Everyone is familiar with the beauty of rainbows. Fewer people, however, have seen a moonbow, either live or in pictures. If one gets the rare opportunity to view this phenomenon, it would be great to have a photo to remember and share the experience. Taking a quality shot in the conditions that need to be present is not easy. Thus, it's good to know some basic information beforehand regarding moonbow photography.
Moonbows are very similar to rainbows with the only difference being that they are made by the light of the moon rather than by direct sunlight. They are also known as lunar rainbows because of this. Since moonlight is much dimmer than sunlight, the lunar variety is not as bright as a normal rainbow. Although their colors cannot usually be seen with the naked eye, they can be captured in long-exposure photos.
One will only have the opportunity to see and photograph one of these under certain conditions. The moon has to be relatively bright, at or near full, and not too far above the horizon. The sky must be dark and there must be rain opposite the moon. These conditions are not only rare but also make for challenging photography.
A special type of these occurs more often. Spray moonbows can sometimes be seen in the mist of large waterfalls. Two sites in the United States, Yosemite National Park in California and Cumberland Falls in Kentucky, are known for this. Victoria Falls on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia is another.
If you'd like to try photograph a moonbow, it's important to know what you'll need to have on hand. Because of the long exposures necessary in the low-light conditions, it's best to have a tripod to keep the camera still. For the same reason, a shutter remote control can be beneficial too. For cameras with interchangeable lenses, a wide angle lens will be best for capturing the entire scene. You will also want to have something to protect your camera from the wet conditions. Having an extra battery and memory can prevent you from losing out on this great opportunity.
To take the actual photo, you will have to set your camera for a long exposure time in order to let in enough light for a quality shot. While it may be tempting to use the flash, this is likely to result in a poor picture and could affect other photographers nearby. Also, the camera needs to remain completely still in order to prevent blurring.
As with most photography, you will likely want to take a number of different shots. The more exposures you have, the greater the chances are that some will be to your liking. If you have the means to do so, a bit of post-processing may be in order depending on how the shots look straight out of the camera.
Moonbow photography can be challenging. The upside of this is that is can also produce amazing shots. In order to get one, though, one needs to be adequately prepared for when the time does arise.
Moonbows are very similar to rainbows with the only difference being that they are made by the light of the moon rather than by direct sunlight. They are also known as lunar rainbows because of this. Since moonlight is much dimmer than sunlight, the lunar variety is not as bright as a normal rainbow. Although their colors cannot usually be seen with the naked eye, they can be captured in long-exposure photos.
One will only have the opportunity to see and photograph one of these under certain conditions. The moon has to be relatively bright, at or near full, and not too far above the horizon. The sky must be dark and there must be rain opposite the moon. These conditions are not only rare but also make for challenging photography.
A special type of these occurs more often. Spray moonbows can sometimes be seen in the mist of large waterfalls. Two sites in the United States, Yosemite National Park in California and Cumberland Falls in Kentucky, are known for this. Victoria Falls on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia is another.
If you'd like to try photograph a moonbow, it's important to know what you'll need to have on hand. Because of the long exposures necessary in the low-light conditions, it's best to have a tripod to keep the camera still. For the same reason, a shutter remote control can be beneficial too. For cameras with interchangeable lenses, a wide angle lens will be best for capturing the entire scene. You will also want to have something to protect your camera from the wet conditions. Having an extra battery and memory can prevent you from losing out on this great opportunity.
To take the actual photo, you will have to set your camera for a long exposure time in order to let in enough light for a quality shot. While it may be tempting to use the flash, this is likely to result in a poor picture and could affect other photographers nearby. Also, the camera needs to remain completely still in order to prevent blurring.
As with most photography, you will likely want to take a number of different shots. The more exposures you have, the greater the chances are that some will be to your liking. If you have the means to do so, a bit of post-processing may be in order depending on how the shots look straight out of the camera.
Moonbow photography can be challenging. The upside of this is that is can also produce amazing shots. In order to get one, though, one needs to be adequately prepared for when the time does arise.
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