My moon pictures

[obnoxiousmom]

This one was the very first I ever shot and so far the best and as you can see, not very good
http://media8.dropshots.com/photos/407935/20090210/215144.jpg (http://www.dropshots.com/mommy9806#date/2009-02-10/21:51:44)
But most of my pics come out like this when I try to do moon shots
http://media6.dropshots.com/photos/407935/20090210/215136.jpg (http://www.dropshots.com/mommy9806#date/2009-02-10/21:51:36)

What am I doing wrong?

[Celestron]

The first shot is great ! I like the detailing showing the dark areas well , i like the size also . The second shot looks like you over-exposed , looks like you were trying to include the clouds with the moon . Thats hard to do unless you have a very fast lens. What equip. are you using ?

[Adrena1in]

Your first shot is better than most people's first...nearly everyone over-exposes hugely the first time. And I actually quite like the second shot, with the clouds in it.

Which lens did you use and what focal length?

[Desertraptor]

The problem isn't a fast lens. The moon needs a fast aperture while the clouds will need a slower aperture. Very hard to get this right. Being surrounded in black does not help pour cause

[Celestron]

Check out Russell Crowmans image (http://www.rc-astro.com/photo/id1132.html) he took of a very similiar shot . He used a Canon 200mm f/2.8L . This will show you what i'm trying to explain when i say a fast lens . A slow lens will not accomplish this results as good .

[obnoxiousmom]

Crowmans image is awesome. Ill look into more of his work and see what I an come up with. I am in no way in a position to buy an L lens until I catch up from my initial investments but was wondering would a 75-300 4.5 canon lens work? Or does it have to be faster than 4.5

[Celestron]

I have a 75-300mm III f/4-5.6 lens and i have tried to duplicate Crowmans shot in other vaious ways and have not succeeded in his type of imaging . So best i could tell you is it can be done with two images properly exposed for the moon and the other for the clouds then combining them in PS or some other type of good stacking program . Thing is how good is your software and hands at editing . What is unique about Crowmans is the brightness of the moon with the EarthShine being equivilent to a regular full moon . This could have easily been blown out had he exposed longer . Your first moon is very good but it would be too dark to blend with your second image . It would make the whole image look weird and not right . But everything is trial and error until you have practiced enough and can duplicate images the way you want without alot of images having to be taken . Just keep practicing which is what makes you better :D !

[obnoxiousmom]

Thanks alot!