Hi, There's a rain storm coming and a full moon tonight. I thought I'd try to photograph the big puffing clouds lighted by the full moon. Later to double print & expose into a scenic. Any suggestions on exposure, film, or lens and f stop would be appreciated. I'm using a 4x5 Crown Graphic. Lenses available are 90mm,135mm,202mm and 250mm. (I'm thinking that the 250mm would give me the largest possible moon image). I have only Agfa 100 and TechPan 25. Thanks to all.

-- Steve Feldman (steve@toprinting.com), January 29, 2002

Answers

Pre-expose your film through a diffuser to Zone 1.5 or 2. Then use 1/film speed @f8.5 to 11 (1/15 @ f22) for a good exposure of the moon. You'll "get what ya get" with the clouds. Get several sheets ready and bracket around what I've told you here. If all else fails drag something into photoshop from the web. G'luck. J

-- Jim Galli (jimgalli@lnett.com), January 29, 2002.

WOW! Thanks for the ultra fast response, Jim. You must have been waiting for it. So let's see if I've got the math right. Metering a day lighted grey card should give me Zone V at (100 ASA) 1/200th sec. @ f8. 3 stops less to = Zone II is 1/200th sec. @ f22. Right?!? Pre- expose (unfocused) on the grey card. Wait until dark then shoot the moon/clouds scenic at 1/100th sec. at f11. And bracket. Right??????

-- Steve Feldman (steve@toprinting.com), January 29, 2002.

Steve,

I read that 1/125th second, f/5.6, ISO 100 (or something very similar) is a starting point for photographing the moon on a clear night. I tested that with my Nikon and some E6. I bracketed, but found that I preferred the original exposure.

Good luck.

-- Matthew Runde (actorm@hotmail.com), January 29, 2002.

Sounds good Steve. Hope you get something nice. J

-- Jim Galli (jimgalli@lnett.com), January 29, 2002.

Just a quick addition, since the moon is being lit up by sunlight, you can basically use the sunny 16 rule to take pictures of it. The problem is that it's albedo (reflection) is only around 10% instead of the ~18% used normally. That makes it a sunny 11 rule.

-- Nathaniel Paust (paustne@whitties.org), January 29, 2002.

You're right. I always called it the "moony-11" rule, but it has nothing to do with the Rev. Sun Myong Moon, or whatever his name is. ;-)

-- Todd Caudle (todd@skylinepress.com), January 29, 2002.