Moon photography tips: how to shoot out-of-this-world night sky images

The Moon has always been a captivating subject for photographers around the globe, especially at those rare times when it appears as a supermoon or even a blood moon. However, it can be tricky to do it justice. It can be challenging shooting a bright subject that's very far away in low light, as well as framing and focusing at long focal lengths. But with the right photography kit and exposure settings, plus careful planning before you head out, you can shoot wonderfully detailed lunar photos and atmospheric moonscapes. Here, we share all the information you need to shoot the Moon with expert advice on settings and kit as well as tips on how to get the best lunar images from astrophotographer Mara Leite.

The Moon's orbit of the Earth takes 27.322 days. This cycle is divided into phases: new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter moon, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter moon, waning crescent moon and new moon once again. Not only does every phase give you a different perspective on the Moon, it also impacts the lighting conditions, from bright glowing full moon to barely-there new moon.

Some points in the lunar calendar are really special. When the Moon is closer to the Earth and this coincides with a full moon – the time of the month when the Sun, Moon and Earth are all in alignment – we're treated to an enlarged full moon or supermoon. A blood moon – when a regular supermoon coincides with a total lunar eclipse – is even rarer. This means the Earth completely blocks direct sunlight from reaching the Moon and only refracted light from the Earth's atmosphere remains, causing the Moon to appear a faint blood red.

Photographing the Moon is not only a fun test of your camera skills, it's also a fascinating way to get to know the movements of the Earth and its satellite. We can tell exactly where the Moon will rise, where it will arc through the sky and where it will set, every night for years to come. There are several useful phone apps that can help you plan your angles with precision. As a rough guide, a full moon will emerge directly opposite the setting sun.

Make sure you consider the time of day. The Moon is perhaps most impressive when it first appears on the horizon – this is known as 'moonrise'. Also, if you're photographing a supermoon, shooting then can be particularly impactful. The light has to travel laterally through the Earth's atmosphere to you, so the Moon takes on a warm reddish quality. It's also the moment when the Moon seems at its largest, although this is an illusion – the size stays the same throughout the night, but the curvature of the atmosphere acts as a magnifying glass.

It's also important to check the weather forecast before heading out. Clear conditions will give you optimum visibility. Scope out locations that will offer you a good view of what's happening and include visual interest – such as an engaging urban skyline – but minimal distraction. Ensure you are kit-ready. That means fully charged and all packed. The Moon moves fast so you don't want to be running home for something you forgot, or you'll miss out!

Automatic exposure modes may not work consistently when shooting the Moon, so it's best to use manual exposure. Essentially the intensity of sunlight hitting the Moon stays the same, so there's a simple exposure rule we can use as a guide – the 'looney 11' rule. Set aperture to f/11 and match shutter speed to the inverse of the ISO, so at ISO 100 we use 1/100 sec, at ISO 200 it would be 1/200 sec, and so on. This isn't set in stone, though – you can vary your shutter speed and aperture around these values until the image looks right.

A long lens is a must for close-up moon photos, but when you're only starting out, don't worry. A fast, expensive lens isn't essential because the Moon is so bright that you don't need the widest apertures of top-of-the-range long lenses. Even a standard zoom like the Canon RF 24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM or the RF-S 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM can work – it might not let you fill the frame, but you can always crop into the area later. This is where EOS R System cameras, with their high resolution, show their worth. The full-frame Canon EOS R8 gives you pin-sharp clarity even in low light, and the APS-C sensors on the Canon EOS R10 and EOS R50 give lenses a narrower field of view, providing extra reach from wider lenses.

While a full moon is spellbinding, it may not actually be the best time to take photographs if you're interested in capturing surface features such as craters. In much the same way as a camera's pop-up flash lights a face, the frontal sunlight during a full moon eliminates a lot of the shadows. At other times of the month the sunlight is more side-on, which creates the highlights and shadows necessary to show off the contours and details of the lunar landscape. A great lens for close-ups is the RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM, which combines a long telephoto zoom with image stabilisation. Additionally, if you want to really fill the frame, pick a very long lens such as the RF 600mm F11 IS STM. The aperture of f/11 is perfect for moon photography as it fits the 'looney 11' exposure rule. If you want to extend the reach of your lenses, lens extenders such as the Extender RF 1.4x and Extender RF 2x can be useful.

Experiment creatively using a wider lens such as the Canon RF 14-35mm F4L IS USM. This will allow you to incorporate the Moon into an existing landscape. Though the Moon is often haunting when seen in isolation, bringing in familiar landmarks or a particular skyline helps to add context and lets you create interesting compositions. It also allows you to play with scale to powerful effect.

Take your moon photography to the next level with further tips and inspiration from professional photographer Andrew Fusek Peters*.


Written by James Paterson, Phil Hall and Rachel Segal Hamilton

* Available in selected languages only.