Moon Photography with Buildings | Step by Step Planning Tutorial

👉 To start planning your photos: www.photopills.com/
Have you ever walked through a place and thought: "It's too bad the Moon isn't RIGHT there... would have made a great photo!"?
In this video you’ll learn how to choose a shooting spot, and figure out the exact date and time the Moon will be aligned with a building you like.
I’ll do an example involving the full Moon and the CN Tower in Toronto Canada.
With practice it takes just a few seconds to do it.
TIME INDEX
00:00 Introduction
00:57 Step 1: Find the Shooting Spot
05:05 Step 2: Find the Shooting Date and time
09:33 Step 3: Fine Tune the Plan
13:05 Link: How to Plan Next Full Moon
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PHOTOGRAPHY GUIDE MENTIONED:
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- 15+ Photography guides collection:
www.photopills.com/articles
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LEARN PHOTOPILLS
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[@PhotoPills]

What buildings would you like to photograph with the Moon? Comment below! 👉 And Download our super detailed Moon Photography Guide: www.photopills.com/articles/moon-photography-guide 👉 Watch Free Moon Photography Course: bit.ly/3tZYXn0

[@seanman22001]

okay; I want the moon height above and the pins are telling me the sun height. I saw it say moon height before.. but not now

[@christophernguyen4179]

The shot was made possible with the support of a magnificent app such as yours! Thank you for the love @photopills team!! #ImaginePlanShoot

[@PhotoPills]

The mind behind the camera is what delivers the value ;)

[@drshawnie]

Wow! Rafael You just stepped my planning up a couple notches! YAY! The little guy icon in street view is one and determining the width of the CN tower by placing the red and blk pins is the other. Thank you so much!

[@PhotoPills]

Yep, we use google maps street view on the computer for cases like this one :)

[@eoliveira2711]

I am just starting to realize the power of this amazing app!!! Thanks for the many tutorials. They are super informative and really helpful!!🙏🏽

[@PhotoPills]

Thanks so much Eduardo!

[@bamsemh1]

Photopills needs an important update! Cloud coverage in our area.! Every time I plan moonrise trips, the clouds have other plans 🤦‍♂️😂🤣 so under planner, there should be a cloud coverage button 😊 so we could see how will be on the spot 😊

[@PhotoPills]

Yeah! That would be great.

[@droeder2836]

Whether it's math or magic, you folks rock. Just amazing the level of detail and thought that has gone into this amazing app. I really value the tutorials too. Very helpful--practical and thorough. Thank you so much.

[@PhotoPills]

Thank you so much!!

[@cguerrieri4866]

As usual, always well done. For me, I particularly like when you point out the probable mistake that can be made (because I usually make them!). Thank you again and again and again

[@PhotoPills]

Glad you're not going to make that one again ;)

[@EdwardKilner]

Since I live just west of Toronto, I was intrigued with your example. Subscribed. Likely future customer.

[@PhotoPills]

Thank you Edward!

[@ericvanhorn7986]

Friggin magic ✨ 🧙‍♂️🪄

[@PhotoPills]

Maths :)

[@picsbyrob]

Thank you for this video. Almost each week I find new functionality and new workflow to use PhotoPills. Until now I have been doing some basic planning, basically using just the moon/sun lines on the map, but this video will help open up new opportunities to make some cool photos in the future.

[@PhotoPills]

Thanks so much Rob! Enjoy finding alignments! :)

[@KANDAMO2011]

Just Excellent, Thank You

[@PhotoPills]

Thanks!

[@xaviercoutant635]

Excellent tutorial. As usual. Keep up the good work :-)

[@PhotoPills]

Muchas gracias Xavier!

[@huetbartels]

Thanks for the info. I learnt something 🙏🏻

[@PhotoPills]

Nice!

[@KenToney]

Looks like you are going to be hosting our club Spartanburg Photo Guild (I’m past President and Board Member) looking forward to that!!!

[@PhotoPills]

Thank you Ken!

[@kapilbhallafoto]

Very informative, hope to use this tutorial soon

[@PhotoPills]

Thanks so much!

[@angelofranckgambino2458]

It is really cool!! Thanks for this useful tutorial!😲

[@PhotoPills]

Thank you Angelo!

[@amitsalvi]

amazing stuff.....Thanks!

[@PhotoPills]

Yeah!

[@thockdorji9766]

Love PhotoPills

[@PhotoPills]

Love you too :P

[@edmizzimizzi]

Excellent tutorial! Thanks

[@PhotoPills]

Thanks!

[@alisonfairley5444]

thank you again - I have some learning to do ;-)

[@PhotoPills]

Yeah! :)

[@photonsonpixels]

Very timely, Rafael! I am hoping for a great moon photo towards the end of the month. We'll see what happens...:) Thank you!

[@PhotoPills]

Plan and Pray!

[@christophernguyen4179]

Let's hope for those clear skies!!

[@Savage1776_]

I don't know if it's just me but I'm not getting the hang of this app. I feel like all these videos or a little Advanced for somebody that just open up the app for the first time. I don't even know what half the buttons are for but I can't find a decent tutorial just to learn my way around and to learn the basics. So then when I watch stuff like this is just kind of overwhelming.

[@PhotoPills]

Hi! No worries. It's absolutely normal. Photography planning is not easy. The tutorial you're referring is one of the most advanced ones. Start here: www.photopills.com/articles/photography-planning-guide

[@CatsEyeCinema]

Sorry for the rookie question but there are 2 blue lines. When you were setting up the shot you were using the thick line, then when you fine tuned it you went with the thin line? What's the difference in lines? Thanks so much. Can't wait to try this out!

[@PhotoPills]

The thick light blue is the Moonrise direction. The Thick dark blue is the Moonset direction. And the thin blue line is the position of the Moon for the selected date and time.

[@wdhale14094]

This was an amazing demonstration of the planning software. Thank you!!!

[@PhotoPills]

Yeah Warren!

[@PaulHeagen]

I did not understand what you said nor what you did when you re checking to see if the tower was visible from your shooting location. Google maps? Drop little man on location?? How did you coordinate whatever map you used with the Photocells working map?

[@PhotoPills]

Hi Paul! I used Google maps > Google Street view. But it's always better to go scout in the field if you can.

[@robertzurfluh9324]

Love the video.. I understand the blue pin now and have confidence that I get a setting moon over a building soon. What I don't understand is when would I use the Apps Altitudes function (do I use it for when data is not available and I have to set it manually?) and the Horizon function (is that for an offset when there is maybe a ridge?).

[@PhotoPills]

Use it when you have better terrain info or when photographing from a building... to add the height of the building to adjust the calculations :)

[@robertzurfluh9324]

@@PhotoPills Thank you

[@ManuelCampilho]

Each video I watch I get hapier for having bought the app :) Although I would like to make some pre-planing in my PC and then finish on my iPhone ... think about that :)

[@PhotoPills]

I feel you :P

[@hanswi336]

With an emulator software like 'BlueStacks' you can run the Photopills app on a PC.

[@ManuelCampilho]

@@hanswi336 my photopills licence is iOS :) but thnanks anyway

[@ilonaschong4601]

@@ManuelCampilho I plan it on my iPad and then send it with Actions to my phone. Would love to have it on a computer, but at least an iPad is more comfortable than my small phone screen.

[@dorbeas]

I’ve watched several videos on the placement of the moon in relationship to a building. Using AR and if you know the height of the building. But hypothetically, what if you aren’t on location to use AR? Or what if you don’t know the height of the structure? How can you plan the moon placement without the aforementioned things?

[@PhotoPills]

You need to somehow estimate the heigh of the building. Compare it with something that you know the height of. For example, if a floor measures 4m and your subjects resembles a building of 4 floors, then it s 16m tall more or less. And the watch this video to plan your Moon shots with the Planner (we don't use the AR views to plan the Moon): kzbin.info/www/bejne/q2myfYepgLl3rbs

[@dorbeas]

Another great video. Can you clarify how to use PhotoPills to plan a moon next to a building or other structure? Not necessarily behind it? Also, in PhotoPills is the height of the moon listed from the center of the moon to the black pin?

[@PhotoPills]

Thank you! The workflow is exactly the same. Just place the Black Pin where you want the Moon to be relative to the building so when you align the Moon with the Pin, you get the height of the moon above the ground level of it. The height is measured from the center of the Moon.

[@tmstulg]

If the shooting spot is elevated (e.g., on top of a building), how should the Elevation in PhotoPills be adjusted?

[@PhotoPills]

Then you need to adjust it manually from the More button (bottom right) > Altitudes.

[@tiagoalmeida653]

Top class tutorial. Photo pills gives the lens range necessary ? Thanks a lot. Will buy for sure this app

[@PhotoPills]

Yes. Use the DoF map tool (it includes the Field of View tool too). Watch this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hqnUqoSqm5yXjbc

[@tiagoalmeida653]

@@PhotoPills thanks a lot

[@joffemannen]

Hi! There's a kilometer or so of street in the right angle for some full moon rising shots, almost managed but with clouds and all it didn't succeed all the way. But it was just before or at golden hour. Any pointers for what to do in Lightroom with the results? Did a quick search but saw no obvious daylight or golden hour moon edit videos. I'll try and create some microcontrast in the sky with masks and curves and dehaze anyway. Another problem apart from clouds, is that the low moon has to pass a lot of turbulent and dirty atmosphere - gives some good colors but is no good for sharpness even when I do get the hyperfocals right

[@PhotoPills]

My advice is to edit it to make it look real... just what you saw :)

[@brownie392]

Great video! How do you account for the height of where you are taking the photo from (the red pint), in case there is a big height difference (e.g shooting from a hill or high building).

[@PhotoPills]

Hi! Tap the More button un the bottom bar and then select “Altitudes”. You can add the building height in the red pin (you can use the offset field)

[@mraalbaek]

Thanks for a great app. When planning a moon shoot behind a building, is the moon hight then the hight from the ground to the bottom of the moon or to the center of the moon?

[@PhotoPills]

Hi Allan... it's to the center of the Moon :)

[@qm7669]

Thanks for the great video, I just downloaded the map and was following all of your istruction but weirdly when I get to the "Moon at Azimuth" menu I can change the Date range and the Azimuth but there is no option for altitude. The results gives me lots of options from 3 degrees to 20 degrees but I have no way to filter them other than by manually scrolling through them. DO I have to check off something to get the Altitude filter? Thank you

[@PhotoPills]

You need to use Moon at Azimuth and Elevation ;)

[@qm7669]

@@PhotoPills SMH. I was clicking just Moon at Azimuth. thanks

[@dorbeas]

Hello. I’ve been using photo pills for a while and love it. But I wanted to clarify where to place the black pin when planning. In your moon/mountain video you say to place the pin on top set the elevation to zero above the black pin and then you will have a half moon but if you want the moon to kiss, you add the radius. Okay, so when doing a building do you place the pin on top of the building or on the ground? Sometimes you can’t see where the building meets the ground on the map. Any suggestions?

[@PhotoPills]

We don't have the heights of buildings. So you place the Black Pin on the Ground. And then you compare the Height of the Moon on Panel 2 vs your building!

[@dorbeas]

@@PhotoPills That's what I've been doing from watching all the videos. Is the reason you can place it on a mountain top is because the app has elevations in it? I think that makes sense to me now.

[@66xtopher]

@PhotoPills I`m having issues calibrating the AR for Sun and Moon. When loaded its wildly inaccurate (20 degrees or more), so I manually calibrate it. If I load it in the same position again, its is inaccurate again. Can it not remember the calibration in the same position!!? Any tips.

[@PhotoPills]

The magnetic fields change a lot. It's better to calibrate every time. I hope this video helps you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2W6c4KAmrB9Y5I

[@66xtopher]

@PhotoPills What is the moon in golden hour that has a golden hour moon? i.e.just an orange square no visible moon?

[@PhotoPills]

That's new moon. So no Moon :)

[@thierrygillard6896]

Great app, but... you say the apparent size of the moon (I guess relative to the platform of the tower) will be... Isn't that depending on the focal length? I found no way to enter the planned focal length. Any comment?

[@PhotoPills]

Hi Thierry! Moon size vs subject only depends on shooting distance. Check this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXiclpSXf7GmepI

[@thierrygillard6896]

@@PhotoPills Got that. Regards. Great planning tool.

[@ksnmurthy4476]

Can you help me to locate the best place to shoot in Bahrain for coming super moon. On 26 May 2021? Please guide me. I bought PhotoPills and not acquainted with it. The time is short now to read or understand. Please give the best location for me in Bahrain 🇧🇭. Thank you.

[@PhotoPills]

This video will help you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jH2Qh5KllN-shZY

[@erwinbalatero]

At that distance to the CN Tower, what is the recommended zoom lens? Great video Rafa!

[@PhotoPills]

Probably 400-500mm

[@CetusPaddler]

You can show this too! No doubt there's a video on this, but in short, tap on map settings, then FoV. Back on the map there is now a strip show camera, lens etc. You can set each of these as you need and two lines appear either side of your target to show your field of view. I find I need to switch the black pin off & back on again to align these properly. Not sure why! (Rafa?) Hope this helps.

[@dannyschoning6941]

I love you for this video! But how do I know which focal length I have to choose?

[@PhotoPills]

You can use the FoV map tool... Tap on the Map settings button, next to the (+) map button. Then on map tools select FoV... Then you'll be able to see the FoV on the Map :)

[@dannyschoning6941]

@@PhotoPills many thanks!

[@shipwright6122]

What map did you use to check the view of the tower from your shooting position? Thanks

[@PhotoPills]

I used Google Street view on my computer :)

[@iggybeauchance7406]

Is there an english version of this somewhere??

[@PhotoPills]

I'm afraid not :P

[@johnwells2908]

Does this put plan what the height is for the top/middle or bottom of the moon, and i have a shot planned for the 26th and 27th if i get the weather but one has a positive elevation difference of 40m so im assuming i take 40m off the position calculation which if it was CN tower i would position myself for a location at 306m, is that right?

[@PhotoPills]

The height is measured ad the center of the Moon. PhotoPills automatically takes into account the terrain altitude difference between the Red Pin position and Black Pin Position. So don't take it off (if this is what you mean).

[@amitsalvi]

Hi Rafael....thanks for the video...when planning will the altitude difference matter?

[@PhotoPills]

Hi Amit! PhotoPills takes into account the terrain altitude difference automatically :)

[@amitsalvi]

@@PhotoPills ok thanks. I’m planning to shoot the Burj khalifa with the super moon and it was showing a negative altitude difference , so was wondering if it’ll make the tower not visible from the shooting spot. But yesterday I went there and it was visible. So hopefully can shoot tomorrow.

[@PhotoPills]

@@amitsalvi Yes! Hope there are no clouds!

[@dariusphotography865]

Hi PhotoPills I have question can Im able to used this Application with US metrics ( inches, miles ) imperial system ??

[@PhotoPills]

Yes. Open PhotoPills, swipe right the main menu to go to the "My Stuff" section. Tap "Settings" and the first option allows you to change units from metric system to imperial.

[@Pasadenahitop]

Just brilliant. And great fun. Thank you!

[@PhotoPills]

Thankssss

[@m.witter5115]

Im having a terrible time getting the moon to show at the right height behind the top of the buildings or above the black pin... I don't have trouble with the azimuth ..Also, I'm a bit confused by messages I've seen from photo pills just recently as to whether you should worry about placing the black pin on the ground near and aligned with the building, or go ahead and place the black pin on the top of the building and the app does the rest for you...but most of my listed alignments are too far off at the height intersection to accomplish the shot I want. My android is set on SRTm/ASTER for the elevation provider but does offer Google ElevationAPI ..

[@PhotoPills]

Hi Marguerite! Go to My Stuff>Settings and set the Google API. And when placing the Black Pin, place it where the building meets the ground. The Black pin does not take into account building heights, only terrain elevations.

[@tomhenkel4211]

When you get a recommendation for the video on the exact same day he planed his shot for. Coincidence ? I think not.

[@PhotoPills]

Planning Power :)

[@roberthonkonen3397]

Is there a tutorial for how to plan a shot using the AR mode? I.e. if you are at the shooting location and you tell the app I want the moon to be at a certain spot on the screen? I seem to remember seeing this function at some point but can't locate it. (I don't think i'm making this up anyway) Also, forgive me if this is covered in this tutorial. I skimmed it quickly and plan to watch later!

[@PhotoPills]

Hi Robert! I have to do one about this AR function :). Place yourself at the Red Pin Position, then tap Find>Moon at azimuth and elevation. then tap the AR button at the bottom... Visually calibrate the view and tap on the screen to place the Moon where you want. Then tap on Search to find results :)

[@roberthonkonen3397]

@@PhotoPills Awesome, thanks!

[@peterquinn2133]

Brilliant tutorial however I'm a bit puzzled. Your shooting spot is 7km away from the tower so does that not mean your subject i.e. the CN tower will be extremely small in the frame to have any impact in the photo. I know it's all about the moon but I would like your thoughts please. Also can you explain to me how the moon appears larger the further away the shooting spot. Thanks.

[@PhotoPills]

Small or big depends on the focal length. If you use a large telephoto lens with a teleconverter it will be huge. As the moon. The further away you go from the subject, the smaller the subject will be compared with the moon. But you’ll need to use a large telephoto to enlarge the scene

[@peterquinn2133]

@@PhotoPills, thank you. What would you say was the minimum focal length for this type of photo. Thanks.

[@PhotoPills]

@@peterquinn2133 It depends on the size of the subject. You can use the FOV calculator to check the frame size in meters/feet to see the proportion between the frame and the subject.

[@peterquinn2133]

@@PhotoPills, will do. Thank you.

[@waynechase6950]

I have a question, trying to plan a moon shot with a lighthouse in the foreground. I have watch the video 3 times. My question is this, the light house sits on a cliff 430 feet above sea level. The light house stands an additional 70 high. My shooting spot is at sea level. But on the Red and Black pin panel it says the altitude difference between the two pins is only 23 feet. What is going on? I have checked and double checked the pin sites. Please help! Thanks, Wayne

[@PhotoPills]

This is because the topo info is not right. You can introduce it manually by tapping More (at the bottom right corner)>Altitudes. And then plan the shot.

[@PhotoPills]

You can also try to use Google Elevation Data. Go to PhotoPills settings > Elevation provider. Select "Google elevation API". Return to the Planner and move the pins again and check if they show you correct values now.

[@waynechase6950]

@@PhotoPills thanks, you are the best, lo mejor.

[@PhotoPills]

@@waynechase6950 Thanks!!

[@Twilight-Imagery]

Suggestion for the Developer's - Show me a compass with the degrees that shows me where the Sun or Moon will rise relative to my current GPS location and at what local time. If that functionality is buried in the App, I would like to know where. I was really expecting something like this to be in this App. Thank you for your consideration..

[@PhotoPills]

That's in fact the Planner. We show the rise/set lines that show the direction of the rise and set direction for Sun and Moon. In the top panel you also have the angle (azimuth) due North.

[@Twilight-Imagery]

@@PhotoPills - Is there a compass function built into PhotoPills that will help us align to the Azimuth? Thank you!

[@PhotoPills]

@@Twilight-Imagery Tap the + button on the map. Then tap the button with an arrowhead and a dot... That activates the map to rotate as a compass

[@m.maclean8911]

The moon in that shot is around the SkyPod level - which is 33 stories higher than the Lookout Level ….

[@PhotoPills]

Yep, that's just a photo I used to support the teaching.

[@petertrahan9785]

No, the app was showing stats for the sun in this video, not the moon. Details matter.

[@PhotoPills]

Hi Peter, this video is about Moon alignments :)

[@gabeschiff-verre4260]

Please make this full screen. Very hard to see what’s being done. Seeing you talking is not necessary. Thanks!

[@PhotoPills]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@davidkievman4320]

Is there anybody out there that can speak english that I can under stand?

[@PhotoPills]

Thanks for the feedback!