How to take a nice picture of a moon using NikonD3100?

I just bought Tamron 70-300 VC for Nikon 3100. Curious how people take a nice shot of a moon. When I do it, it look like a white spot. What am I doing wrong?

Change your apeture. I was having the same problem and then i played around with the apeture and kept taking a photo until i got it the way i wanted. Try reading thsi site
http://photographylife.com/how-to-photograph-moon

A white spot shows you are overexposing the moon

If you had thought about it, you would have realized that the same sun shines on the moon as the earth, so the correct exposure would be the same as you would use shooting a subject at noon here on earth

Using the sunny sixteen rule, you would be using 1/ISO at f/16 or any reciprocal of that exposure.

I use a 500 mm lens with 2x teleconverter and shoot the moon at 1/1000th second @ f/11 at ISO 400. This lens and teleconverter combination just about fills the frame of my viewfinder.

1. Connect the Wireless Remote Control ML-L3. This is an optional feature for your camera, but the best way to ensure your moon picture does not blur.

2. Choose the shutter speed so that it says "Bulb" in the "M" mode on your Nikon 3100.

3. Select the "Release Mode" until it shows the "- -"symbol. You can get this by selecting either "Quick-response Remote" or "Delayed Remote."

4. Press gently and smoothly on the remote control "shutter-release button."

5. Depress the "shutter-release button" a second time to close the shutter.

Using a Tripod

6. Place your camera on your tripod. Make sure the tripod is on a stable, flat surface.

7. Set the self-timer on the "Release Mode." It will show a clock symbol and have "10s" after it, which means 10 seconds, or you can change the time.

8. Turn the mode selection dial to "Night Portrait" or to where it displays a black and white figure of a person with a star in the background. The flash will automatically turn off.

9. Frame the moon in your shot, focus the camera and press the shutter-release button down halfway to focus the Nikon 3100.

10. Press the shutter-release button the rest of the way down. This will start the self-timer, and the camera will capture the moon in the picture.

These setting should work fine, if you have to much brightness simply use a faster shutter speed until you get the right details on the moon.

- Camera set to "Manual".
- Camera on tripod.
- Aperture set to f/11.
- Shutter speed 1/125 if you use iso 100.
- Shutter speed 1/250 if you use iso 200.
- Turn off the vibration reduction on the lens.
- Use manual focus and set the focus to infinity or if your camera has live view you can use it to zoom in and adjust your focus manually with the lens.
- Use the self timer to prevent camera shake.

Have fun!

Sry Brenda, the Moon travel around the Earth therefore we need to use a fast shutter speed otherwise we end up having some blur effect on the Moon if we're using a slow shutter speed.

Brenda's advice will result in a grossly overexposed shot, which I suspect is what you are getting now. Start from the fact that the Moon is an object lit by the Sun. Therefore, you should use the same exposure as you would if shooting on a sunny day on planet earth. Counter-intuitive, I know; but that's the way to do it. You need a good tripod and the longest focal legth your lens will allow. 300mm is a bit short, but you will get a reasonably acceptable shot. Use manual exposure.Mr White's exposure values are correct.

Easiest way is to get your focus and take the photo in auto mode using flash, works better with a tripod and remote control.