images and learn from the process.
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