How I Plan Photos Around the Moon

Some of my favorite photographs begin long before I ever leave home.

People often think landscape photography is mostly about being in the right place at the right time, and there's certainly some truth to that. But over the years I've learned that a little planning can dramatically improve the odds of coming home with an image I'm excited about. One of the tools I rely on most is the moon.

Whether I'm photographing the Smoky Mountains, exploring the Blue Ridge Parkway, or planning a road trip through Tennessee or Western North Carolina, I almost always check moon phase, moonrise and moonset times, weather forecasts, cloud cover, and the geography of the location before I leave home.

The moon can completely transform a landscape. A full moon rising behind a mountain ridge creates a very different mood than a crescent moon setting over the coast. It can influence available light, visibility, compositions, and even where I decide to spend the night before a sunrise shoot.

The goal isn't to eliminate surprises. Some of my favorite photographs have happened because conditions changed unexpectedly. Planning simply helps me stack the odds in my favor. When weather, light, landscape, and moon position all begin working together, the chances of creating something memorable increase dramatically.

One of the reasons I enjoy teaching photography workshops is that many of these concepts sound far more complicated than they really are. You don't need to be an astronomer to use the moon effectively. You simply need a basic understanding of how it moves, how it affects a scene, and which tools can help you make informed decisions before heading into the field.

That's also the inspiration behind my Moon Guide. I wanted to create a resource that helps photographers better understand moon phases, planning tools, weather forecasting, and how to use all of them together when planning photography adventures.

The moon has a way of turning an ordinary outing into something memorable. And for photographers willing to spend a little time planning ahead, it's often one of the most powerful creative tools available.