Lunar Eclipse, also known as “Chandra Grahan” in Hindi, is all set to take place tonight. It will be visible across major parts of the world, including India. The ‘lunar eclipse January 2020’ will start tonight at 10:32PM IST, and will end on January 11, at 2:42AM IST. For those uninitiated, lunar eclipse is a phenomenon where the celestial bodies such as Earth, Moon and Sun align themselves in a straight line.
As the Earth passes in front, it casts its shadow on the Moon, making it appear dark. It is a time when photography enthusiasts would want to capture photos of the moon. While it is relatively easier on a DSLR camera, clicking photos of moon on a smartphone can be a little tricky. And here are some pro tips to capture lunar eclipse.
Lunar Eclipse January 2020: Best smartphones to click photos
There are a number of smartphones out there. However, the popular ones like iPhone 11-series, Samsung Galaxy S and Note-series and Google Pixel phones are known for their photography. Then there is the Huawei P30 Pro with a dedicated “Moon Mode” and 50X digital zoom support. We have tried this to capture the moon, and yes, it really works. But when you are using other phones, below are the tips you should follow.
Lunar Eclipse January 2020: 5 tips to click perfect moon photos
Look for a perfect place
Well, you can’t just walk on the street, look up at the moon and click a photo. To click good lunar eclipse 2020 photos, traveling to heightened areas, such as a mountain or terrace of a building is recommended. Ensure that you have a clear view of the sky, without any obstacles. Reaching the spot early will give you time to set things up before the eclipse begins.
Use a tripod
Handheld photos often come shaky, especially when you use the zoom functionality. Also, clicking the moon, won’t be a point and shoot experience, but you’ll need to adjust the exposure, and other settings too. Using a tripod will be a good idea to avoid clicking blurry photos. This will also allow you to use a remote shutter or add a self-timer.
Switch off flash, use HDR mode
As the moon is too far away, there is no point using the flash. And so, it is better to turn it off completely. Using the HDR mode will also be a good idea. It will click photos at multiple exposures and then stitch it together. This will help you get a photo with good color and contrast.
Shot in RAW with Pro Mode
Using the Pro Mode will give you more flexibility to tweak settings like shutter speed, focus, and ISO. You will need to adjust these settings multiple times before you get the desired results. Also, if your phone allows shooting in RAW, that will give you an advantage. RAW images are bigger in size, and don’t include AI and other color boost algorithms that manufacturers use these days.
Edit the photos
After you are done clicking photos, editing them will help you improve them further. There are apps like Snapseed, Adobe Photoshop Express, and Adobe Lightroom to name a few that you can use to enhance you lunar eclipse 2020 photos.
