Taking Photos by Moonlight Without a Flash
(Via Adorama and Mark Wallace)There's a certain feeling to being out away from the city lights with your camera that only those who have tried it will understand. There's also a certain quality to photographs taken by moon and starlight that can't be duplicated any other way. Getting those unique shots without firing a flash takes some preparation and patience.
First of all, it's pretty obvious that you're going to need a light source to find your way around in the dark, set up your equipment and adjust your camera. A flashlight will get the job done, but since most of us work better with both hands, a comfortable headlamp is a good idea.
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Second, you're going to need a good, solid tripod,because you're going to be working with some very long exposure times.
Third, you'll need a remote shutter release. While you can get the job done with a simple remote release and a watch or the built-in timer on your camera, there are some very good, inexpensive timed shutter releases on the market now that will make the job much easier.
Focusing is going to be a problem in the dark, but it's going to be even more challenging for your camera's AF system, so switch it off. If your lens has image stabilization, you'll want to turn it off, too.
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Obviously, getting the exposure right is the greatest challenge for moonlight shots. While you may be tempted to shoot in aperture priority or shutter priority mode, selecting full manual exposure is going to give you the best results.
Test shots using your camera's histogram are the best way to fine tune your exposure. Don't give in to the temptation of simply chimping and judging the results by the image preview. Use the histogram to get your overall exposure as close to correct as possible, to avoid issues that can't be corrected later.
Mark Wallace has created a great video on shooting by moonlight that walks you through the process from start to finish. Take a few minutes to watch it for a detailed walk-through of using the equipment I mentioned above, along with some great examples of the results you can achieve. Give it a watch, then get out there in the dark and give it a try!