Need Suggestions on how to improve

http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o255/RonAriba/7MasterBedroom.jpg
http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o255/RonAriba/14Basement.jpg

I have a Fujifilm E510 5.2 Mega Pixels. How can I improve my interior pictures when you have to shoot into the daylight? I turn all the lights on and shoot without flash. Will the pictures improve if I set the white light exposure? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Ron

 

Big Mike,

Thanks for your quick responds and suggestions.

I take pictures for real estate agent for their web-sites and they are commenting/complaining about the bright light coming from the windows. Will photo shop be of any help to balance the light? However, at this time the pay is not enough for me to invest in any other equipment.

Ron

 

everyone i know waits until the light gets the way they want it to be.

 

Shoot later in the day and balance for the interior light.

 

I have no control on the scheduling or timing. The real estate agent schedule the time and place. Every house is different, and you do not know what the situation is until you get there.

Thanks
Ron

 

I think you should try to explain to the realestate agent the realities of photography regarding lighting indoors. As you know, with photography the possibilities are many, however, there are some impossibilities!

 

The 'bright light' can be controlled by the Shadow/Highlight tool (pull the Shadows slider all the way to the left, and move the the Highlights slider right to your desired position) in PS, up to a certain extent.

I'd go with Big Mike's suggestion - merge the two exposures.

 

I'd start looking into HRD like mike hinted at. One exposure metered for the indoors with white balance for tungsten light (light bulbs) and the second exposure metered for the windows with white balance set for sunlight. combining the two will result in a picture that is as close to the eye as possible.

Google High Dynamic Range photo's or photography, and I'm sure others will give you better sites.

http://www.anyhere.com/gward/hdrenc/pages/img/Apartment_float_l15C.jpg
the above link is an example of interior shot using HDR techniques. I trust it is EXACTLY what you are looking for.

 

My mother is a realestate. I worry if someone can not sell a house based on the photograph they have being miss-exposed. I had to take a photograph on a camera phone once since mum's camera batteries died on location. The house sold just fine.

Give him the options. Going HDR is a waste of resources and takes effort and time that I would put into a million dollar home but not into anything less. Exposing for the window means you won't see the house, exposing for the house means a blown out window. In slightly more politically correct words tell him to deal with it or let him know you need to pick better timing if he wants better photos.

 

Now if I have this right your camera will snyc a strobe or more than one strob using your on camera light as the trigger. This may have already been suggested but a couple of light weight light stands and a couple of large strobs should deal with your problem. it would take about half an hour the first time to get the setup balanced but after you should able to walk into a room set it up and shoot till your hearts content. A couple of 283's one on each side of you should tame the window lights. It's how I always did it. Of course I fired with sync cords but a couple of optical slaves should work peachy keen.

Not much whiz bang I know but it will work.

 

There are three main ways to do this... the best is to take the photo early or late in the day, when it balances a little better and is not so harsh. Natural light is the best light, and if it works use it. explain that you need to take pictures at the right time (when the light is balanced ) or you can't take them properly and they will have to live with the glare. 2). Or use photoshop to quieten down the brightness. (I've not tried this , it may work but I think you MIGHT just get a window which looks "Wrong". Don't know but it's worth a try especially if it works.
3). The last is to invest in some very powerful and very expensive studio flash kit.........................you fill the room with so much bright, white ,even lighting, that the windows loose their power by comparison (Contrast). everything then looks wonderful. You will need to practice with your kit first to get it spot on, and will need a wheelbarrow and a half of money to start with.

P.S. Like the cactus