I’m not knowledgeable to fully comprehend dynamic range or bracketing or layering but I do agree with David about getting right in-camera when shooting. This is a skill.
@@wilfs1196 My approach is that when I shoot I don’t look at the LCD screen instead I think about what went right/ wrong afterwards when I look at the images on a Mac. There is an underlying intrigue that obsess the mind that existed in the film days of not really knowing if you got the exposure or not. The film director Quentin Tarantino always says get in camera on the day.
I always shoot Raw, even with my Canon G5X II that I use when traveling. About the only time I bracket exposures is inside church buildings where I want the rich colors of the stained glass windows and some detail in the interiors. I was in Chartres Cathedral this summer and got great pictures with the small Canon. The windows are absolutely glorious, and pictures of them turned out surprisingly well. In most cases the pictures were of the windows, so no bracketing needed. Back in 2017 I made some pictures in a chapel in St. Giles, Edinburgh. Then I used the Canon G7X II, but same principles applied. I did handheld shots, exposing for the windows and then for the interior. From the former shot I used just the windows image, and the latter for everything else. It worked so well that I printed it and had it framed. It hangs in my hallway gallery now.
Thanks for mentioning this point. Clearly, as a photographer, I am spoilt as I thought all cameras could shoot HDR in-camera. Sorry for being a brat🙂↕️
I photographed a book containing one exterior photo of 300 houses or small buildings, chosen from about 1000 subjects, I used maps to tell me what time of day the fronts of houses would be in the sunlight, and that's when I shot. If there were deep porches, that "sunken" part of the house would be too dark if the flat front was exposed properly. So the answer to that was to come back on an overcast day when the sky would be more like a giant softbox. --BAK--
I've done it yesterday in a park with a model (no flash). Model in the shade, building in the background, slightly overcast sky. Exposure for the background building. In Lightroom I've raised the exposure value so that the model was exposed right. Then I've selected background mask and lowered the background exposure until both parts looked right.
I shoot in raw only, it is much easier to work with in post processing than jpeg, some folks may have different opinions and styles but I am sticking to raw only.
Honestly, in some scenarios with harsh light, I rather take my smartphone and take the shot. The HDR capabilities in modern smartphone cameras are amazing and I think camera manufacturers should learn from it.
Contrary to film, digital sensors are far more tolerant of under exposures. I always shoot raw, and when faced with a contrast situation, I underexpose to preserve details in the highlights and bring up shadow details in post.
If you’re photographing with the camera’s raw file the histogram in the camera’s live view can show a tiny bit of high-tone and low-tone clipping that is really not occurring. That is because the live view image on the back of the camera is actually an image created from a jpg file. With practice using your camera though you learn how much of the camera histogram you can push. You will learn how to work with the raw file opened to an acceptable DR to edit it in an application like Photoshop.
Perfect exposure is often a hindrance, especially for atmospheric images. Just like the perfect white balance. Of course, if you have a good basis with RAW, you have more options for editing the image afterwards. But then you may not remember the situation. ISO-less sensors are another story when it comes to noise and exposure. The ETTR method also requires experience with the respective camera and a good histogram for RAW. So it's not for everyone. I still have an old Fuji S5 pro lying around here. In contrast to a modern one, the sensor there was not optimized for restoring the dark areas, but for the heavily exposed ones.
I almost always bracket but I will not hesitate to use exposure compensation if adjust the exposure. I shoot RAW and JPG. My main goal is to minimize editing I need to do
Hi David! Thanks for your video, I do shoot in raw all the time, I do a lot of senior photography in country settings with big open fields, mountains in the background and big skies. I still struggle with getting the right exposure at the time of the session, and I have a lot of blown out skies. Can you be more specific as to how I might best position my subject and or set up my exposure triangle so that I have the most ideal scenario where I can bring back some of the detail in the sky and post-production? Thanks in advance! Also, I am shooting with a Nikon z6ii mirrorless if that helps 😄
The usual approach is to use your histogram to guide your exposure settings, especially in high dynamic range situations. To avoid blowing out the sky (or any other strong highlight), you simply adjust your exposure to ensure the histogram does not go too far too the right. Most modern cameras also have built-in highlight alerts (or "zebras") that can play a similar role, although I prefer to rely on the histogram to help me understand the exposure of the scene as a whole.
Here's a neat trick I learned form Mark Wallace in one of the classes he taught at Creative Live. (He also does tutorials on this channel). If you're having problems with blown out skies when shooting outdoors, you have to adjust 2 different exposures independently: ambient and flash. For this, you'll need off camera flash, which you'll use to light your subject, while ambient light is already lighting the environment. First, meter on the ambient/environmental light with your camera and lock it in (you can use the histogram for this). Next, adjust the output of your flash to the desired exposure so that your subjects are properly lit. When you take the picture, the sky will look nice and the subjects will be properly lit by the flash. It's a good idea to practice this in advance, but that should help solve the problem.
Consider using fill flash (usually off camera) to add light to the person while exposing the background for the look you want. Maybe a new question for David...how to use fill flash for outdoor portraits. 🙂
It's a physical thing. The brain does tricks, so the camera needs to do them as well. In the near future I predict computational photography in big cameras will be the norm, just as it is in cell phones.
"read the light"... learning to intuitively see/read the light, to me, is probably the most important . Which is why I got a light meter to help me see...
Does anyone know why there are often two different dynamic ranges listed for cameras- one with the mechanical shutter and another with electronic shutter? I've no idea why there would be two different ranges depending on the shutter used. Why would shutter type matter?
I was traveling now and had to shoot in many challenging situations. I was almost thought there would be a magic answer. I guess i feel better now that I see there is no silver bullet. BTW: Have you switched to Photoshop?
@@DavidBergmanPhoto I did not know that! I have been trying to decide what to buy. I have considered Capture One, but I use an Android phone. Capture One seems to be an Apple Fanboy. I'm glad I asked.
I have been shooting the full moons since 2017. And of course some of those locations are dark cloud coverage or pollution which the moon doesn't illuminate very bright through. I was shooting in the raw very little photoshopped maybe just zooming to crop. I had to go back to jpg I can't crop in the raw it automatically changes the high light to where I can actually see the megapixels. I don't know how this happened never had this problem before. How can I adjust this?
Not sure what you mean. A RAW file is infinitely more adjustable than a JPEG. Might be your settings in the raw convertor (Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture One, whichever one you're using).
@@DavidBergmanPhoto without actually seeing what it is doing it's hard to explain in words. Let me try again. I have my photos uploaded on to my laptop. They look fine, when I click the image to enlarge it changes the format? It enhances itself to 100% where are the highlights are very bright and I'm not able to do any Photoshop adjusting some you can see the megapixels broken down ?? I don't know if it's something in my camera ? The photos I take jpeg does not change unless I manually change it. All the ones I shoot in the raw enhances 100% and I can't make any changes
It's depressing that someone doing videos for a prestigious company like Adorama gets their basic facts wrong. So, you say 'when you take a photo you set your camera's exposure by adjusting ISO, shutter speed and aperture'. No you don't. ISO is not a component of exposure. Exposure is set by aperture, shutter speed and scene luminance (how much light is coming from the scene). ISO only changes the exposure by causing a change in either shutter speed or aperture, not directly. No, you're not 'telling it how bright or how dark you want it to be'. 'Exposure' does not mean how bright or dark the picture looks. The technical word for that is 'value' or 'lightness' - I prefer the latter. Exposure is not measured in 'stops'. A 'stop' is simply a ratio of two, not an absolute measure. A dynamic range of 14 stops simply means that the largest exposure that can be captured is 14 powers of 2 greater than the smallest that can be captured with some detail - that is, the detail can be seen above the noise. All this misunderstanding is causing your to see the problem of DR in the wrong place. 14 stops of DR is plenty for almost every scene you're likely to photograph. The problem is not with a lack of DR on the sensor, it is the fact that our display devices can only display 8 or 9 stops worth of tonal range. If you want to make a convincing rendering of a scene with more than that then you have to employ some subterfuge in the processing, using a specialist tone curve. This needs to be done carefully, otherwise you get what you're calling 'over processed HDR'. It's not 'over processed', it's just that the processor hasn't been clever enough. The problem with JPEG is not the display range, it's that you can't control the processing. What you didn't mention at all is exposing for high DR shots when shooting raw. Essentially you need to expose to preserve the highlights, either using the histogram or calibrated spot metering on the highlights, then set the tonality to suit when processing the raw file.
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I’m not knowledgeable to fully comprehend dynamic range or bracketing or layering but I do agree with David about getting right in-camera when shooting. This is a skill.
Agree 100 % & enjoy the challenge, especially when it works.
@@wilfs1196 My approach is that when I shoot I don’t look at the LCD screen instead I think about what went right/ wrong afterwards when I look at the images on a Mac. There is an underlying intrigue that obsess the mind that existed in the film days of not really knowing if you got the exposure or not. The film director Quentin Tarantino always says get in camera on the day.
Great video, thank you. A clear explanation of dynamic range and how to take advantage of the capabilities of our digital cameras.
I always shoot Raw, even with my Canon G5X II that I use when traveling. About the only time I bracket exposures is inside church buildings where I want the rich colors of the stained glass windows and some detail in the interiors. I was in Chartres Cathedral this summer and got great pictures with the small Canon. The windows are absolutely glorious, and pictures of them turned out surprisingly well. In most cases the pictures were of the windows, so no bracketing needed.
Back in 2017 I made some pictures in a chapel in St. Giles, Edinburgh. Then I used the Canon G7X II, but same principles applied. I did handheld shots, exposing for the windows and then for the interior. From the former shot I used just the windows image, and the latter for everything else. It worked so well that I printed it and had it framed. It hangs in my hallway gallery now.
A couple of things. Some cameras can do in body HDR.
I’ve used graduated neutral filters to get some more dynamic range.
Thanks for mentioning this point. Clearly, as a photographer, I am spoilt as I thought all cameras could shoot HDR in-camera. Sorry for being a brat🙂↕️
I was also wondering why he didnt cover this!
I photographed a book containing one exterior photo of 300 houses or small buildings, chosen from about 1000 subjects, I used maps to tell me what time of day the fronts of houses would be in the sunlight, and that's when I shot. If there were deep porches, that "sunken" part of the house would be too dark if the flat front was exposed properly. So the answer to that was to come back on an overcast day when the sky would be more like a giant softbox. --BAK--
You did not specifically mention that dynamic rage also depends on the ISO setting.
Using the native ISO (often ISO 100) is best for dynamic range.
True, but the concept is the same no matter what ISO you're shooting.
Great question from ...The Unknown Photographer.... whoever you are !
Hope they identify themself!
I've done it yesterday in a park with a model (no flash). Model in the shade, building in the background, slightly overcast sky. Exposure for the background building. In Lightroom I've raised the exposure value so that the model was exposed right. Then I've selected background mask and lowered the background exposure until both parts looked right.
I'm going to try out your masking suggestion.
I shoot with both raw plus jpeg and compare lighting when shooting some scenes to get a better idea of the light Thanks David
Great information!!!
Well in the OLD days of shooting 4x5 b& W neg film I used what I was taught in school, the old Zone System by Ansel Adams 🙂
Adams' system is great, but he used that as the starting point for post processing to get the image he envisioned.
I shoot in raw only, it is much easier to work with in post processing than jpeg, some folks may have different opinions and styles but I am sticking to raw only.
Thanks for this information. I am going to shoot raw plus jpeg today and see what I come up with. I'm at Rocky Mtn NP, lots of contrast scenes.
Honestly, in some scenarios with harsh light, I rather take my smartphone and take the shot. The HDR capabilities in modern smartphone cameras are amazing and I think camera manufacturers should learn from it.
Raw always!
Contrary to film, digital sensors are far more tolerant of under exposures. I always shoot raw, and when faced with a contrast situation, I underexpose to preserve details in the highlights and bring up shadow details in post.
Shoot RAW. convert (save copy) to JPEG. Select desired image to print/publish then go back to that RAW to edit in Photoshop.
If you’re photographing with the camera’s raw file the histogram in the camera’s live view can show a tiny bit of high-tone and low-tone clipping that is really not occurring. That is because the live view image on the back of the camera is actually an image created from a jpg file. With practice using your camera though you learn how much of the camera histogram you can push. You will learn how to work with the raw file opened to an acceptable DR to edit it in an application like Photoshop.
Perfect exposure is often a hindrance, especially for atmospheric images. Just like the perfect white balance.
Of course, if you have a good basis with RAW, you have more options for editing the image afterwards. But then you may not remember the situation.
ISO-less sensors are another story when it comes to noise and exposure.
The ETTR method also requires experience with the respective camera and a good histogram for RAW. So it's not for everyone.
I still have an old Fuji S5 pro lying around here. In contrast to a modern one, the sensor there was not optimized for restoring the dark areas, but for the heavily exposed ones.
I shoot raw and bracket then use Dpp4
What is the dynamic range of printers?
I almost always bracket but I will not hesitate to use exposure compensation if adjust the exposure. I shoot RAW and JPG. My main goal is to minimize editing I need to do
Hi David! Thanks for your video, I do shoot in raw all the time, I do a lot of senior photography in country settings with big open fields, mountains in the background and big skies. I still struggle with getting the right exposure at the time of the session, and I have a lot of blown out skies. Can you be more specific as to how I might best position my subject and or set up my exposure triangle so that I have the most ideal scenario where I can bring back some of the detail in the sky and post-production? Thanks in advance! Also, I am shooting with a Nikon z6ii mirrorless if that helps 😄
The usual approach is to use your histogram to guide your exposure settings, especially in high dynamic range situations. To avoid blowing out the sky (or any other strong highlight), you simply adjust your exposure to ensure the histogram does not go too far too the right. Most modern cameras also have built-in highlight alerts (or "zebras") that can play a similar role, although I prefer to rely on the histogram to help me understand the exposure of the scene as a whole.
Here's a neat trick I learned form Mark Wallace in one of the classes he taught at Creative Live. (He also does tutorials on this channel). If you're having problems with blown out skies when shooting outdoors, you have to adjust 2 different exposures independently: ambient and flash. For this, you'll need off camera flash, which you'll use to light your subject, while ambient light is already lighting the environment. First, meter on the ambient/environmental light with your camera and lock it in (you can use the histogram for this). Next, adjust the output of your flash to the desired exposure so that your subjects are properly lit. When you take the picture, the sky will look nice and the subjects will be properly lit by the flash. It's a good idea to practice this in advance, but that should help solve the problem.
Consider using fill flash (usually off camera) to add light to the person while exposing the background for the look you want. Maybe a new question for David...how to use fill flash for outdoor portraits. 🙂
It's a physical thing. The brain does tricks, so the camera needs to do them as well. In the near future I predict computational photography in big cameras will be the norm, just as it is in cell phones.
"read the light"... learning to intuitively see/read the light, to me, is probably the most important .
Which is why I got a light meter to help me see...
Shooting raw with polarizer filter or graduated filter?
Depends on the scene. I rarely use filters at all, but they can be useful in certain situations.
Does anyone know why there are often two different dynamic ranges listed for cameras- one with the mechanical shutter and another with electronic shutter? I've no idea why there would be two different ranges depending on the shutter used. Why would shutter type matter?
I was traveling now and had to shoot in many challenging situations. I was almost thought there would be a magic answer. I guess i feel better now that I see there is no silver bullet. BTW: Have you switched to Photoshop?
I’ve always used Photoshop. I do 99% of my toning in Capture One, but if I need some specific pixel editing, I’ll round trip into PS.
@@DavidBergmanPhoto I did not know that! I have been trying to decide what to buy. I have considered Capture One, but I use an Android phone. Capture One seems to be an Apple Fanboy. I'm glad I asked.
I shoot 35 mm film how do II get dynamic range ????
I have been shooting the full moons since 2017. And of course some of those locations are dark cloud coverage or pollution which the moon doesn't illuminate very bright through. I was shooting in the raw very little photoshopped maybe just zooming to crop. I had to go back to jpg I can't crop in the raw it automatically changes the high light to where I can actually see the megapixels. I don't know how this happened never had this problem before. How can I adjust this?
Not sure what you mean. A RAW file is infinitely more adjustable than a JPEG. Might be your settings in the raw convertor (Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture One, whichever one you're using).
@@DavidBergmanPhoto without actually seeing what it is doing it's hard to explain in words. Let me try again.
I have my photos uploaded on to my laptop. They look fine, when I click the image to enlarge it changes the format? It enhances itself to 100% where are the highlights are very bright and I'm not able to do any Photoshop adjusting some you can see the megapixels broken down ?? I don't know if it's something in my camera ? The photos I take jpeg does not change unless I manually change it. All the ones I shoot in the raw enhances 100% and I can't make any changes
It's depressing that someone doing videos for a prestigious company like Adorama gets their basic facts wrong. So, you say 'when you take a photo you set your camera's exposure by adjusting ISO, shutter speed and aperture'. No you don't. ISO is not a component of exposure. Exposure is set by aperture, shutter speed and scene luminance (how much light is coming from the scene). ISO only changes the exposure by causing a change in either shutter speed or aperture, not directly. No, you're not 'telling it how bright or how dark you want it to be'. 'Exposure' does not mean how bright or dark the picture looks. The technical word for that is 'value' or 'lightness' - I prefer the latter. Exposure is not measured in 'stops'. A 'stop' is simply a ratio of two, not an absolute measure. A dynamic range of 14 stops simply means that the largest exposure that can be captured is 14 powers of 2 greater than the smallest that can be captured with some detail - that is, the detail can be seen above the noise. All this misunderstanding is causing your to see the problem of DR in the wrong place. 14 stops of DR is plenty for almost every scene you're likely to photograph. The problem is not with a lack of DR on the sensor, it is the fact that our display devices can only display 8 or 9 stops worth of tonal range. If you want to make a convincing rendering of a scene with more than that then you have to employ some subterfuge in the processing, using a specialist tone curve. This needs to be done carefully, otherwise you get what you're calling 'over processed HDR'. It's not 'over processed', it's just that the processor hasn't been clever enough. The problem with JPEG is not the display range, it's that you can't control the processing. What you didn't mention at all is exposing for high DR shots when shooting raw. Essentially you need to expose to preserve the highlights, either using the histogram or calibrated spot metering on the highlights, then set the tonality to suit when processing the raw file.