Night Photography 111: Catching the Moon

Cost $19.95

Attendance is limited to 24 people.

You will be seated at your computer in the comfort of your home or office for this event.

NOTE: There is NO dial in number for this event. See Below

Class will be 90 minutes and end at 9:00 PM PT / Midnight ET

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5153/5840339328_1dbc889b30_m.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/steventheamusing/5840339328/)Have you wanted to capture the moon "right where you want it" but weren't sure how? If you know you could resort to photo editing and fake it but you'd rather get the real deal then this class is for you.

Steven will demonstrate how to determine when and where to go to capture an image like the Moon over Lick Observatory (below), or the moon at the Transamerica Building (left) or the sun shining through a portal in the Pacific Ocean (below).

This is a Webinar so you can conveniently attend from your computer at work or home anywhere in the world.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2445/3975608867_ba02458d4b_m.jpg In this 90 minute Webinar, you will be introduced to several free (and almost free) tools that you can use to plan a moon (or sun) shot - including a tool written by Steven and made available only to attendees. One indispensable tool covered in detail is the Photographer's Ephemeris by Stephen Trainor.

Steven will show how to plan a moon or solar "contact" shot. How to use the moon to illuminate your foreground, how the presence of the moon affects photos of the night sky, how to find information about interesting celestial events, how to find compelling locations for "alignment" images, and what camera settings you need to get detail in the moon.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2444/4211118172_c53b78f285.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/steventheamusing/4211118172/)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3322/3608743158_de8a5572dc_m.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/steventheamusing/3608743158/)How many of these questions can you answer? The answers will tremendously help you capture the moon when and where you want it.

1. By definition a new moon is when what occurs?
2. What time of day is it when the Full moon rises?
3. How big (in angular degrees) is the moon? What focal length lens would you need to fill the frame with a shot of the moon?
4. How many days are there in a lunar cycle?
5. A first quarter moon rises at about what time of day?
6. By approximately how much does the moonrise time change from one day to the next?
7. What is the farthest north, and the farthest south you can expect the full moon to rise and set?
8. A full moon, directly overhead in the sky requires approximately what length of exposure at f/9, ISO 200 to preserve detail? How long would that exposure need to be for a fully eclipsed moon?
9. How long does it take for the moon to move it's full diameter in the sky?

Just for fun

Why isn't there a lunar eclipse and a solar eclipse every month? Why are some solar eclipses "total" and some "annular" (incomplete)? What is a "Blue Moon" exactly?

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS

You should have a decently fast internet connection! Dial-up won't work for audio or the data content.

There is no dial-in number for this event. My provider (Citrix GoToTraining) has some serious flaws with their audio handling, so I am forced to only allow Voice Over IP - that is you use your microphone and speakers to talke and listen. To use VoIP you must have speakers and a microphone. VoIP is convenient even if you plan only to listen. If you do not currently have a headset I suggest getting a Plantronics headset with a microphone and a USB connection (http://support.citrixonline.com/GoToTraining/all_files/GTT030002). Such headsets can be found at Best Buy for from $25 and up. USB headsets with microphone can be used with Skype and many other online games, and calling tools. They come in many styles include behind the head and over the head, single ear, open ear and closed. Most laptops include speakers and microphones but the audio quality of these is generally very poor. Some webcams also include built in microphones but generally the quality of those is very poor.

Don't have a microphone? That's OK, too... you can interact through chat.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3620/3393790172_9aff3308d7.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/steventheamusing/3393790172/)