A lunar eclipse along with a full moon and a supermoon is a pretty special occasion and those who are taking the time to go somewhere to watch the lunar event probably want to capture it on camera to remember it by.
The event is going to happen Sunday night and into Monday morning for those who will be where it's actually visible. But snapping the perfect photo of the moon can be difficult on a normal night and even more difficult when the pressure is on to get the right shot.
Chances are your average smartphone camera won't be good enough to capture the photo onlookers want. So it'll take equipment that's a slight step above your phone to really get a good photo of the moon in all it's full, red and eclipsed glory.
Once onlookers have a camera, they'll need to get it ready and set it up for the perfect photo. Cameras that allow the user to change the lens so that they can add a lens with a more significant zoom on it is best for taking photos of the moon. Users also need to be able to change the exposure on the camera because the longer the exposure is needed for a better photo.
Those trying to capture the moon should set their camera up on a tripod and open the aperture to somewhere between f/11 and f/16, according to Light Stalking. That will let in the right amount of light and will help the camera pick up the details of the moon. It might be helpful to take a few test shots trying the different apertures before the main event.
But users should be careful not to move the camera at all while the exposure or shutter speed is long because they'll just end up with a blurry photo, that's why the tripod is necessary. It's also important not to shake or jostle the camera at all when clicking the shutter, so that self-timer setting can really come in handy.
Each camera is a little different though, so it may be best to use a sort of trial and error method using some base numbers to figure out how to get the clearest photo. On some cameras, a shutter speed of 1/125 might be best but on others it may be 1/200, so trying out different settings before prime time is recommended.
Uncommon Knowledge
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About the writer
Nina was a breaking news reporter. She previously worked at Business Insider, The Boston Globe, and Boston.com.
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