All it takes is a camera and tripod to shoot the moon

If you can see it, you can photograph it.

This is one of the many rules of thumb I've dubbed "Mammana's Laws of Sky Photography." As concise as it may sound, this statement has encouraged many to aim cameras skyward to create their own celestial portraits.

I began shooting the sky as a youngster in the mid-'60s, and one of my favorite subjects – even to this day – is the lovely pairing of the crescent moon and Venus against a colorful sky at dusk or dawn.

The next such conjunction occurs Monday, followed by similar pairings this spring and summer on March 20 and 21, April 19, May 19, June 17 and 18, and finally July 16 and 17.

Photographing these scenes isn't that difficult. All you need is a camera and a tripod; a telephoto lens will produce a larger image, but it certainly isn't necessary.

The moon-Venus pair appears low enough in the west for you to frame the scene nicely with a foreground subject. With medium-speed film (ISO 100 or so), or with a digital camera set to ISO 100, set up your camera and tripod and compose your shot to include a dramatic tree, a building, a person or some other terrestrial feature. This helps anchor the image and provides a sense of scale.

Because lighting changes so rapidly after sunset, it's impossible to suggest an exact exposure. However, if you begin shooting about half an hour after sunset, begin with the recommendation of your camera's light meter, or try an exposure of 2 seconds at f/8. To assure that something comes out, always “bracket” by taking several shots over and under this exposure (e.g., 8, 4, 2 seconds, 1 second, one-half second). Shoot a few sequences as the sky brightness and color change.

The advantage of using a digital camera, of course, is that you can know immediately if you are succeeding.

Follow these suggestions and you should be able to capture a great photo of this beautiful celestial sight. To see the types of images possible with this technique, visit my Web site, www.dennismammana.com. And please e-mail me if you get some nice shots – I would love to share in your success.

One final piece of advice: Take good notes so you can learn from the experience. You will most likely want to try this again next month.

© Copley News Service

credits:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/science/20070215-9999-1c15star.html



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