Top Mobile Photography Tips for Taking Photos of this Weekend’s ‘Supermoon’

It might be the biggest one we’ve had all year, but the moon will still be very far away and you might want to zoom in to get the best shot to show your friends and family. That means you need a camera or smartphone with superior optical technology or a retractable lens which will allow you to get in close enough to make the moon the focal point of your shot without the end result being blurry.

‘The moon appears suspended between the spires of the Oregon Convention Center in Portland, Oregon’
Mike Zacchino/AP

Yes it’s a moon. Yes it will be there all night. But most likely you may have to contend with areas of cloud. For all you shutterbugs who don’t want to miss your chance to get the perfect shot, shutter speed can be the difference between capturing a great shot of a Supermoon in all its glory….or ending up with lots of shots of clouds obscuring your view. Invest in a camera or smartphone with a high shutter speed to avoid any disappointing photo finishes.

‘In this surreal image, the supermoon rises behind fans during a baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California’, Mark J Terrill/AP

Alternatively, if you do want more in your shot and to frame the Supermoon with buildings, trees or clouds, then the best time to get your camera out is said to be as the moon’s rising above the horizon. Select the ‘burst’ shot or auto focus option on your camera or smartphone to capture a quick succession of shots as the moon emerges in the sky, giving you lots of options to find your perfect, profile-worthy pic.

‘Figurines on a Chinese pavilion appear as though they are walking on the moon in Beijing, China’, Ng Han Guan/AP

The moon can be tricky to photograph as it’s a very bright object offset by a dark background. Try experimenting with the different functions on your camera or smartphone to get the best shot. For example, some use High Dynamic Range to take multiple photographs at different exposure levels and then combine them to produce a photograph that is crisp, sharp, and neither under nor over exposed.

‘This gorgeous silhouette is the castle of Somoskoujfalu, situated 123 kilometres northeast of Budapest, Hungary’,
Peter Komka/AP

The likelihood is, you won’t be the only one out there this weekend aiming to take a great shot of the latest ‘Supermoon’. But you can make sure you’re the first to share yours with everyone by using a camera or smartphone that has built-in NFC and Wi-Fi capabilities, making it is easier than ever to send your snaps to your nearest and dearest.