March 3 Total Lunar Eclipse: How to Photograph It (Settings, Gear & Timing)

On March 3, 2026, the Moon will pass through Earth’s shadow and turn a deep copper-red — a total lunar eclipse, commonly known as a blood moon. It will be visible to billions of people across Asia, Australia, the Pacific, and all of North and Central America.

For photographers, a lunar eclipse is one of the most dramatic nighttime subjects you can capture. But it comes with a catch: the Moon’s brightness changes drastically during the event, which means your camera settings need to change too. Get it wrong and you’ll end up with either a blown-out white disk or an underexposed blob.

This guide covers everything you need to photograph the March 2026 total lunar eclipse — exact timing by time zone, the gear you’ll need, step-by-step camera settings for each phase, and common mistakes to avoid. Whether you’re shooting with a DSLR, mirrorless camera, or even a smartphone, you’ll find actionable advice to help you capture this rare event.

What Makes This Eclipse Special

This isn’t just another lunar eclipse. The March 3, 2026 event is the last total lunar eclipse until December 31, 2028 — more than two and a half years away. If you miss this one, you’ll be waiting a while.

During totality, the Moon doesn’t simply disappear. Instead, it turns a striking reddish-orange color — the famous “blood moon” effect. This happens because Earth’s atmosphere bends sunlight around the planet and filters it, projecting the combined light of every sunrise and sunset on Earth onto the lunar surface simultaneously. As NASA explains, “It’s as if all of the world’s sunrises and sunsets are projected onto the Moon.”

The eclipse’s visibility footprint is massive. According to NASA, totality will be visible “in the evening from eastern Asia and Australia, throughout the night in the Pacific, and in the early morning in North and Central America.” Only Africa and Europe miss out entirely.

Another bonus: the Moon will be positioned in the constellation Leo during the eclipse. As Earth’s shadow dims the lunar surface, the surrounding stars become easier to spot — a great opportunity for wide-field compositions that include both the blood moon and the starfield behind it.

Eclipse Timeline: Key Times by Time Zone

A lunar eclipse unfolds in stages over several hours. Here are the key moments for the March 3, 2026 eclipse, converted into major time zones. All times are based on TimeandDate.com and NASA data.

United States (March 3):

• Penumbral eclipse begins: 12:44 AM PST / 1:44 AM MST / 2:44 AM CST / 3:44 AM EST
• Partial eclipse begins: 1:50 AM PST / 2:50 AM MST / 3:50 AM CST / 4:50 AM EST
• Totality begins: 3:04 AM PST / 4:04 AM MST / 5:04 AM CST / 6:04 AM EST
• Maximum eclipse: 3:33 AM PST / 4:33 AM MST / 5:33 AM CST / 6:33 AM EST
• Totality ends: 4:03 AM PST / 5:03 AM MST / 6:03 AM CST / 7:03 AM EST
• Partial eclipse ends: 5:17 AM PST / 6:17 AM MST / 7:17 AM CST / 8:17 AM EST

Asia & Australia (March 3):

• Tokyo, Japan: Totality 8:04 PM – 9:03 PM JST (evening — ideal viewing)
• Shanghai, China: Totality 7:04 PM – 8:03 PM CST
• Sydney, Australia: Totality 10:04 PM – 11:03 PM AEDT
• Honolulu, Hawaii: Totality 1:04 AM – 2:03 AM HST

Key takeaway for photographers: If you’re on the US West Coast, set your alarm for 2:30 AM. The partial phase starts around 1:50 AM PST and totality runs from 3:04–4:03 AM. East Coast photographers face a tighter window — totality begins at 6:04 AM EST, just as the Moon is getting low on the western horizon before moonset. West Coast and Pacific time zones have the best viewing conditions in the US.

For precise local timing based on your exact location, check The Eclipse App — a free browser-based tool that shows the eclipse angle and timing for any location on Earth.

Essential Gear for Lunar Eclipse Photography

You don’t need exotic equipment to photograph a lunar eclipse, but the right gear makes a significant difference. Here’s what to bring:

Camera body: Any camera with manual exposure control works — DSLR, mirrorless, or even an advanced compact. The key requirement is the ability to set ISO, aperture, and shutter speed independently. Full-frame sensors perform better at higher ISOs needed during totality, but APS-C and Micro Four Thirds cameras work well too (and the crop factor gives you extra reach).

Telephoto lens (200mm minimum): The Moon appears surprisingly small in photos — only about 0.5° of sky. At 200mm on a full-frame camera, the Moon fills roughly 4% of the frame. At 400mm–600mm, you’ll get detailed surface textures and clearly visible color gradations during totality. If you shoot on an APS-C body, a 200mm lens gives you an effective 300mm field of view. Consider lenses like the Canon RF 100-400mm or similar telephoto zooms.

Sturdy tripod: Non-negotiable. You’ll be shooting exposures up to 4 seconds during totality. Even the slightest vibration ruins a telephoto shot at these focal lengths. A quality travel tripod or beginner-friendly tripod with a ball head works — just make sure it’s stable and can point nearly straight up depending on your location.

Remote shutter release or 2-second timer: Pressing the shutter button introduces camera shake, especially at long focal lengths. Use a wired/wireless remote release or set your camera’s self-timer to 2 seconds.

Extra batteries: Cold night air drains batteries faster than normal. Bring at least two fully charged spares. Keep extras in an inside pocket close to your body to keep them warm.

Memory cards: If you’re shooting RAW (and you should be), files add up quickly over a 5-hour event. Bring at least 64GB of storage.

Camera Settings for Each Eclipse Phase

This is the section that separates good lunar eclipse photos from bad ones. The Moon’s brightness drops by roughly 10,000x between a normal full Moon and totality. Your settings must change accordingly.

Shoot in RAW format throughout the entire eclipse. This gives you maximum flexibility in post-processing, especially for recovering color detail during totality. Set your white balance to Daylight (5200K) for consistent color across all phases — you can fine-tune it later in editing.

Partial Phase (Bright Moon)

During the partial phase, the uneclipsed portion of the Moon is still very bright — essentially full-Moon brightness.

• ISO: 200
• Aperture: f/8
• Shutter speed: 1/250 second

These settings follow the “Looney 11” rule — a variation of the Sunny 16 rule adapted for moonlight. The Moon is reflecting direct sunlight, so it’s much brighter than you might expect. Overexposing here is the most common beginner mistake.

Totality / Blood Moon Phase

Once the Moon is fully inside Earth’s umbral shadow, its brightness plummets. The surface turns red-orange and becomes roughly 10 stops darker than the partial phase. You need to compensate dramatically:

• ISO: 800–1600 (start at 800 and increase if needed)
• Aperture: f/4 to f/5.6 (open up as wide as your lens allows while maintaining sharpness)
• Shutter speed: 1–4 seconds

Why the settings change so dramatically: During the partial phase, the Moon reflects direct sunlight — it’s essentially a sunlit object. During totality, the only light reaching the Moon is filtered through Earth’s atmosphere. That filtered light is dimmer by a factor of roughly 10,000. You need to open up the aperture, raise ISO, and extend shutter speed to compensate.

Watch your shutter speed carefully. At focal lengths above 200mm, the Moon moves fast enough to blur during long exposures. The rough rule: your maximum shutter speed in seconds ≈ 500 ÷ (focal length × crop factor). At 400mm on full-frame, that’s about 1.25 seconds before trailing appears. If you need more light, increase ISO rather than extending the exposure further.

Transition Phases

The transitions between partial and total eclipse happen gradually. Don’t wait until totality to change your settings. Start adjusting as the shadow covers more of the Moon’s surface. A good approach: take test shots every 5 minutes during the partial phase and adjust exposure to keep the histogram centered.

Step-by-Step: Shooting the Eclipse

Here’s a practical workflow for eclipse night, from setup to the final frame.

Before the Eclipse (Setup)

• Scout your location in advance. You need a clear view of the Moon’s position in the sky — check the direction and elevation for your location using The Eclipse App. Avoid areas with significant light pollution if possible.
• Arrive 30–60 minutes early. Set up your tripod, mount your camera, and frame the Moon while it’s still bright and easy to find.
• Focus manually. Switch your lens to manual focus. Use Live View at maximum zoom to focus on the Moon’s edge — you should see sharp craters and the terminator line. Once focused, tape your focus ring in place so it doesn’t shift during the night. Autofocus will hunt in the dark and ruin shots during totality.
• Turn off image stabilization. When mounted on a tripod, IS/VR can actually introduce micro-vibrations. Switch it off.
• Set your camera to RAW, manual mode. Start with the partial phase settings: ISO 200, f/8, 1/250s.

During the Eclipse

• Shoot throughout every phase. Don’t wait for totality — the partial phases produce dramatic images of the curved Earth shadow creeping across the lunar surface.
• Bracket your exposures. Take 3–5 shots at different exposures (±1 stop) during each phase. This gives you options in post-processing and material for HDR composites.
• Adjust settings gradually. As the shadow advances, open your aperture first (f/8 → f/5.6 → f/4), then increase ISO (200 → 400 → 800), then lengthen shutter speed as a last resort.
• Check your histogram. The Moon should be exposed to the right of center — bright but not clipping highlights during partial phases. During totality, aim for a centered histogram.

Composition Ideas

• Tight crop: Use your longest focal length for frame-filling detail. Great for showing surface texture and the red/orange color gradients during totality.
• Wide-field with landscape: Switch to a wider lens (24–70mm) and include foreground elements — a city skyline, tree line, or landmark. The blood moon will be smaller but contextualizes the scene beautifully.
• Time-lapse composite: Plan to combine multiple frames showing the Moon’s progression through Earth’s shadow into a single composite image. Shoot one frame every 5–10 minutes with consistent framing.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even experienced photographers trip up during eclipses. Here are the most common errors and how to avoid them:

• Overexposing during totality. The blood moon looks bright to your eyes because they’ve adapted to the dark. Your camera hasn’t. If you use partial-phase settings during totality, you’ll get a washed-out, featureless blob. Switch to your totality settings as soon as the shadow is fully covering the Moon.
• Forgetting to adjust settings between phases. The eclipse transitions gradually over about 75 minutes from partial to total. Set a timer to check and adjust exposure every 5 minutes. Chimping (reviewing shots on your LCD) is actually good practice here.
• Leaving autofocus on. Once you’ve nailed manual focus on the Moon, don’t touch it. AF systems struggle to lock onto the dim blood moon during totality and will rack the focus ring back and forth, ruining shots.
• Unstable tripod. Wind, soft ground, or accidentally bumping a tripod leg can introduce shake. Hang your camera bag from the center column for added weight. Don’t extend the center column if you can avoid it — it reduces stability.
• Not shooting RAW. JPEG compression destroys the subtle red/orange color gradients that make blood moon photos compelling. Always shoot RAW for maximum editing flexibility.
• Running out of battery. March nights are cold in much of North America. Cold drains lithium-ion batteries fast. Bring spares and keep them warm in your pocket.

Post-Processing Tips

Even with perfect in-camera technique, lunar eclipse photos benefit from careful editing.

White balance adjustment: If you shot in RAW with Daylight white balance (as recommended), you’ll have a good starting point. In Lightroom or Camera Raw, fine-tune the temperature slider to bring out the rich copper-red tones of the blood moon. Typically a slight push toward warmer (higher Kelvin) values enhances the effect.

Noise reduction: Totality shots at ISO 800–1600 will have visible noise, especially in the dark sky surrounding the Moon. Apply luminance noise reduction carefully — too much and you’ll lose surface detail on the Moon itself. Consider masking the Moon separately from the sky background.

Image stacking: If you shot multiple frames during totality, you can stack them in software like Sequator (free) or DeepSkyStacker to significantly reduce noise while preserving detail. Align the frames on the Moon’s surface features, then average them together.

Composite sequences: One of the most popular eclipse images is a composite showing multiple phases side by side in a single frame. Shoot consistently spaced frames (every 5–10 minutes) without moving your camera, then blend them in Photoshop using layers and masking. The result: a dramatic arc showing the Moon’s journey through Earth’s shadow.

Sharpening: Apply capture sharpening to bring out crater detail. Use the Detail panel in Lightroom with Amount around 60–80, Radius 1.0, and a luminance mask to avoid sharpening noise in the sky.

Featured image: Lunar eclipse by Erika Löwe on Unsplash. Used under Unsplash license.