Moon Photography: How to Create Moon Composites

The Moon’s ethereal beauty has long captivated photographers, and photographing the Moon as it rises can be particularly magical.

Creating a photo sequence of the rising Moon is not just a technical challenge, but also an artistic endeavour that requires planning, patience, and a bit of luck with weather conditions.

This article will guide you through the process of creating a rising Moon composite, from preparation to post-processing, ensuring you capture this celestial event in all its glory. Of course, you can apply this to a sequence of a setting Moon, too.

Planning your shoot

Many factors will help you create incredible Moon composites.

Read more: How to Plan an Astrophotography Shoot

1. Timing and location

It is vitally important to plan in advance for a Moon composite image.

Here are some things you need to do to ensure you get the image you’re hoping for.

Check the lunar calendar

The moonrise time varies nightly, so consult a lunar calendar or a reliable app to know when the Moon will rise in your location. Full Moons or near-full Moons are especially photogenic as they rise around sunset, offering optimal lighting conditions.

I would advise you to shoot such sequences during twilight, when no stars are visible in the sky. If you want to compose your Moon sequence against a backdrop of stars, you will enter the realm of astrophotography.

Why am I saying that? Well, if you keep the starry background from one frame and then compose all the individual Moons on top of that, you will show the Moon moving through the stars much more than it actually does during the time frame you shot.

You can do it with a backdrop full of stars, but then you will have to compose all those stars in the sequence too, and you will end up with a very busy image.

Scout locations

Choose a location with a clear view of the horizon. Elevation can provide an expansive view, while water bodies can create beautiful reflections.

Urban settings can offer the opportunity to capture the Moon alongside architectural elements, adding context and scale to your images. Just make sure that the view will not be obstructed and that you will be able to see the Moon rising.

Consider the Moon’s path

Use tools like The Photographer’s Ephemeris or apps like PhotoPills to determine the Moon’s path and angle of ascent, ensuring your chosen spot aligns with the Moon’s trajectory.

Read more: 7 Best Astrophotography Software for Night Sky

2. Equipment preparation

It’s important to consider which camera to use and which lenses will be best for creating a rising Moon composite.

A DSLR or mirrorless camera with manual controls is ideal.

Use a telephoto lens (200mm or longer) to get detailed shots of the Moon’s surface.

A wide-angle lens can be useful for including foreground elements in your shots. I would suggest limiting your focal length to 500mm. Using anything longer than that will not allow you to include many individual Moons in your final image, making it less spectacular.

Top tip: To keep your images realistic, I do not recommend using different focal lengths for shooting the foreground and the Moon, then pasting a huge Moon over a landscape shot taken with a wide-angle lens. This is not true or honest work in the genre of astrophotography.

Read more: 6 Best Cameras for Astrophotography

3. Additional essential gear

These extra pieces of gear will help you create sharp, crisp Moon composites.

Tripod

Stability is crucial, especially when using long focal lengths or shooting in low-light conditions. A sturdy tripod minimizes camera shake, ensuring sharp images. It will also allow you to keep the same composition for all your individual frames, making it easier to compose the final image.

Remote shutter release

This tool helps to eliminate camera shake caused by pressing the shutter button. Alternatively, use your camera’s timer function set to two seconds. If you have an intervalometer or your camera has this function, it might be a good idea to try that.

Just be sure to adjust exposure parameters according to changing lighting conditions.

Extra batteries and memory cards

Long sessions, especially in cold weather, can drain batteries quickly. Extra memory cards ensure you have enough space for numerous high-resolution images.

Camera settings for capturing the moonrise

Let’s take a look at some of the vital camera settings for capturing a moonrise.

Read more: How to Predict and Photograph the Perfect Moonrise

Manual mode

You will need to shoot in manual mode to have full control over exposure settings. This is vital as the moonrise lighting changes quickly.

At first, as the light of the Moon passes through a thicker mass of air, you will need longer exposure times, but as the Moon rises above the horizon, the exposure time will shorten.

ISO settings

Start with a low ISO (100-200) to minimize noise. Adjust as needed based on lighting conditions.

Aperture

Use a medium aperture (f/8 to f/11) for sharpness and depth of field. If you’re including foreground elements, a smaller aperture (higher f/number) might be necessary to keep both the foreground and the Moon in focus.

Shutter speed

The Moon moves faster than it seems when shot at long focal lengths, so use a shutter speed fast enough to prevent motion blur (1/125s or faster is generally safe for longer focal lengths).

Also, you might need a much shorter exposure time than you think, especially if you’ve never shot the Moon.

Focus

Use manual focus for precision, focusing on the Moon itself. If the Moon is not yet visible, focus on a distant landmark (like an antenna a few kilometers away from you). Just setting your lens to infinity will not be enough.

How to shoot your sequence

In order to create a Moon composite, you will need to shoot a sequence of images first. Use these tips to help create your sequence.

Intervals

To create a sequence, shoot at regular intervals, such as every 1-2 minutes. This helps capture the gradual rise and changing position of the Moon.

For the final composite, you will need only images spaced 5 minutes or more apart (otherwise the individual images of the Moon will overlap), but it’s safer to shoot more photos than needed.

Atmospheric distortion might affect some of the shots, so it’s better to have enough images to choose from in the end.

Framing

Consider the composition carefully. Decide if you want a close-up of the Moon or a wider shot that includes landscape or cityscape elements. Keep the same framing throughout the entire sequence.

If the Moon goes out of the frame, reframe, but keep enough elements in the new frame so that you will be able to align the two views in post-processing.

Read more: How to Photograph Moonscapes

Exposure bracketing

To manage the changing light conditions, consider using exposure bracketing. This technique involves taking several shots at different exposures to capture details in both shadows and highlights, which can be merged in post-processing.

With current camera capabilities, you need bracketing less and less, but it might be useful in tricky lighting conditions.

Read more: Bracketing & HDR – Photographing Landscapes Without Filters

Post-processing your sequence

Now that you have captured your Moon images, here’s how to bring the final composite together.

1. Software and workflow

To edit your images in preparation for your composite, here are some tips on software and workflow that I like to follow.

Lightroom or Photoshop

Use these tools to organize, process, and enhance your images. Lightroom is great for managing large batches of photos and making global adjustments, while Photoshop allows for more detailed editing.

Since you will have a sequence of similar photos, take advantage of the batch editing functions that both software offers.

Basic adjustments

Start with basic adjustments like exposure, contrast, and white balance. The Moon often appears warmer (yellowish) when close to the horizon and cooler (whiter) as it ascends.

I suggest keeping the original color of the Moon so that your sequence also shows the change in color of our natural satellite.

Noise reduction

If you had to increase ISO due to low light, apply noise reduction to clean up the image. Be careful not to lose too much detail in the process.

Sharpening

Enhance the details of the Moon’s surface by sharpening the image, but avoid over-sharpening, which can introduce artifacts. You might be tempted to add quite a bit of clarity, but be careful not to go overboard.

2. Creating the sequence

Now that you have selected and processed your images to form your sequence, here is how to bring the final composite together.

Alignment

If you plan to create a composite showing multiple stages of the moonrise in one frame, align the images carefully. Use landmarks or software alignment tools to ensure consistency. If you kept the same composition throughout your shoot, this shouldn’t be difficult.

If you changed the composition, you will have to create a panorama by stitching individual frames and then compose the Moon images over that panorama.

If you’re up for some post-processing fun, try to show the evolution of the color of the sky in that panorama too. It will not be easy, but the final image can be spectacular.

Layering

In Photoshop, use layers to overlay multiple images. Go through all the photos you shot and choose the one with the most beautifully colored sky as the background image. Place all the other frames as layers on top of the one you selected for the background.

Change blending modes to blend the stages, or use layer masks to selectively reveal parts of each image. Changing the blending mode to Lighten should do the trick. If you are left with artefacts from the top image, you can use a layer mask to remove those.

In conclusion

It’s worth paying attention to the overall composition and aesthetics. Balance the sequence with other elements in the scene, such as the landscape or city lights, to create a harmonious image.

Of course, this should be done at the moment of shooting. Don’t change the position of the sequence relative to the horizon in post-processing; astrophotography has a documentary value.

Consider providing viewers with details such as the date, location, and specific lunar phase captured. This not only educates but also enriches the viewing experience!

Photographing the rising Moon is a rewarding experience that blends technical skill with creative vision. By planning carefully, using the right equipment and settings, and employing thoughtful post-processing, you can create stunning sequences that capture the Moon’s beauty and its journey across the sky.

Clear skies!