![]() The two are inextricably linked and can’t be separated. HDR is a technique with one foot firmly in shooting and the other in editing. Nikon D610, 16-35mm, three bracketed exposures f/11 at ISO 100. This stormy summer sunset was burning hot on the horizon, but shooting three HDR exposures allowed for all detail in the high-contrast and moody scene to be captured. As long as you can see detail in most areas of the scene, and the image is punchy with plenty of contrast, there’s a greater chance your image will look natural. A natural approach to HDR becomes a much more likely result. ![]() Approach it for obtaining a correct exposure of all parts of a scene to maintain detail, rather than a visual effect or style in itself. HDR photography should be seen as a useful tool rather than a technique. HDR is a sure way to capture detail in exposure situations that exceed the dynamic range of your camera and filters. Having every technique possible at your disposal is just one way to guarantee that you can capture great results in tricky conditions, whether that’s using a specific accessory or applying a shooting and/or editing technique. In situations where there’s too much contrast in a scene, even with the use of neutral-density grads, or when you don’t have your filters with you, HDR is the obvious technique to use for replacing ND grads however, for long exposures it has to be said that even though they can be mimicked in post, the answer is to make sure you use ND filters at all times. There could, of course, be elements of movement within each of these scenes, such as running water, moving clouds or foliage blowing in the wind, but this minimal type of movement should not be too much of a problem. There’s a time and a place for HDR photography, and – as the nature of the technique suggests – it’s most suited to subjects such as landscapes, interior and architecture photography. Some specialist HDR software options have the ability to blend handheld bracketed exposures, but even with this it’s not always possible for the software to line up the different images accurately. Any movement between exposures will also result in blending problems. Sticking to inanimate objects such as landscapes and cityscapes rather than subjects that are moving, like people, is always best too.Īnother essential here is to keep the camera fixed in the same position using a tripod. ![]() It’s imperative that ISO, aperture and focus remain fixed at the same setting because any variance here will mean exposures won’t blend seamlessly together. Natural exposure blending in Lightroom Reduce the variablesįor a successful exposure blend, it’s essential to allow only one setting to change between exposures, and this should be shutter speed. Manual focus is important because it must remain fixed on the same focal plane for a successful blend. If the scene is shallow, simply focus on the subject. Manually focus one-third of the distance into the scene beyond the foreground interest for a large depth of field. When you release the shutter, the camera will automatically shoot three exposures, although some require the shutter to be released for each individual exposure. Once this has been established, set Auto Exposure Bracketing to three shots at two stops apart. Take test shots and apply exposure compensation as necessary for correctly exposed midtones. Aperture priority is best because when shooting HDR the shutter speed can change, but a change of aperture would mean that the resulting exposures would have a different depth of field and wouldn’t blend together during editing. Set the camera to aperture priority mode at ISO 100 and f/11 for a large depth of field. Simply set Auto Exposure Bracketing by working out the base exposure next the total number of exposures to be taken, which can be set to three or five exposures on most cameras and then exposure increments to two stops. Shooting HDR couldn’t be simpler – it can be as uncomplicated as pressing a button. And if you’re in the latter camp, it’s my intention to change your mind with this technique that’s all about shooting and processing HDR images quickly with truly natural results. And this is where HDR comes to the rescue. Many cameras these days have a dynamic range covering somewhere in the region of 12 to 14 stops, but even with this impressive ability to record detail, some scenes are simply too contrasty for a single exposure, even with ND grads. This then allows you to capture detail throughout the shadows, midtones and highlights, and these exposures are blended together into a single image using special software. HDR is a technique where you take a series of exposures – three, five, seven or nine – one or two stops apart. If you want to capture detail in all areas of a high-contrast scene, there’s only one technique you can rely on – high dynamic range.
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