How To Take Instagram-Worthy Photographs Of The Moon With Your iPhone

The iPhone gives among the finest digicam experiences in cellphones, particularly the newer fashions, and particularly the newest Professional and Professional Max fashions. That mentioned, the iPhone digicam has limitations and may’t fairly match the capabilities {of professional} gear in particular conditions. Taking photographs of the moon is one such instance. Getting the right shot of a full moon for Instagram and different social media apps is tougher with the iPhone. Nevertheless it’s not an inconceivable ask.

The default Camera app on the iPhone doesn’t have as many guide controls as an expert digicam to assist photographers take nice photographs of the moon. Mixed with the {hardware} limitations, just like the iPhone’s lack of ability to supply the identical stage of zoom as a DSLR, taking the right shot of the moon is likely to be tougher if all you need to do is level and shoot your iPhone on the evening sky and hope that Evening Mode will get you the right shot for your Instagram followers.

Taking a quick picture of the moon will lead to a blurry, shiny blob of sunshine in the course of the sky, as a substitute of the gorgeous crescent moon or the crater element anticipated from full moon pictures. The iPhone’s Evening Mode algorithms will attempt to brighten the shot, and that is what’s going to make the already shiny moon seem as a smeared blob within the sky. However there are methods to take nice photographs utilizing nothing however the iPhone in your pocket and the default Digital camera app. One technique includes manually controlling digicam settings. The opposite can have you recording 4K video of the moon after which saving screenshots from it.

You may additionally need to guarantee the next digicam options are set earlier than taking photographs of the moon:

• Disable the digicam flash: faucet the flash icon within the high left nook (iOS 18) or high proper nook (iOS 26)
• Disable Reside Photographs: cross out the icon with circles round it within the high proper nook (iOS 18) or faucet the dotted menu within the high proper nook after which cross Reside button (iOS 26 – first screenshot above)
• Use one of the best picture high quality: Go to Settings > Digital camera > Codecs > Photograph Mode and select the very best setting (iOS 18) or faucet the highest left button within the Digital camera app and choose the utmost decision (iOS 26 – second screenshot above)

With these settings out of the way in which, you’ll be able to put together for the precise shot. Here is what you should do whereas within the Digital camera app:

1. Zoom to the utmost optical zoom possibility your iPhone helps. That is 2x, 3x, 5x, or 8x (iPhone 17 Pro models).
2. Faucet the moon to give attention to it
3. Lengthy-press the moon to carry up the AE/AF Lock menu (third screenshot above)
4. Slide your finger down on the solar icon to decrease the publicity till you get a superb have a look at the moon (third screenshot above)
5. Faucet the shutter button to take a photograph (or set a timer should you’re utilizing a tripod)
6. Maintain nonetheless till the iPhone captures the picture (or wait should you’re utilizing a tripod with a timer).

The opposite common technique of taking a superb picture of the moon includes recording a 4K video after which taking a screenshot of the moon to acquire that Instagram-ready picture you need. Earlier than you begin recording, you could need to choose the very best video high quality. You may search for 4K video at 60 frames per second (fps)  within the Digital camera app in iOS 18 and iOS 26:

• Choose the Video mode and faucet the menus within the upper-right nook to pick out “4K” and “60” (iOS 18)
• Choose the Video mode and faucet the menu within the upper-left nook to set the Decision at 4K and the Body Charge at 60 (iOS 26 – above)

After that, you will have to observe these steps to file a video of the moon:

1. Zoom to the utmost optical zoom possibility your iPhone will assist. That is 2x, 3x, 5x, or 8x (iPhone 17 Pro models).
2. Faucet the moon to give attention to it
3. Lengthy-press the moon to carry up the AE/AF Lock menu
4. Slide your finger down on the solar icon to decrease the publicity till you get a superb have a look at the moon
5. Faucet the shutter button to file video for a couple of seconds, then faucet it once more to cease the recording

The ultimate step includes extracting a photograph of the moon for Instagram from the iPhone’s Photographs app:

1. Choose the video recording
2. Use the slider on the backside of the display to maneuver again and ahead (iOS 18) or use the playback progress bar to maneuver again and ahead (iOS 26)
3. Faucet the display to make the video controls disappear
4. Zoom in on the paused clip to extend the scale of the moon
5. Take a screenshot

When attempting to seize that good shot of the moon with the iPhone for Instagram, you need to contemplate your setting. Select a spot that offers you a superb have a look at the evening sky and keep away from having too many mild sources round you. When you solely want the iPhone and the Digital camera app, you would possibly think about using a tripod when you’ve got one or discovering a spot to set the iPhone with the cameras pointing on the moon to eradicate digicam shake. A stabilizer is advisable for the video technique, because the iPhone must file a couple of seconds of steady footage.

It doesn’t matter what technique you utilize to seize the right picture of the moon, you should use the ensuing picture to add it to Instagram and different social networks. You possibly can repeat the procedures outlined above for future moon picture periods, whatever the moon part or sky illumination.

The video above covers variations of the earlier two strategies. Photographer Shayne Mostyn makes use of an iPhone 16 Professional to shoot a photograph of the moon by manually controlling the publicity and focus, whereas utilizing most digital zoom (as a substitute of most optical zoom) with an iPhone positioned on a tripod. The YouTuber makes use of the identical video trick to {photograph} the moon, however information in HD mode at 30 fps as a substitute of 4K 60 fps video. Additionally, Mostyn selects the utmost digital zoom to file the clip, lowers the publicity, and retains the iPhone regular on the tripod.