How to photograph the moon: Tips on camera gear, settings and composition

How to photograph the moon

When it comes to taking pictures of the night sky, photographing the moon is a fascinating and rewarding experience for photographers of all levels. Luckily, it’s also one of the more straightforward astrophotography skills to master, so it’s a great place to start for beginners in astrophotography.

It’s especially timely right now, as soon you’ll experience the opportunity to view a lunar eclipse, which can be great for creative images. A total lunar eclipse will occur on March 13-14, 2025. Earth will align between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow that will cause the moon to appear red — this is commonly referred to as a ‘blood moon’ and is a real treat for astrophotographers and sky-gazers.

From brilliant full-phase photographs to dramatic crescents and even the aforementioned blood-red eclipses, there are a number of different styles of photography you can capture — depending on the phase of the moon and the prevailing weather conditions — but like any form of photography, it still requires the right blend of the best astrophotography cameras, technique and creativity to get the most out of your images.

In this guide, we’ll delve into the essentials of moon photography and list some upcoming celestial events you might want to consider taking photos of. We will also look at the best camera equipment to use for photographing the moon, how to consider composition and style, and, perhaps most importantly, which camera settings to use.

Total lunar eclipse and moon events in 2025

The total lunar eclipse on March 13-14 is a fantastic photographic opportunity. (Image credit: John Barclay/johnw_barclay via Getty Images)

The total lunar eclipse on March 14, 2025, will be visible across various regions. The eclipse will be observable in the Pacific, the Americas, western Europe, western Africa — and in the U.S. it will be visible in its entirety, which offers a prime viewing opportunity and a great chance to flex your new-found astrophotography skills. It’s worth checking out websites like the Scientific Visualisation Studio from NASA, which offers a total lunar eclipse visualization map so you can plan your photography accordingly.

On the night of March 13, the moon will enter Earth’s shadow, creating a total lunar eclipse — the first since November 2022. By checking the map linked above you will be able to see the visibility region — observers near the edge of this region may see only part of the eclipse because for them the moon sets or rises while the eclipse is happening. For some, there may be a short window of photographic opportunity, as the moon may set shortly after the maximum phase, so it’s advisable to find a location with a clear western horizon for optimal viewing.

Several other occasions in 2025 also offer noteworthy lunar events. In 2025, supermoons are expected on October 7, November 5 and December 4, with the November supermoon being the largest and brightest since 2019. There is also another total lunar eclipse on September 7–8, occurring on the night of September 7 into the early hours of September 8. This event will be visible from the northern hemisphere and offers another opportunity to capture the moon’s reddish hue during totality.

It’s also worth checking out the Geminids meteor shower, which peaks around December 14 each year. This offers a spectacular display of up to 160 meteors per hour under optimal conditions, and if you get the moon phase right, it can make for some stunning creative photo opportunities.

How to photograph a total lunar eclipse

phases of a total lunar eclipse above the countryside

When photographing the lunar eclipse, timing is crucial. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Most of the suggestions we’ve included below work just as well if you’re capturing a moon event like the eclipse, but there are a couple of other things to bear in mind in addition to location, weather and setting.

Shutter speed — when the moon is in totality (meaning it’s fully eclipsed), you’ll have to adjust the shutter speed for brightness. We’d recommend experimenting between 0.5 and 2 seconds during this phase, as the sky around the moon will be a lot darker and you’ll need a longer setting to bring out the detail.

It’s also worth getting yourself to an area with limited light pollution, as any light in the area will be accentuated and you’ll want a darker environment to really bring the best out of the moon’s colors during the eclipse.

Best camera gear for moon photography

a person using a camera to photograph the moon

The right camera can produce some stunning images of the moon. (Image credit: Getty Images)

While you can photograph the moon with almost any camera, a DSLR or mirrorless camera will offer the best results due to its versatility and image quality. But, if you have something a little more compact, like a small point-and-shoot such as the Sony RX100, you’ll still be able to get decent results if you pay careful attention to the size of the sensor (1-inch and up recommended) and the aperture size of the lens. Something like an f/1.8 should work well.

Most importantly, any camera you use should allow you to manually adjust settings like shutter speed, aperture and ISO, which are crucial for moon photography. Many of the best astrophotography cameras also have dedicated astro features.

For those just getting started photographing the moon, entry-level DSLRs or mirrorless bodies are the best bet, and the Canon EOS Rebel series, Nikon D3500, or Sony Alpha a6400 would be good starting points to capture basic images. You can even capture decent pictures of the moon with your smartphone, and there are telephoto lens attachments and apps that allow manual settings. The process of digiscoping will also allow you to get a reasonable moon picture if paired with the right binoculars or scopes.

When it comes to more professional models, if the budget allows, we would highly recommend the Nikon Z8 or the Canon EOS R5. If you’re looking to print big or take your photography into more commercial realms, the Sony Alpha 7R series would be a good bet.

For an alternative route to photographing the total lunar eclipse, some of the best telescopes can produce stunning images, and a smart telescope will track and photograph the eclipse for you!

Best lenses for moon photography

Panasonic Leica DG Elmarit 200mm f/2.8 POWER O.I.S telephoto lens.

A long lens is needed for details shots of the moon. (Image credit: James Abbott)

A good lens is perhaps the most critical piece of equipment for moon photography. Since the moon is a small and distant object, a telephoto or super-telephoto lens is ideal, but there are still images you can take on a more modest budget, providing you look for something with at least 200mm of zoom that’s not a kit lens.

Aim for a lens with a focal length of at least 200mm, but lenses in the 400mm to 600mm range provide better detail and larger images of the moon. Prime lenses generally offer sharper images, but zoom lenses provide flexibility, especially if you want to include surrounding elements in your composition — we’ll touch on composition a little later on.

Good examples of the kinds of lenses to look at include the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II, the Nikon AF-S 200-500mm f/5.6E ED VR and the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM.

Accessories for photographing the moon

woman setting up a camera on a tripod

A sturdy tripod is essential for astrophotography. (Image credit: Jase Parnell-Brookes)

Unlike many other types of astrophotography, you can capture good images of the moon without many accessories, as it’s normally bright and clear enough. However, to achieve the sharpest and most detailed shots, a degree of stability is required, especially when using a large zoom lens.

A sturdy tripod ensures your camera remains steady, preventing motion blur, and using a remote shutter release or the camera’s timer function minimizes vibrations caused by pressing the shutter button.

If you’re looking to get a little more adventurous, there are a number of additional accessories you can purchase such as moon-tracking mounts. These are equatorial mounts that rack the moon’s motion across the sky, enabling longer exposures without blurring.

Also, in terms of image quality and the final output, we’d recommend using a neutral-density (ND) or polarizing filter, which can reduce glare and enhance details, especially during bright moon phases when it may be difficult to expose both the moon and the surrounding landscape accurately.

Composition and style for moon photography

two people photographing the moon

When it comes to composition, having another element in the frame can help show scale. (Image credit: Getty Images)

Photographing the moon is more than just capturing a glowing orb. Incorporating thoughtful composition and style can elevate your shots from ordinary to extraordinary.

A close-up shot with a long lens is perfect for highlighting the moon’s craters, ridges and surface textures, but wider shots that include the moon in a landscape or cityscape create compelling narratives. The moon rising over a mountain range, a crescent moon peeking through trees or a full moon reflected in a lake all give a sense of belonging and “being” to your images, and separate the terrestrial and the celestial.

Avoid placing the moon dead center unless you’re emphasizing symmetry and consider including foreground elements in your shot. Silhouettes are good options here — trees or buildings, for example, and landmarks such as lighthouses or monuments can provide a good sense of location.

It’s also worth experimenting with phases and the eclipses of the moon, in particular the biggest supermoon of the year, the Hunter’s Moon, which occurs in October. As the moon’s appearance changes throughout its phases, there’s a good opportunity to diversify and experiment with different creative options. A full moon is bright and detailed but can lack surface contrast, so capturing waxing or waning crescents is a good opportunity to practice different styles.

The best time to photograph the moon is during its rise or set, often called the golden hour or blue hour. During these times, the moon appears larger and has a warmer or cooler glow, making for striking images. Tools like The Photographer’s Ephemeris or Stellarium can be used to plan your shoot based on moonrise, moonset and phase information, including where you are in the world.

Pay careful attention to the weather conditions as occasionally, a bright clear sky isn’t ideal, and it can pay to have a few clouds around to add impact and drama.

Which camera settings to use

A photo of the full 'Cold Moon' rising over a winter landscape

The right settings are crucial for getting sharp moon images. (Image credit: Getty)

Once you’ve got your kit set up and you know the style of image you want to capture, it’s worth playing around with camera settings to find the configuration you’re most comfortable with. Because it reflects sunlight, the moon can be quite bright when the focus is on it entirely, so a common mistake is to overexpose the moon, resulting in a loss of detail.

To start with, try a shutter speed of around 1/125 to 1/250 seconds. Shorter exposures help capture sharp details and prevent motion blur from the moon’s movement.

If focusing directly on the moon, an aperture of f/8 to f/11 is ideal for sharpness and sufficient depth of field, depending on the lens, but bear in mind that you’ll need a faster lens if you want to capture the darker areas in your immediate environment. Keep the ISO low, around 100-400, to minimize noise and preserve detail, and switch to manual focus and adjust until the moon appears sharp through the viewfinder or on the LCD screen.

When it comes to white balance, use the daylight setting or manually adjust it to ensure natural colors, and experiment with warmer or cooler white balance settings – you can always look at this in more detail in the edit, too. Switch to spot metering to ensure the camera calculates exposure based on the moon’s brightness rather than the dark sky, and ensure you’re shooting in RAW format for maximum flexibility in post-processing.

Finally, consider using exposure bracketing to take multiple shots at different exposures. This technique is helpful for high dynamic range (HDR) compositions, where you blend images to capture details in both the moon and the surrounding landscape — this can be quite effective when photographing large celestial objects in detail.

The nearly-full daytime moon hangs dimly in a blue sky near clouds

Apps like PhotoPills and The Photographer’s Ephemeris can help compose and time your moon shots. (Image credit: Getty Images)

If you’re just getting started with astrophotography, you’ll be pleased to know that it doesn’t take too much to take a great picture of the moon, and with minimal and relatively affordable equipment you can start capturing the moon in a lot of detail, especially when paired with the right telephoto lens.

With thoughtful composition and a solid understanding of your camera settings, you can capture stunning images that showcase the moon’s beauty, and even if you’re just experimenting with a smartphone, you may be surprised at the results with a bit of research.

How to photograph the moon: Tips on camera gear, settings and composition

How to photograph the moon

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