After this weekend, you’ll get another chance at total lunar eclipse photography
Half a year ago, weather conditions were not great when we tried to capture the prior lunar eclipse. But on Monday morning you have another chance. Here are some tips for capturing stunning pictures of the Blood Moon.
Early on Monday morning at 6am, you’ll have one of the best chances to photograph a total lunar eclipse. It’s a spectacular astronomical event where the moon turns red, known as a blood moon. The eclipse will last several hours, with the spectacular red-colored totality lasting about an hour.
1. Use a tripod
A tripod is essential for a high-quality result.
2. Longest focal length
The longer focal length of your lens, the larger the moon will appear in the picture. Expect the moon to still be rather small, even if you have a long zoom lens.
3. Shoot in largest RAW format & crop
As mentioned, the moon is very far away and will appear small in the photo. By shooting in RAW and the largest picture size possible, you will be able to crop the image later with the highest quality results.
4. Fast shutter speed
As a general rule, aim to take the photo faster than the number of millimetres of your lens. Eg. with a 300mm lens, aim to take the photo at 1/300 seconds or faster. This should give you a great starting point to adjust your other camera settings. Depending on the quality of your camera’s sensor and lens, the recommended ISO and aperture settings will vary.
5. Shoot in live-view mode
If your camera has a touchscreen, we highly recommend using the live-view mode to focus. This will often be more accurate than selecting the focal point through the viewfinder.
For more information about this total lunar eclipse, visit:
https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2019-january-21
