Photograph of the moon

Antilles

Hi,

I was just randomly surving the web, and I came across a picture of some ancient ruins, with the moon in the sky behind them, looking huge. I've seen similar photos before, with the moon enormous in the sky behind buildings, scenery etc.

Can anybody tell me how this is done? I have seen the moon looking big in the sky before, when it was close to the horizon on the odd morning, but when I take a picture of it, it looks tiny.

My pictures are entirely amateur, and I have know knowledge of photography beyond using my 5mb digital camera, but I have wondered about this for ages and just now thought somebody on boards.ie mighht know

Victor

The moon does vary in apparent size. At full moon, the distance from Earth to Moon is shorter than at a new moon and time of year and the alignment of planets also have effects. Then you have weather conditions.

However, the greatest factors involved are zoomed lens and cropping large images.

mathias

I came across a picture of some ancient ruins, with the moon in the sky behind them, looking huge.

In most cases , the moon would be photoshopped in. You take some shots of the moon , make that one layer , your photo of ruins and such another layer , blend them and thats it.

If your fortunate enough to be around when there actually is a large moon behind some ruins that would of course be better , in which case a series of shots at different exposure levels taken on a tripod and blended together ( HDR ) would be the way to go.

ThOnda

Yep - independent pictures of the moon and the figure in the picture.
In the old film days, some even shoot few rolls of film just to get the moon and they used those rolls to get such brilliant pictures, like twins with moon. You can't make in now, because the moon is not what it used to be.

Roen

Bear in mind, as Victor said, the moon varies in apparent size only, what your eye perceives as being a large moon is not what the camera will 'see'. It shows the reality of the situation, whereas your eye will be fooled into thinking the moon is huge.

Cunny-Funt

You will have to excuse me as I read this yeeeeears ago in a science book or something as a child. So I can't remember the exact wording. But from what I remember, in some places on the earth at certain times of the year..the atmosphere or something acts like a sort lens and basically magnifies the moon making it look bigger/much closer then it really is.

Masada

not sure about making it look bigger with buildings in the shot but i took this one of the horizon and it gives the impression the moon is a lot bigger than it really is., not a great shot but kinda has the effect,

PopeBuckfastXVI

If you get a lot of distance between you and the subject and zoom in with a very long telephoto lens if the moon is also in the shot it's relative size to the subject will be increased, because the subject's aparent size is diminished with the distance, whereas the moons isn't (it's at practical infinity).

So if you fill the shot with your subject and moon, the moon will look huge behind it. Also as someone said use HDR because if your subject isn't well lit you'll overexpose and blow out the moon and you'll basically have a white circle with no detail in the background.

Masada

PopeBuckfastXVI wrote: »

If you get a lot of distance between you and the subject and zoom in with a very long telephoto lens if the moon is also in the shot it's relative size to the subject will be increased, because the subject's aparent size is diminished with the distance, whereas the moons isn't (it's at practical infinity).
.

thas exactly what i did on the above pic, the light house looks tiny compared to the moon.,

Victor

vtec wrote: »

thas exactly what i did on the above pic, the light house looks tiny compared to the moon.,

It is!

Dades

Cunny-Funt wrote: »

You will have to excuse me as I read this yeeeeears ago in a science book or something as a child. So I can't remember the exact wording. But from what I remember, in some places on the earth at certain times of the year..the atmosphere or something acts like a sort lens and basically magnifies the moon making it look bigger/much closer then it really is.

I remember reading that too.

Suspect not in Ireland, but certain countries/latitudes can experience atmospheric conditions that magnify the moon to the eye and the lens.

Saruman

You are right Cunny-Funt, this is pretty much what makes you see the moon as being bigger than normal. And yes even in Ireland. Its not just the moon, look how massive the sun looks when its rising or sinking at the horizon. Also look at the detail, it may be massive but its not as clear as when its higher up as there is more atmosphere to get through.

Some of it is just because its lower, your reference of trees and buildings can make it look bigger but mostly its a magnification effect.

Of course this may be rubbish and it may simply just be down to perception and the brain deciding its bigger because of a point of reference.

Alun

Read all about it here ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_illusion

Dades

Alun wrote: »

Read all about it here ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_illusion

Jasus that didn't clear up much! Except at least your camera can be fooled too!

Alun

Dades wrote: »

Jasus that didn't clear up much! Except at least your camera can be fooled too!

Yeah, I know About the only thing I took away from it was that it is indeed only an illusion! Personally I go for the one of it just looking bigger due to size comparison with other objects.

Saruman

The only clear thing it does say is that its NOT a magnification thing due to the atmosphere and i was just talking through my arse

Alun

Saruman wrote: »

The only clear thing it does say is that its NOT a magnification thing due to the atmosphere and i was just talking through my arse

Well, I was going to say something about that, but I'm far too polite