50 Facts About Apollo 11 Photography

From the time I was a child, I have been fascinated by all things related to the NASA moon missions of the 1970s. I’ve been particularly intrigued by the photographs that were taken by astronauts on their way to the moon and the surface as well.

I recall being new to photography and studying the relationship between light and correct exposure. I was always impressed by the quality of the photographs captured on the surface, and I couldn’t understand how these astronauts could nail the exposure so perfectly on the moon when it was difficult for me to do so in my backyard. As I learned more about lighting, I was amused at some of the conspiracy theorists claiming that the prominence of shadows in the photographs was indicative of the photographs being created in a studio and artificial lighting being used. These conspiracy theorists didn’t realize that although the sky was pitch black on the moon, the photographs were taken in the daytime, and that explained the harsh shadows as well as the absence of stars in the sky.

This video from Michael The Maven gives some interesting photography-based facts about the process of taking photographs on moon missions. There are details about cameras and photographic techniques that you may find of interest even though it is unlikely that you will ever be in a position to apply what you have learned by taking photographs on the moon.