I am an AEB first-timer, I am aware of the basic functions. You can read about it a number of times until you think you get it, but actually don't. SEEing it, takes it another step. Thank you for helping it make some sense. It's appreciated.
Thank you for teaching and giving us your experience and expertise. I'm sure this was learned the hard way by you. Now you have advanced all that watch this without all the struggles you went through to this level of Real Estate photography. You are also a very great teacher!! Thank you again, Mark
Best Tutorial on Bracketing technique so far I have ever come across. Very logical and methodical process instead of crudely taking 'n' number of pictures...
Very detailed. I can’t believe that makes so much sense to do. Excellent info. Question is that are you shooting all the final photos at evaluative metering or spot metering?
As the camera is set to manual mode (M) the set-up exposure metering mode has no influence on the exposure when pressing the shutter button. I myself (not the photographer who produced the video) use spot metering mode to measure the areas, then set up the exposure time, focus manually, and release the shutter button.
Thank you for explaining everything so clearly! This is incredibly helpful. I really appreciate that you went over the process so thoroughly because all the short answers I have seen so far do not allow me to understand the functionality and all the possibilities I have at my disposal. Brilliant! Thank you again!
These are really helpful, will probably help me reduce the need for me to outsource. But anyway, outsourcing helps me spend more time with my family. edithere if someone needs it, not that I want to advertise but their service is really great.
Thanks for the detailed video Photomatix 👌🏻 I have a point to add for the users who change the shutter manually for each bracketed shots. They can set the camera to self timer mode ON for may be 2 seconds or so. That way camera vibration can be reduced.
Good for those that don't want to use flash. Personally I prefer off camera flash and ambient and then do a quick blend in photoshop when required. Bracketing is fine in steady light conditions that don't change but strong changing sunlight from outside can bugger everything up and then you need to use the liveview function and the histogram for individual shots. Good video with attention to detail for those starting to think about this line of work as long as they realise there is more than one way to achieve this.
A very good point Jim. Yes, you can use flash and that can be a perfectly good solution. However, this video was about HDR of course, so naturally the attention focuses on that rather than the other ways to approach the problem.
Hello Ekaterina. Yes, the Nikon D750 is a capable camera model so you should not have any problems taking bracketed images with the settings suggested in this video.
This has got to be one of the beast tutorials on bracketing I have seen. I am new to this type of photography, and I have a Nikon D5100 camera. How you transitioned and displayed from one picture to another was perfect. Very educational. Can't thank you enough. One Thought, the ending was very abrupt. Would have been better if you would have ended with your name and, maybe, "Subscribe and stay tuned for additional videos". Again, thank you for all the time and hours of editing you put into this video. 👍
The problem with this technique is outside lighting conditions change all the time. Clouds pass by and make this scene darker or clouds pass by make the scene lighter. The best technique is to take the bracketed shots and look at the histogram to see if those shots were exposed correctly.
You are right, one needs to be aware of changing conditions that affect lighting, and clouds passing by is a common one. In any case, it's definitely a good idea to check the bracketed shots using the histogram to make sure the dynamic range is covered, and it's recommended with any exposure bracketing technique.
With HDR in camera, iPhone HDR or Google camera HDR+, the exposure bracketing and merge to HDR are all done directly in camera. The advantage is that it's super simple and quick, the drawback is that don't have any control on the exposure range and HDR settings. So, if you are a pro and want to take an interior where the room is dark and the window's view bright, exposure bracketing with the right exposure settings will help you make sure to capture all the range of exposures required to get a properly lit interior photo.
I am a seasoned real estate and magazine photographer and followed your steps exactly but instead of using ISO 400 I used ISO 200 with f/11 AEB 2. My shadows setting was 1/15 and highlights 1/1600. I plugged it into app and was told to use 1/250 and read as follows: 1/15..+4 +4, 1/60 +2 +2, 1/250 0 0, 1/1000 -2 -2, 1/4000 -4 -4. I dialed in 1/250 and shot. What my Canon 5D III w L series 17-40 readings were 1/60 1/125 1/250 1/500 1/1000. All too dark to even consider into loading into Photomatix Pro 6. I was hoping to save time on my shoots with this procedure. I have been using AEB for years and my procedure has been to get my get my light reading and start my series of 7 shots form -2 up to +2. It has worked for me pretty well most of the time but welcomed a more precise way of shooting. I would appreciate an opinion as I would like to try this out on my next shoot.
If I understand correctly, you have the App set to 2EV spacing and your camera set to 1EV spacing. So you can get the series described by the App by setting the camera to capture at 2EV spacing.
Hello Purva, It is not possible on a Canon 80D to move the spot from the center to other areas not in the center. What I do with my Canon is to aim the camera to these areas, measure the spot, and then reframe the image. You can watch a video where I illustrate this here: ruclips.net/video/YxbiLj0cRNY/видео.html
Hi , I don’t understand why i should use the hdrsoft app if i use the aeb of my camera ? It will automatically do it. I can’t really tweek the feature, maybe with the calculator check the difference ? Thanks for the explanation.
The HDR Exposure Calculator helps ensure you take all exposures needed when you use the AEB feature or your camera. This is useful for interiors with bright windows because the dynamic range is huge, but otherwise (e.g. in typical outdoor scenes) there is no need to use the HDR Exposure Calculator. In any case the HDR Exposure Calculator is just a complement/helper for the AEB feature of your camera, and certainly not a replacement of it.
Hey there, I'm a little under pressure right now, as I shall be shooting some reference interior photos for my boss tomorrow (we consult companies for light solutions). I just found out that my Canon EOS 1100d only has the ability to have 3 brackets with -+2 stop of EV. Is there any way I could recreate this effect with this camera? Regards :)
Hey @moodcatching, good question. Depending on the purpose, the time of day, and your location you'll need 5 or most likely more photos in one bracketed set usually. Your only choice considering the restriction of the EOS 1100D is to take two or three bracketed sets with 3 photos at 2 EV spacing from a tripod. It is quite a challenge not to move the camera when operating the camera but it could work. Since this requires to change the shutter speed between the bracketed sets carefully turn the dial, and use the built-in self-timer and/or a remote shutter release to trigger the bursts of photos. Make sure to expose around the normal exposure but bias a little (1-2 EV) to the overexposed side since you might want to show the interior well exposed rather than the exterior. To make your life easier measure the dynamic range of each interior scene once and expose accordingly. What I mean by that is to rather take three bracketed sets than two unless the exterior is not so important to cover. We call it to overshoot in terms of exposure range. This way you can choose five or seven from nine exposures in the range when processing with Photomatix. However, if in a hurry and you have a lot of rooms stay with 2 x 3 exposures. To calculate the exact exposure settings you could use the HDR exposure calculator www.hdrsoft.com/support/hdr-exposures-calculator.html One more tip unless it is part of the light solution you are offering: don't turn on any tungsten or fluorescent lights inside the rooms. You will have a hard time with blue spill from outside and finding the correct white balance. Good luck with your shooting tomorrow.
It also depends on how high the contrast of your interior is. If the room isn't too dark relative to the windows, 3 brackets at +2 EV can work just fine. This video shows the advanced bracketing technique aimed at challenging cases. The simple technique is described here www.hdrsoft.com/real-estate/photographing-interiors-with-hdr-simple-technique.html
Hi Mira Studio, Usually, an interior requires a minimum of 5 photographs spaced at 2 EV to cover the dynamic range. However, sometimes it requires seven or even nine exposures. It depends on the lighting outside, i.e. direct sunlight, cloudy day, and how much of that light is entering the room.
@fred farmer Actually, that's a good question because the video doesn't answer it. The images get combined in our Photomatix application (Essentials or Pro version). In Photomatix you can apply a natural-looking HDR style and thus transfer the dynamic range of the five photos to the final image. Here you can watch a video that shows the process, but with different images: ruclips.net/video/4hNzux2awcI/видео.html
You can find it here: hdrsoft.com/ev The HDR Exposures Calculator is available as an iOS app too, but the web app at hdrsoft.com/ev works in any browser (so on any smartphone) and is free.
Hi, I was wondering if you could help me understand how to do this so I've taken 5 shot bracket 2 full stop and my client wants me to adjust the EV to -2 instead of 0 for the middle exposure. My client wants me to do this but I have no way of doing this in manual mode as far as I know. This is for 360 panoramas so I have to do this for all 4 shots around, in rooms with of course different lighting situations. I really appreciate your input. Thanks
I believe there is a way to do that, you can adjust the shutter speed so that the main/center marker in the exposure meter is on -2 EV instead of 0. So instead of -4, -2, 0, 2, 4, you will get -6, -4, -2, 0, 2 (where -2 is your middle exposure)
Great video - nice and clear and with a good pace My only q is about the spot metering. When you say "point the camera at the darkest part in the room" - do you just mean to simply move the focus point over that area?
Hello Felix, thank you for the feedback :) You don't need to move the focus point. Just point the camera at the darkest area once it is in spot metering mode. When you switch to spot metering mode, you may see a round circle in the viewfinder, but this is is independent from the focus point. Most cameras do not allow to move the circle from the middle of the viewfinder to some other position. This is why aiming the camera at the area you want to measure is the way to go usually. Assuming you are using a tripod (highly recommended for real estate interiors), note that you will have to put the camera off the tripod to point the camera in spot metering mode.
Hello David, how do you get it the outside exposure correctly? I took an HDR photos and merge them on lightroom but it doesn't grab the outside well exposure of the photos. So what I get is a photo with the outside overexpose.
If the HDR photos you took include a photo that properly exposes the outside, then try the Photomatix presets designed for real estate interiors. See more in this tutorial: www.hdrsoft.com/real-estate/merging-bracketed-exposures-to-hdr.html
When pointing at the darkest area (with spot-metering), that is so you can note the longest shutter speed needed. The histogram isn't so important for that step.
after getting all the exposures, where do you focus for the final shot when doing the AEB? Do you focus on the highlight, midtones or the shadows? From the video it appears he is using manual focus? I am newbie. thanks.
If you are using a wide angle lens, and f/8 or f/11, then most of the scene will be in focus by setting the focus around 1/3 of the way into the scene. This is only a general rule, but usually works. Another good option is to focus on something that is within a couple of feet of the camera, then everything farther away should be in focus. Just a little practice should make this easy.
Hi I can use one speedlights with bracketing flash, apecture mode? Photomatix manual dont requires flash. I should use raw or jpec for interior photograph? Very tks
The video shows how to bracket exposures to photograph interiors, and exposure bracketing avoids having to use flash and speedlights. It also has the advantage of giving images that look more natural than when flash or lights are used. If you use speedlights, then there is no need to bracket exposures, normally. Photomatix is used to process bracketed exposures, merging them to HDR, so it indeed doesn't require to use flash. Raws have the advantage of letting you adjust the white balance if you need it (to adjust for mixed lighting situation between the interior and exterior for instance). Jpegs have the advantage of working better with natural looking fusion presets that work well for interiors. So they both have advantages and disadvantages. More info on this at: www.hdrsoft.com/support/faq_photomatix.html#process_raw
It depends on your camera setup: - If you set the camera to Aperture Priority, then changing the exposure compensation has the same effect as changing the shutter speed (though it isn't the same thing) - If you set the camera to Shutter Priority, however, changing the exposure compensation changes the aperture rather than the shutter speed - If you switch to Manual mode, then changing the exposure compensation has no effect Exposure compensation is a way to control the exposure in one of the automatic modes, i.e. making the image brighter or darker than what the camera suggests. It tells the camera electronics to set an exposure offset from the exposure that the metering system has determined.
Why do you use ISO 400 on a tripod? Using high ISOs reduces your dynamic range, which makes no sense when shooting HDR. Usually it makes sense to set ISO to 100 or the lowest base ISO to make best use of your camera's dynamic range and obviously shoot RAWs instead of JPG. Also when doing manual exposures, which shouldn't be necessary nowadays, one should switch to manual focus and white balance.
A higher ISO gives you a higher exposure, the same way a longer shutter speed does. This doesn't reduce the dynamic range, but extends it to cover the dark areas of the scene. When the dynamic range of your interior isn't very high, ISO 100 is best, since this ensures the lowest noise level. However, when your interior is quite dark and there is a bright sunlight coming from the window, the dynamic range may be so high that you'll need very long shutter speeds to cover the darkest areas at ISO 100, so long that they exceed the capabilities of your camera. And even if they don't exceed it, very long exposures can bring other problems, such as blur. This is why we recommend an ISO higher than 100 for interiors, though it's better not to go higher than 400.
@@PhotomatixHDR Unfortunately you're wrong. Any camera's dynamic range is reduced when increasing ISO. See the link at the bottom of this reply for lab tests confirming this. Only if you need more than 30 seconds of exposure, which is extremely unlikely at daytime, you may benefit from higher ISO settings, but even then a manual/bulb mode exposure is preferable at ISO 100. The argument of getting blur is the only correct one, but only if there are moving parts that are well exposed in the slow shutter speeds. If there are no such moving objects it is hence always better to stick to ISO 100, also for noise reasons. Here you can see how the dynamic range suffers from higher ISO on some very good cameras, and it is worse for cheaper cameras: click on Measurements... Dynamic range: www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Canon-EOS-5D-Mark-IV-versus-Nikon-D850-versus-Sony-A7R-IV___1106_1177_1326
@@robbeld We aren't talking about the same thing here. I was referring to the scene's dynamic range, not the camera's dynamic range. The video is about bracketing exposures to photograph a high contrast interior scene. If you don't want to bracket and take just one exposure, then yes, you should keep the ISO to 100 or lower. However, you are unlikely to get a good quality photograph when shooting a high contrast scene with just one exposure. Regarding higher ISOs, the video actually recommends ISO 400 which isn't really high (and in any case, much lower than ISOs in the 2000-4000 range tested in the article you linked to.)
Unfortunately, there is no automatic exposure bracketing on the Nikon D3400. You could perform manual bracketing by using Exposure Compensation (set to -2 EV, 0 EV, and +2 EV consecutively), or try to manually shoot your bracketing set by using the method described in our article here (even though it shows a Canon camera it works for a Nikon likewise) hdr-photography.com/hdrsoft/resources/brackets-without-aeb.html Good luck with it!
You can load the photos into Photomatix Pro or Photmatix Essentials RE, merge them and apply any realistic preset (or customize a chosen setting to your liking). Then process the combined photograph and save it as a JPEG or TIFF file. The video that shows how to do it in Photomatix Pro is here: ruclips.net/video/U3rKAa6QJQM/видео.html or in Photomatix Essentials RE (Real Estate): ruclips.net/video/hH6l1uskw4k/видео.html
This decision is up to you, but be sure that the focus doesn't change during the capture of bracketed images. Normally the focus shouldn't change in AF, but that might depend on the camera.
For others reading this, MrPippec's question is (automatically translated): Q: Why use spot metering manually? A: In Aperture Priority mode (Av) spot metering suggests a shutter speed value (a number) while the marker stays in the middle of the scale regardless of how bright or dark the spot is at which you aim the camera. Whereas in Manual mode the marker is moving left or right depending on the measured brightness. The photographer then turns the shutter speed dial until the marker meets the zero marker or little above zero (if he likes to shift the bracketed set to the bright side). Then he reads the value. For most photographers the latter feels more like measuring than the former, that's why David chose to use Manual mode while metering the scene. I hope I could clarify.
Are you referring to the app for merging the bracketed photos? If so, it's called Photomatix Pro: www.hdrsoft.com/download.html If you are referring to the app to find the exposures to take from shutter speed measures, it's called the HDR Exposure Calculator: www.hdrsoft.com/EV
Yes great video BUT.... how do you combine all the exposures to have the final photo? Till now I have been using Photoshop to create layers of a window (outdoor shots) which I then insert to an interior shot..... Yet it is very time-consuming. Any ideas?
Photomatix is intended for bracketing the shutter speed, but it is possible to change the ISO instead. I recommend to experiment, but I think that chanding 9EV in ISO would introduce too much noise. Maybe ok for lower dynamic range scenes than interior real estate.
It's good that you asked, as this video shows advanced exposure bracketing techniques. A simpler technique is shown in the video here ruclips.net/video/fHzmZQrwMhQ/видео.html I wasn't able to understand your question regarding 2018, it would be great if you could detail it.
It sounds like you are referring to AEB (Automatic Exposure Bracketing), which indeed almost all cameras offer. The video is about something else, which is to ensure the bracketed exposures the camera takes are sufficient to cover the scene's dynamic range so that you get a perfectly lit HDR image. You normally don't have to worry about when you shoot outdoor scenes. However, when you shoot an interior that is quite dark and there is bright sunlight coming through the windows, you'll often find that you are missing some exposures if you don't set the appropriate AEB settings before letting the camera take the exposures automatically.
Yes, this tutorial is aimed at advanced professional photographers. The simpler version of the HDR bracketing exposure technique is here: ruclips.net/video/fHzmZQrwMhQ/видео.html
Nine images for a bracketing is way too much in my experience -> www.ramonclemente.com I find that for many HDR techniques and modern software fewer images but with a wider EV separation works better. For many interiors a 2x+4EV, 2x+3EV or 3x+3EV is enough to cover from HL to SH. If using continuous light only I'd also suggest using a higher ISO. I find thermal noise more annoying.
Thank you for sharing your experience, that's very interesting info. You are absolutely right on the ISO. It's better that it isn't too low for HDR interior scenes, an ISO of 400 being a good compromise (so, the video's advice on that isn't good, but it was too late when we realised it). This is because long exposures will be necessary to cover the dark parts of the interior, which would cause blur and other issues when the ISO is 100 or less, while the interior is quite dark. In our tests, a 3 EV spacing negatively affected the quality of the merged image a bit, which is why we recommend not going higher than 2 EV, but it may also depend on the camera.
No professional photographer shooting real estate for MLS is going to bracket for HDR. First, it takes too much time, effectively making a $50 per hour shooter, a $13 an hour shooter. Second, bracketing is not at all necessary, just shoot wide angle, hand-held, on-camera flash set at TTL +1.3, and bounce off ceiling, with camera set at 1/80th second, f6.3 and 320 ISO. That's it, pretty much everything that needs to be done for a technically great image including windows and their walls. What's important and not mentioned is what perspective best shows the interior, as well as the effect the presence or absence of interior design has on the shot. Let me shoot a home decorated by an interior designer and my images are sure to please. sterlingimagesphotography.com
I checked the website - sterling images. those photos are so bad - oversaturated, way too noisy, all of them is underexposed at least half a stop (even the daylight ones), and the HDR technique just amateurish and horrible. the composition, on the other hand, is quite alright, so makes me more sad the way these pictures are developed and edited.
Photographers like Charles have devastated the market charging $50 an hour and producing poor photos that cheap real estate people do not understand or know the difference between good photos and bad.
oh good grief - it is not this complicated!...just go Manual mode. Look at LCD on back of camera in Live View and dial the aperture so the brightest areas are properly exposed. Then same for dark areas. Expect 8 clicks if light is kinda even in a room and 15 clicks if you have bright areas like windows. Shoot more exposures than you need on both ends. And this guy did not even level the camera. His verticals are not aligned. Beginner stuff. Clearly, he is not a seasoned pro. For architectural work... use Manfrotto 410 3-Way, Geared Pan-and-Tilt Head
@@oxxxeee thank you so much for your comment (6 months later). I don't know what I would've have done without it. Feel free to leave a link to your video tutorials so we can see how it's really done. I'm sure your 5 videos and 4 subscribers entitle you to such criticism.
There is no one in RUclips who has explained bracketing with such lucidity. Thanks so much.
I am an AEB first-timer, I am aware of the basic functions. You can read about it a number of times until you think you get it, but actually don't. SEEing it, takes it another step. Thank you for helping it make some sense. It's appreciated.
Simply the clearest tutorial on bracketing for later HDR processing out there! Bravo!
Wow, thanks!
Thank you for teaching and giving us your experience and expertise. I'm sure this was learned the hard way by you. Now you have advanced all that watch this without all the struggles you went through to this level of Real Estate photography. You are also a very great teacher!! Thank you again, Mark
Best Tutorial on Bracketing technique so far I have ever come across. Very logical and methodical process instead of crudely taking 'n' number of pictures...
Very detailed. I can’t believe that makes so much sense to do. Excellent info. Question is that are you shooting all the final photos at evaluative metering or spot metering?
As the camera is set to manual mode (M) the set-up exposure metering mode has no influence on the exposure when pressing the shutter button.
I myself (not the photographer who produced the video) use spot metering mode to measure the areas, then set up the exposure time, focus manually, and release the shutter button.
Thank you for showing the full manual method. I have an older camera and I really appreciate you showing this.
This video is exactly I'm searching for. Complete details. Thank you so much
Thank you for explaining everything so clearly! This is incredibly helpful. I really appreciate that you went over the process so thoroughly because all the short answers I have seen so far do not allow me to understand the functionality and all the possibilities I have at my disposal. Brilliant! Thank you again!
Sorry for the terribly late response, Amy. I'm delighted you found it useful.
Respect ✊ to author 🙏Absolutely amazing tutorials about bracketing
Best explanation on YT ! Thanks, learned a lot !
Geezus, I wish all tutorials were like this lol. Well done!
Thank you! That's a nice comment.
Great video! I am seeing AEB for the first time btw, I am not sure if I should be ashamed or not..
These are really helpful, will probably help me reduce the need for me to outsource. But anyway, outsourcing helps me spend more time with my family. edithere if someone needs it, not that I want to advertise but their service is really great.
You’re a phenomenal instructor!!!!
I feel like I should being paying tuition watching this video. Very educational and well explained!
Thanks for the detailed video Photomatix 👌🏻
I have a point to add for the users who change the shutter manually for each bracketed shots. They can set the camera to self timer mode ON for may be 2 seconds or so. That way camera vibration can be reduced.
Wow, such a thorough tutorial!! I just subscribed. Thank you so much!!
This is an extremely helpful video, thank You very much indeed!!
This was a very nice and detailed tutorial! :)
Thank you! Helped me a lot.
Great explanation together with a very well put together video.
Thank you very much for your attention to detail & knowledge sharing.
Good for those that don't want to use flash. Personally I prefer off camera flash and ambient and then do a quick blend in photoshop when required. Bracketing is fine in steady light conditions that don't change but strong changing sunlight from outside can bugger everything up and then you need to use the liveview function and the histogram for individual shots. Good video with attention to detail for those starting to think about this line of work as long as they realise there is more than one way to achieve this.
A very good point Jim. Yes, you can use flash and that can be a perfectly good solution. However, this video was about HDR of course, so naturally the attention focuses on that rather than the other ways to approach the problem.
Thank you for such a great explanation with so much detail. Well done!
Best tutorial out there
This was brilliantly explained!
Thank you, very useful.
Can I use all of the methods on my Nikon D750?
Hello Ekaterina. Yes, the Nikon D750 is a capable camera model so you should not have any problems taking bracketed images with the settings suggested in this video.
This has got to be one of the beast tutorials on bracketing I have seen. I am new to this type of photography, and I have a Nikon D5100 camera. How you transitioned and displayed from one picture to another was perfect. Very educational. Can't thank you enough.
One Thought, the ending was very abrupt. Would have been better if you would have ended with your name and, maybe, "Subscribe and stay tuned for additional videos". Again, thank you for all the time and hours of editing you put into this video. 👍
Beautifully explained, thank you for the video! 😄
Great tutorial. Thank you mate!
Perfect presentation
Excellent tutorial, thank you.
Very nicely done and clearly explained. THANKS!!!
Im glad you found it useful.
You should introduce automated flash-ambient blending. That would be impressive!
The voice... great tutoring... thanks
You're welcome!
Great, easy to follow directions.
Great Video!!!
Great instruction, Thank you. Do you shoot in raw for bracketed photos ? ( primarily MLS photography )
Great video! Thank you for the explanation
Many thanks for the compliment.
You did a great job!
Many thanks, Peter
This was very well explained on how to bracket what do you do with the 3 or 5 images? Blend them in Photoshop??
We make software for merging the images to HDR, please visit our website at HDRsoft.com for more information.
EXCELLENT TUTORIAL!
buy a camera with EVF and done. the EVF also have inset histogram. take 5 exposures manually 2stops apart.
Thank you. Very well made tutorial!
The problem with this technique is outside lighting conditions change all the time. Clouds pass by and make this scene darker or clouds pass by make the scene lighter. The best technique is to take the bracketed shots and look at the histogram to see if those shots were exposed correctly.
You are right, one needs to be aware of changing conditions that affect lighting, and clouds passing by is a common one. In any case, it's definitely a good idea to check the bracketed shots using the histogram to make sure the dynamic range is covered, and it's recommended with any exposure bracketing technique.
What’s the difference between HDR in camera, iPhone HDR, and this method of using the calculator?
With HDR in camera, iPhone HDR or Google camera HDR+, the exposure bracketing and merge to HDR are all done directly in camera. The advantage is that it's super simple and quick, the drawback is that don't have any control on the exposure range and HDR settings.
So, if you are a pro and want to take an interior where the room is dark and the window's view bright, exposure bracketing with the right exposure settings will help you make sure to capture all the range of exposures required to get a properly lit interior photo.
Very helpful thank you for sharing!
I am a seasoned real estate and magazine photographer and followed your steps exactly but instead of using ISO 400 I used ISO 200 with f/11 AEB 2. My shadows setting was 1/15 and highlights 1/1600. I plugged it into app and was told to use 1/250 and read as follows: 1/15..+4 +4, 1/60 +2 +2, 1/250 0 0, 1/1000 -2 -2, 1/4000 -4 -4. I dialed in 1/250 and shot. What my Canon 5D III w L series 17-40 readings were 1/60 1/125 1/250 1/500 1/1000. All too dark to even consider into loading into Photomatix Pro 6. I was hoping to save time on my shoots with this procedure. I have been using AEB for years and my procedure has been to get my get my light reading and start my series of 7 shots form -2 up to +2. It has worked for me pretty well most of the time but welcomed a more precise way of shooting. I would appreciate an opinion as I would like to try this out on my next shoot.
If I understand correctly, you have the App set to 2EV spacing and your camera set to 1EV spacing. So you can get the series described by the App by setting the camera to capture at 2EV spacing.
Great tutorial.
Would love to know where I can find that tripod!
Sorry for the slow reply. The tripod is a Manfrotto 190 bit.ly/2Kuvpu1
How do I select specific areas while spot metering (darkest/lightest) on Canon 80d ?
Hello Purva,
It is not possible on a Canon 80D to move the spot from the center to other areas not in the center. What I do with my Canon is to aim the camera to these areas, measure the spot, and then reframe the image.
You can watch a video where I illustrate this here:
ruclips.net/video/YxbiLj0cRNY/видео.html
Thank you for this!
Hi ,
I don’t understand why i should use the hdrsoft app if i use the aeb of my camera ? It will automatically do it.
I can’t really tweek the feature, maybe with the calculator check the difference ? Thanks for the explanation.
The HDR Exposure Calculator helps ensure you take all exposures needed when you use the AEB feature or your camera. This is useful for interiors with bright windows because the dynamic range is huge, but otherwise (e.g. in typical outdoor scenes) there is no need to use the HDR Exposure Calculator.
In any case the HDR Exposure Calculator is just a complement/helper for the AEB feature of your camera, and certainly not a replacement of it.
Hey there,
I'm a little under pressure right now, as I shall be shooting some reference interior photos for my boss tomorrow (we consult companies for light solutions).
I just found out that my Canon EOS 1100d only has the ability to have 3 brackets with -+2 stop of EV.
Is there any way I could recreate this effect with this camera?
Regards :)
Hey @moodcatching,
good question.
Depending on the purpose, the time of day, and your location you'll need 5 or most likely more photos in one bracketed set usually.
Your only choice considering the restriction of the EOS 1100D is to take two or three bracketed sets with 3 photos at 2 EV spacing from a tripod. It is quite a challenge not to move the camera when operating the camera but it could work. Since this requires to change the shutter speed between the bracketed sets carefully turn the dial, and use the built-in self-timer and/or a remote shutter release to trigger the bursts of photos. Make sure to expose around the normal exposure but bias a little (1-2 EV) to the overexposed side since you might want to show the interior well exposed rather than the exterior. To make your life easier measure the dynamic range of each interior scene once and expose accordingly. What I mean by that is to rather take three bracketed sets than two unless the exterior is not so important to cover. We call it to overshoot in terms of exposure range. This way you can choose five or seven from nine exposures in the range when processing with Photomatix. However, if in a hurry and you have a lot of rooms stay with 2 x 3 exposures.
To calculate the exact exposure settings you could use the HDR exposure calculator
www.hdrsoft.com/support/hdr-exposures-calculator.html
One more tip unless it is part of the light solution you are offering: don't turn on any tungsten or fluorescent lights inside the rooms. You will have a hard time with blue spill from outside and finding the correct white balance.
Good luck with your shooting tomorrow.
It also depends on how high the contrast of your interior is. If the room isn't too dark relative to the windows, 3 brackets at +2 EV can work just fine.
This video shows the advanced bracketing technique aimed at challenging cases. The simple technique is described here www.hdrsoft.com/real-estate/photographing-interiors-with-hdr-simple-technique.html
How many photos are optimum for an HDR photo merge?
Hi Mira Studio,
Usually, an interior requires a minimum of 5 photographs spaced at 2 EV to cover the dynamic range. However, sometimes it requires seven or even nine exposures. It depends on the lighting outside, i.e. direct sunlight, cloudy day, and how much of that light is entering the room.
Forgive a dumb question from a beginner, but at what point do the photos get combined? Does the camera do it automatically?
@fred farmer Actually, that's a good question because the video doesn't answer it.
The images get combined in our Photomatix application (Essentials or Pro version). In Photomatix you can apply a natural-looking HDR style and thus transfer the dynamic range of the five photos to the final image. Here you can watch a video that shows the process, but with different images:
ruclips.net/video/4hNzux2awcI/видео.html
@@PhotomatixHDR Thanks!
This was great, thank you!
I like the video. But where do I find the exposure calculator? I see a link in one of your answers but can it be found in the Google play store?
You can find it here: hdrsoft.com/ev
The HDR Exposures Calculator is available as an iOS app too, but the web app at hdrsoft.com/ev works in any browser (so on any smartphone) and is free.
Loud and clear... 👍👍
Thank you.
great video so clear! love it! :)
Hi, I was wondering if you could help me understand how to do this so I've taken 5 shot bracket 2 full stop and my client wants me to adjust the EV to -2 instead of 0 for the middle exposure. My client wants me to do this but I have no way of doing this in manual mode as far as I know. This is for 360 panoramas so I have to do this for all 4 shots around, in rooms with of course different lighting situations. I really appreciate your input. Thanks
I believe there is a way to do that, you can adjust the shutter speed so that the main/center marker in the exposure meter is on -2 EV instead of 0. So instead of -4, -2, 0, 2, 4, you will get -6, -4, -2, 0, 2 (where -2 is your middle exposure)
Great video - nice and clear and with a good pace
My only q is about the spot metering. When you say "point the camera at the darkest part in the room" - do you just mean to simply move the focus point over that area?
Hello Felix, thank you for the feedback :) You don't need to move the focus point. Just point the camera at the darkest area once it is in spot metering mode.
When you switch to spot metering mode, you may see a round circle in the viewfinder, but this is is independent from the focus point. Most cameras do not allow to move the circle from the middle of the viewfinder to some other position. This is why aiming the camera at the area you want to measure is the way to go usually.
Assuming you are using a tripod (highly recommended for real estate interiors), note that you will have to put the camera off the tripod to point the camera in spot metering mode.
Photomatix okay thanks for clarifying ;)
Hello David, how do you get it the outside exposure correctly? I took an HDR photos and merge them on lightroom but it doesn't grab the outside well exposure of the photos. So what I get is a photo with the outside overexpose.
If the HDR photos you took include a photo that properly exposes the outside, then try the Photomatix presets designed for real estate interiors. See more in this tutorial: www.hdrsoft.com/real-estate/merging-bracketed-exposures-to-hdr.html
Hi, great explanation
Thank you, very clear!
If I point camera to darkest point in the room, whole histagram reqding will change
Should I zoom to that point also??
When pointing at the darkest area (with spot-metering), that is so you can note the longest shutter speed needed. The histogram isn't so important for that step.
Thank You for answering.
When You work with files in this example, do You work with jpg or raw?
after getting all the exposures, where do you focus for the final shot when doing the AEB? Do you focus on the highlight, midtones or the shadows? From the video it appears he is using manual focus? I am newbie. thanks.
If you are using a wide angle lens, and f/8 or f/11, then most of the scene will be in focus by setting the focus around 1/3 of the way into the scene. This is only a general rule, but usually works.
Another good option is to focus on something that is within a couple of feet of the camera, then everything farther away should be in focus. Just a little practice should make this easy.
Nice video. Thank you
Does anyone know of a good tutorial to blend the 5 bracketed photos after you shoot them?
Yes, see www.hdrsoft.com/real-estate/merging-bracketed-exposures-to-hdr.html
Good marketing by photomatix
Hi I can use one speedlights with bracketing flash, apecture mode? Photomatix manual dont requires flash. I should use raw or jpec for interior photograph? Very tks
The video shows how to bracket exposures to photograph interiors, and exposure bracketing avoids having to use flash and speedlights. It also has the advantage of giving images that look more natural than when flash or lights are used. If you use speedlights, then there is no need to bracket exposures, normally.
Photomatix is used to process bracketed exposures, merging them to HDR, so it indeed doesn't require to use flash.
Raws have the advantage of letting you adjust the white balance if you need it (to adjust for mixed lighting situation between the interior and exterior for instance). Jpegs have the advantage of working better with natural looking fusion presets that work well for interiors. So they both have advantages and disadvantages. More info on this at: www.hdrsoft.com/support/faq_photomatix.html#process_raw
Is there a difference between changing the exposure compensation and the shutter speed or is that the same thing?
It depends on your camera setup:
- If you set the camera to Aperture Priority, then changing the exposure compensation has the same effect as changing the shutter speed (though it isn't the same thing)
- If you set the camera to Shutter Priority, however, changing the exposure compensation changes the aperture rather than the shutter speed
- If you switch to Manual mode, then changing the exposure compensation has no effect
Exposure compensation is a way to control the exposure in one of the automatic modes, i.e. making the image brighter or darker than what the camera suggests. It tells the camera electronics to set an exposure offset from the exposure that the metering system has determined.
@@PhotomatixHDR Excellent, thanks for the break down!
Thank you.
Why do you use ISO 400 on a tripod? Using high ISOs reduces your dynamic range, which makes no sense when shooting HDR. Usually it makes sense to set ISO to 100 or the lowest base ISO to make best use of your camera's dynamic range and obviously shoot RAWs instead of JPG.
Also when doing manual exposures, which shouldn't be necessary nowadays, one should switch to manual focus and white balance.
A higher ISO gives you a higher exposure, the same way a longer shutter speed does. This doesn't reduce the dynamic range, but extends it to cover the dark areas of the scene.
When the dynamic range of your interior isn't very high, ISO 100 is best, since this ensures the lowest noise level.
However, when your interior is quite dark and there is a bright sunlight coming from the window, the dynamic range may be so high that you'll need very long shutter speeds to cover the darkest areas at ISO 100, so long that they exceed the capabilities of your camera.
And even if they don't exceed it, very long exposures can bring other problems, such as blur.
This is why we recommend an ISO higher than 100 for interiors, though it's better not to go higher than 400.
@@PhotomatixHDR Unfortunately you're wrong. Any camera's dynamic range is reduced when increasing ISO. See the link at the bottom of this reply for lab tests confirming this. Only if you need more than 30 seconds of exposure, which is extremely unlikely at daytime, you may benefit from higher ISO settings, but even then a manual/bulb mode exposure is preferable at ISO 100. The argument of getting blur is the only correct one, but only if there are moving parts that are well exposed in the slow shutter speeds. If there are no such moving objects it is hence always better to stick to ISO 100, also for noise reasons.
Here you can see how the dynamic range suffers from higher ISO on some very good cameras, and it is worse for cheaper cameras: click on Measurements... Dynamic range:
www.dxomark.com/Cameras/Compare/Side-by-side/Canon-EOS-5D-Mark-IV-versus-Nikon-D850-versus-Sony-A7R-IV___1106_1177_1326
@@robbeld We aren't talking about the same thing here. I was referring to the scene's dynamic range, not the camera's dynamic range.
The video is about bracketing exposures to photograph a high contrast interior scene. If you don't want to bracket and take just one exposure, then yes, you should keep the ISO to 100 or lower. However, you are unlikely to get a good quality photograph when shooting a high contrast scene with just one exposure.
Regarding higher ISOs, the video actually recommends ISO 400 which isn't really high (and in any case, much lower than ISOs in the 2000-4000 range tested in the article you linked to.)
When finding both the longest and shortest shutter speeds, I could also use a light meter, couldn’t I?
The tutorial shows the use of the light meter in the camera, but you can certainly use a hand-held meter if you prefer.
Thank you, very helpfull
can u help me locate the Bracketing in Nikon D3400
Unfortunately, there is no automatic exposure bracketing on the Nikon D3400. You could perform manual bracketing by using Exposure Compensation (set to -2 EV, 0 EV, and +2 EV consecutively), or try to manually shoot your bracketing set by using the method described in our article here (even though it shows a Canon camera it works for a Nikon likewise)
hdr-photography.com/hdrsoft/resources/brackets-without-aeb.html
Good luck with it!
So how do you combine them all?
You can load the photos into Photomatix Pro or Photmatix Essentials RE, merge them and apply any realistic preset (or customize a chosen setting to your liking). Then process the combined photograph and save it as a JPEG or TIFF file.
The video that shows how to do it in Photomatix Pro is here:
ruclips.net/video/U3rKAa6QJQM/видео.html
or in Photomatix Essentials RE (Real Estate):
ruclips.net/video/hH6l1uskw4k/видео.html
Thanks bro
Como usar bracketing no flash?
Este video demuestra bracketing sin flash, asi que creo que puede hacer lo mismo. O he entendido mal? ;)
Hi, do you use mf or af focus, tks
This decision is up to you, but be sure that the focus doesn't change during the capture of bracketed images. Normally the focus shouldn't change in AF, but that might depend on the camera.
Thank you!!!
This is great advice if you plan on being in a house for 6 hours.
Too complicated... is there a simplier method.
Yes, the simpler method is here: www.hdrsoft.com/real-estate/photographing-interiors-with-hdr-simple-technique.html
Зачем использовать spot metering в ручном режиме?
For others reading this, MrPippec's question is (automatically translated):
Q: Why use spot metering manually?
A: In Aperture Priority mode (Av) spot metering suggests a shutter speed value (a number) while the marker stays in the middle of the scale regardless of how bright or dark the spot is at which you aim the camera.
Whereas in Manual mode the marker is moving left or right depending on the measured brightness. The photographer then turns the shutter speed dial until the marker meets the zero marker or little above zero (if he likes to shift the bracketed set to the bright side). Then he reads the value. For most photographers the latter feels more like measuring than the former, that's why David chose to use Manual mode while metering the scene. I hope I could clarify.
whats the name of the app?
Are you referring to the app for merging the bracketed photos? If so, it's called Photomatix Pro: www.hdrsoft.com/download.html
If you are referring to the app to find the exposures to take from shutter speed measures, it's called the HDR Exposure Calculator: www.hdrsoft.com/EV
Yes great video BUT.... how do you combine all the exposures to have the final photo? Till now I have been using Photoshop to create layers of a window (outdoor shots) which I then insert to an interior shot..... Yet it is very time-consuming. Any ideas?
Good that you asked, as Photomatix is precisely for that. See how it works in this video: ruclips.net/video/U3rKAa6QJQM/видео.html
🙏🙏🙏
Does anyone do this with Auto ISO?
Photomatix is intended for bracketing the shutter speed, but it is possible to change the ISO instead. I recommend to experiment, but I think that chanding 9EV in ISO would introduce too much noise. Maybe ok for lower dynamic range scenes than interior real estate.
@@PhotomatixHDR What is your average ISO for interiors?
Take the time to learn how to shoot using external lighting. You’ll thank yourself later.
Too much work. How is it 2018 & there is not an easier way?
It's good that you asked, as this video shows advanced exposure bracketing techniques. A simpler technique is shown in the video here ruclips.net/video/fHzmZQrwMhQ/видео.html
I wasn't able to understand your question regarding 2018, it would be great if you could detail it.
Photomatix Very helpful. I appreciate it. Thanks.
It's called flash/ambient blend. Probably not easier, but better.
started watching this until i realise my camera makes this automatically ^^
It sounds like you are referring to AEB (Automatic Exposure Bracketing), which indeed almost all cameras offer. The video is about something else, which is to ensure the bracketed exposures the camera takes are sufficient to cover the scene's dynamic range so that you get a perfectly lit HDR image.
You normally don't have to worry about when you shoot outdoor scenes. However, when you shoot an interior that is quite dark and there is bright sunlight coming through the windows, you'll often find that you are missing some exposures if you don't set the appropriate AEB settings before letting the camera take the exposures automatically.
which camera ?
This, to a beginner, seems extremely complicated.
Yes, this tutorial is aimed at advanced professional photographers. The simpler version of the HDR bracketing exposure technique is here: ruclips.net/video/fHzmZQrwMhQ/видео.html
@@PhotomatixHDR Thanks so much for the link. I took notes on this video regardless. I learned a lot.
Nine images for a bracketing is way too much in my experience -> www.ramonclemente.com
I find that for many HDR techniques and modern software fewer images but with a wider EV separation works better. For many interiors a 2x+4EV, 2x+3EV or 3x+3EV is enough to cover from HL to SH.
If using continuous light only I'd also suggest using a higher ISO. I find thermal noise more annoying.
Thank you for sharing your experience, that's very interesting info.
You are absolutely right on the ISO. It's better that it isn't too low for HDR interior scenes, an ISO of 400 being a good compromise (so, the video's advice on that isn't good, but it was too late when we realised it). This is because long exposures will be necessary to cover the dark parts of the interior, which would cause blur and other issues when the ISO is 100 or less, while the interior is quite dark.
In our tests, a 3 EV spacing negatively affected the quality of the merged image a bit, which is why we recommend not going higher than 2 EV, but it may also depend on the camera.
Too complicated.
No professional photographer shooting real estate for MLS is going to bracket for HDR. First, it takes too much time, effectively making a $50 per hour shooter, a $13 an hour shooter. Second, bracketing is not at all necessary, just shoot wide angle, hand-held, on-camera flash set at TTL +1.3, and bounce off ceiling, with camera set at 1/80th second, f6.3 and 320 ISO. That's it, pretty much everything that needs to be done for a technically great image including windows and their walls. What's important and not mentioned is what perspective best shows the interior, as well as the effect the presence or absence of interior design has on the shot. Let me shoot a home decorated by an interior designer and my images are sure to please. sterlingimagesphotography.com
Can we see some examples of images you've taken with those settings?
hi , you only use one TTL flash on camera for RE photos?
I checked the website - sterling images. those photos are so bad - oversaturated, way too noisy, all of them is underexposed at least half a stop (even the daylight ones), and the HDR technique just amateurish and horrible. the composition, on the other hand, is quite alright, so makes me more sad the way these pictures are developed and edited.
Photographers like Charles have devastated the market charging $50 an hour and producing poor photos that cheap real estate people do not understand or know the difference between good photos and bad.
www.paulfan.com/job.html for high standard interior photos
oh good grief - it is not this complicated!...just go Manual mode. Look at LCD on back of camera in Live View and dial the aperture so the brightest areas are properly exposed. Then same for dark areas. Expect 8 clicks if light is kinda even in a room and 15 clicks if you have bright areas like windows. Shoot more exposures than you need on both ends.
And this guy did not even level the camera. His verticals are not aligned. Beginner stuff. Clearly, he is not a seasoned pro. For architectural work... use Manfrotto 410 3-Way, Geared Pan-and-Tilt Head
dude don't be a douche...he's just trying to help the way he knows how...ease up
wow... narcissistic much?
I was about to say the exact same.. it’s not that difficult to do
@@JC-rt6jx if he is promoting Photomatic software, he should know his stuff. btw - he plugged his shutter release in the wrong port.
@@oxxxeee thank you so much for your comment (6 months later). I don't know what I would've have done without it. Feel free to leave a link to your video tutorials so we can see how it's really done. I'm sure your 5 videos and 4 subscribers entitle you to such criticism.