Snow Geese crossing the moon in late afternoon - notice that the moon isn't quite full
Using the moon as a background in a photo can make for a
really fantastic shot. A shot of a bull Elk bugling with the moon so large that
it fills half the scene or a flock of geese passing in front of a full moon can
be pretty dramatic. Unfortunately, the better the shot, the more likely that
people will assume that it has been photoshopped – actually, not too bad an
assumption.
If you think about it, such shots can be incredibly tough to
get. The moon is only full (or nearly full) a few days each month. The sky has
to be clear, and the subject needs to be positioned properly. Photos with the
moon rising are particularly difficult. The window for getting such a shot is
incredibly short. The moon is only positioned properly on the horizon for a
minute or so. It’s no wonder that people assume that such photos are more the
result of time spent at the keyboard rather than behind a lens.
I’m not saying that there is necessarily anything wrong with
digital manipulation (unless you try to pass it off as the real deal). The
problem comes when the artist puts together two objects together that aren’t
possible to capture in the same frame. An extreme example would be a setting
sun next to a full moon – two objects that are never next to each other in the
sky. Most people would catch that right away, but there are other, more subtle
things to look for that may make you suspect shenanigans.
More Snow Geese
The best way to tell the difference between a (potentially) manipulated shot and the general article is often a matter of perfection as well as imperfection. A photoshopped photo will generally contain both elements. Consider the position of the full moon relative to the sun. A few days before the moon is full, it rises before sunset. The full moon rises as the sun sets. You won’t have a completely full moon out during daylight hours. A completely full moon against a bright blue sky with a Bald Eagle crossing it just can’t happen, however, an ALMOST full-moon against a beautiful blue sky IS possible one or two days each month. Another problem comes from depth of field. Having the moon with other subject all in relatively good focus is no easy task, especially if the second subject is moving. Getting the moon to fill the frame requires a long lens. Getting all of the elements in focus requires great depth of field, which comes at the price of high ISO (introducing noise) and/or slow shutter speed because of a small aperture. In other words, don’t expect to get a crisp shot of a Peregrine Falcon crossing the moon.
Digitally manipulated shot - the focus on all subjects (especially the moon) is too sharp. This was made from the next two photos - California Condors, BTW
Now that I’ve established how difficult it is to come by
great shots of the moon with wildlife, let’s look at how you can get such a
shot in the real world, without the help of a software program. If you know
what situations ARE possible, you can put yourself in a position to get some
pretty dramatic photos. As I mentioned before, a few days before the moon is
completely full, it rises before sunset. That isn’t perfect, but it can be
close enough. Another thing that works to you benefit in these conditions is
that the sun will be at your back, which IS perfect for many shots. You might
be lucky enough to just find yourself in the right place at the right time, but
you can dramatically increase your chances with a little planning. Find a table
that tells you when the sun and moon rise and set and circle those days when
the moon rises an hour or two before the sun sets to capture a nearly full moon
against a blue sky. Alternatively, if you want silhouettes against a full moon,
you’ll want to be in position while the moon is still low in the sky. The best
time of year is often winter when the air is cold and haze is at a minimum.
I didn't follow my own advice - I focused on the moon. The Condor was too close and ended up out of focus.
I’ve had the most success with the nearly full moon against
a blue sky which occurs just before sunset. The reason for this is that it is
still light enough to see the birds coming, which allows enough time to react
and shoot. Also, monsters come out after dark, especially when the moon is
full. Everybody knows that. Another advantage of shooting in the late afternoon
is that many birds are flying at this time of day in order to get to where they
plan to spend the night. I have had the best luck with ducks and geese as there
tend to be lots of them, improving the chance of success. That pretty much
covers “what” “where” and “when,” leaving us with “how?”
Condors in better focus - no moon
If you’ve ever taken a photo of the moon, you know how small
it will appear in the picture. To make the moon appear large, you need to use a
long lens. I recommend 400mm at a minimum, but preferably longer – as long as
you’ve got. You’ll also want to use a tripod and a remote shutter release. The
idea is to mount the camera on a tripod and watch for birds that might cross
the moon. When they approach, you hit the shutter release, but first things
first. As mentioned earlier, you want plenty of depth of field to have the moon
and the birds in fairly good focus. Ideally, shoot in manual mode. Try to get and exposure that provides an
aperture of about f/9 or better and a shutter speed of 1/500th or
faster. You’ll need to adjust the ISO to get the overall exposure right. Take
some test shots and check the histogram. Where to focus is a challenge. If you
focus directly on the moon, the birds will be soft and vice versa. Focus
manually (you don’t want the camera hunting when it counts), take some test
shots and adjust as necessary. Error towards having the moon in focus if the
birds are silhouettes and focus more on the birds if it is light enough to see
detail on them.
You can see thousands of my photos at http://www.stevebyland.com/ They are all available for sale as prints or license. I can be reached by email at sbbyland@aol.com
Steve- very cool post. The Cape May posse has an unofficial open challenge to photograph birds in front of the moon, mostly from the Higbee Beach dike (and then mostly during fall migration). Of course, there's also the Cape May Lighthouse... and if you can get the lighthouse AND the moon AND the bird... well, you win the unofficial unspecified prize.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post...
ReplyDeleteFans of the Bakersfield Condors will forever appreciate your photos!