8 tips for photographing a lunar eclipse

A (partial) lunar eclipse usually occurs at least once a year, but this astronomical phenomenon is notoriously hard to capture. We share 8 handy tips so you can photograph a (partial) lunar eclipse yourself!

During a lunar eclipse, the Earth sits between the sun and the moon, casting its shadow over the moon. It looks as if someone has taken a bite out of the moon. The only question left is: how do you capture this phenomenon as well as possible? Read on for our tips!

Tip 1: Prepare well

A lunar eclipse is always over sooner than you think. That’s why it pays to prepare well, so you can work efficiently during the eclipse. Think about what kind of shot you want, what you need for it, where best to go and which settings will give you the best result.

Tip 2: Choose the right lens

When photographing the moon, it’s important to choose the right lens for the shot you have in mind. If you want to show the moon and the eclipse clearly, we recommend a lens with a focal length of at least 200mm. If you want to create a landscape photo with the moon as its focal point, you can also use a wide-angle lens. The downside is that the moon will only be a tiny dot in your photo.

View our (tele)zoom lenses here

Tip 3: Think about composition

You probably want to capture the lunar eclipse as clearly and as large as possible. That makes perfect sense, of course, but it can also be interesting to experiment with your composition. For example, make the lunar eclipse part of a landscape photo, photograph the moon together with the stars, or try longer exposures for artistic effects, such as capturing the movement of the Earth’s shadow across the moon.

Tip 4: Use a tripod

When shooting at a long focal length to make the moon as large as possible in the frame, it’s important to mount your camera on a tripod. This prevents motion blur in your photo. It’s also wise to use a remote shutter release, so your camera doesn’t shake when you take the shot.

View our tripods here

Tip 5: Set up your camera properly

When you photograph the moon, it’s dark outside, of course. Using a low ISO helps keep noise to a minimum. It’s also advisable not to set your shutter speed too slow. The moon is always moving, so with a slow shutter speed your image may no longer be sharp.

Tip 6: Try a time-lapse

The moon is always moving, and you can use that to your advantage! By placing your camera on a tripod and taking a photo every few minutes throughout the eclipse with the same composition, you can blend the photos together in post-processing into a time-lapse composite. That way, a single image shows the entire eclipse.

Tip 7: Keep an eye on the weather forecast

When you want to photograph the moon, keep a close eye on the weather forecast, because it may be cloudy. A few clouds in your photo aren’t a problem, of course, but the lunar eclipse still needs to be visible. It may also drizzle or be very cold, in which case it’s important to protect your gear properly.

Tip 8: Choose the right location

In astrophotography, light is often your biggest challenge. A lunar eclipse is best photographed from a location with little light pollution. The less ambient light there is, the better you can see and photograph the moon and the starry sky. Not sure where to find the best low-light locations in the Netherlands? Then read this blog about astrophotography locations.

Share your result

Are you going to photograph a (partial) lunar eclipse after reading these handy tips? Then don’t forget to share your photos with us for a chance to be featured on our Instagram account. Use the hashtag #KameraExpress or tag Kamera Express in your post. And don’t forget to follow us for plenty of inspiration.