In a message dated 8/22/02 9:56:12 PM, rosebudlet@netzero.net writes: << I was just wondering how long to expose at bulb for a shot of the moon....between 1/2 & full (moon that is) :-p >> Hey Rose, It depends on the ASA of your film and the f/stop you choose and how dark you want the crater detail of the moon to read and whether or not you are exposing the moon in a fully black sky or one that has the ambient light of twilight, which you can only get near the full moon. So, we should ask what ASA film you'll be using and take it from there. You could start with the "sunny 16" rule, which states that the correct exposure for midday sunlight is 1/ASA at f/16. After all, the full moon is more or less being exposed by the equivalent of midday light. (The "sunny 16" rule assumes the sky is perfectly clear.) However, that will render the full moon to appear at 18% neutral gray density, which will most likely make it appear too dark. Try opening up one or two stops in third stop increment bracketing on a test to see what you like best in terms of the amount of moon detail rendered. If there is atmospheric haze, then it distorts these calculations. There are many other variables, of course. If the moon is very small in your frame, then its detail would be negligible. The more you zoom in on it, the more detail you'd probably want, which would change the exposure you'd choose. It's all very subjective. You'd probably need to open up one additional f/stop for a half moon and one more f/stop for a quarter moon. If you are using the magic of Photoshop, I suggest you shoot a full set of brackets of the full, half (though that shape is a bit boring) and quarter moons. Archive these files, then drop them into any night or twilight view you desire in the future. Just make sure you use the correct file resolution too match the images you are working on. Photoshop makes life much simpler. That is--unless you are a purist. Hey, it's really difficult to get the moon to rise exactly where you want it to, especially if you are only at the pyramids for one night. There are, of course, various software programs that will tell you exactly where the moon will rise and when, and the sunrise and sunset too. This could go on forever. Glen Allison Tel: 1-310-822-1534 Fax: 1-310-827-7198 PO Box 641699, Los Angeles CA 90064 Travel Stock Photos Novelist, "The Journey from Kamakura," a global adventure/love story. "Penis Gourds & Moscow Muggings," humorous tales and poignant insight from a travel photographer.
