Tips to Take Photos of the Supermoon

On Tuesday 27th April, we’ll get to enjoy a rare and beautiful sight— a super 'pink' moon, so grab your cameras and let’s get shooting!

Here are a few top tips from the Canon photography experts to get you started…

1. Exposure settings: Capturing the moon as it rises earlier in the evening when there is still plenty of ambient light available is ideal, before it gets too bright. Because the moon’s a moving subject, shoot with a relatively fast shutter speed. As a starting point I’d recommend TV mode and 1/500th sec, a tripod will help to stabilise your camera and experiment with the ISO to control the exposure. If you’re shooting around sunset, an ISO around 400 will also help your camera select a mid-range f-stop for great depth of field. Just remember, the moon is bright, so you may need to underexpose to capture the detail on the moon’s surface. Keep an eye on your histogram to ensure the moon isn’t overexposed!

2. Gear: Grab your lens with the longest focal length–the longer the lens the closer the moon will appear. A tripod and cable release will also help stabilise your kit if you’re using a long lens. Check out Canon’s range of lenses here.

3. Composition: For something different, try to capture the moon while it’s close to the horizon. The lower the moon the greater chance of incorporating a foreground, which will help create a sense of scale. For something unique, get creative with your composition: perhaps try shooting a silhouette; grab a mate and have them pose in front of the brightly lit the moon; or perhaps try capturing a plane, an iconic building or some trees in front of the moon.

4. Above all, be prepared. Timing can mean the difference between a good and a great photograph. The moon rises quickly, so secure your vantage point and plan your composition a head of time.

Tag #CanonAustralia on Facebook or Instagram to share your shots.