5 tips for shooting the supermoon

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5 tips for shooting the supermoon

AFP

How to get good photos of the supermoon using just your smartphone camera

MANILA, Philippines – An unusually bright and large moon will adorn the skies on Monday, November 14. The moon will be at its closest point to Earth – a phenomenon usually tagged as “supermoon,” officially called the “perigee moon.” 

According to state weather bureau PAGASA, “The Moon will reach perigee – Moon’s closest point as it orbits Earth – on November 14, 2016 at 07:21 PM (PST) almost 2 hours 31 minutes before going Full Moon at 09:52 PM (PST).”

The Moon will be just 356,621.66 kilometers from Earth – a very close distance in celestial terms. It will be the closest and biggest perigee in 68 years and won’t be seen this close to Earth again until November 26, 2034.

The phenomena will be an opportunity for everyone to display, discover, or enhance their creativity. If you’re into taking photos, here are some non-technical tips on how to get “instragramable” photos using just your smartphone camera.

 

1. Plan your shots

Establish your image – the moon as the main (or only) object in the image, or the moon as an element of a landscape image. If it’s the former, forget the smartphone. Unless you want to explain in detail the patches on the face of the moon, borrow a camera and an expensive, powerful lens that maybe not even most of your professional photographer friends have.

SUPERMOON. The perigee moon in Manila on August 10, 2014 taken with a DSLR with a telephoto lens. File photo by Rappler

 

2. Lower your expectations

You won’t be able to distinguish between a supermoon and an ordinary full moon. No matter what you do, what smartphone you use, the moon will only run about 50 pixels across your frame. It will not be as large as you thought it’ll be. Focus instead on framing and composition.

DO NOT SHOOT THE MOON BY ITSELF. Shooting the supermoon on a beach in Bohol using a smartphone. The moon as an element to a landscape photograph. File photo by Rappler

 

3. Establish a point of reference

Again, don’t photograph the moon by itself; instead, try to frame it with some land-based object. It can just be tree leaves, a mountain range, a local monument or icon, buildings, or anything to give your photo a sense of place. A DSLR is prefered if you want to obtain images displayed below but you can also give your smartphone a try.

POINT OF REFERENCE. A supermoon rises behind the light on top of the Luxor Hotel and Casino on August 10, 2014 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Establish a sense of place by adding a familiar structure on the foreground. Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP

LONG EXPOSURE NOT A REQUIREMENT.  A supermoon rises above the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial on August 10, 2014 in Arlington, Virginia. Look for a lighted statue or any structure for an interesting foreground. Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images/AFP

 

4. Expose

Use a tripod or place your phone on a somewhere firm. DO NOT ZOOM! It will decrease the quality of the photo. Use the lens as is or frame and expose the image first, then zoom in to crop or enlarge detail.

USE YOUR FINGERS. To get the right light balance and focus, tap and hold the screen for a few seconds where the moon is and wait foe the yellow AE/AF LOCK indicator to appear. Slide the sun icon to lighten or darken the exposure. Drag it down to lower the exposure.

 

5. Enjoy!

Supermoons are not an everyday occurrence, so take the opportunity to take lots of photos! Don’t forget to share your images. Tweet your photos publicly with #supermoonPH to @rapplerdotcom. Indicate your city location when you took the image in your tweet. 

You can watch the supermoon LIVE by clicking here. – Rappler.com

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