I'm wanting to take pictures of the full moon over the Gulf of Mexico (and also include a stretch of beach). What speed film should I use for moonlit nighttime B&W photography? Any suggestions for taking this photograph to improve my chances of a nice picture?

Thanks in advance for all of your responses.

-- Brian Sullivan (brisul@phoenix.net), September 18, 1997

Answers

The proper exposure for a full moon is the same as, oddly enough, the sunny f16 rule. Film asa = shutter speed at f16. No reason to use any thing faster than 100 asa. You'll need a tripod. Keep exposure short as the moon moves a fair distance in just a short period...if exposure are long it will show up oblong not round. This will create a problem in proper exposure for the beach, which of course will have to be long. The one sure way to get killer moon shots is to shoot a whole roll of just moons...nothing else. No beach, no nothing. Just a black sky and the moon. Load the film, taking note of where the film takeup begins by putting a small mark on the film in reference to a spot inside the camera back. Load the film as usual. Shoot. Just moons now. asa = shutter speed atf16. Uses different focal lengths to get big moons, small moons, moons at top left, top right. middle. Keep careful notes as to where the moon is in each frame. Rewind the film keeping, if you can , the film leader out. If no film leader out option get a film leader retriver. About $2.00. Now what you have is a whole roll of just moons but nothing else. Then on a moonless night reload the roll, lining up the mark on the roll to register with the spot inside the camera back. Go and shoot your beach (or cityscape they look good too) at twilight or dusk, but not at full dark night. . This will ensure detail in the subject. Remember..no moon in the shot !...Now depending on how careful you kept your notes you can "place" the moon right where you want it. This solves the exposure problem of exposing the beach at twilight to get detail ( a long long exposure ) while at the same time not having the moon show up as a long white smudge with no detail. It's easier to do than explain. Just a roll of double exposures...each done at a different exposure is all. Anytime you see a good moon shoot a roll and put it away for later use...especially if this is for a vacation shot.

-- Peter T (petert@webtv.net), September 21, 1997.