What is this called...

[EleanorW]

Last week, I photographed a rainbow. Another photographer who was out on the mini trip with me told me to get 3 shots of it, one regular, 1 over exposed and 1 under exposed. So I did that and now what do I do with them?

 

[Jeffro]

HDR Google it or search on here and you can find tons of into!

I guess he could be also talking about Bracketing the shot too.

 

[EleanorW]

Thanks Jeffro. Now that I know what it might be, I can go learn

 

[Big Mike]

That is call 'bracketing'. It's a technique that has been used since long before digital and 'HDR' came about.

The idea is that you may not be sure about your (or your camera's) metering of the scene...and thus the exposure of the photo. By taking several shots at different exposure settings, you give yourself a better chance at getting the best image. This was especially important when shooting with slide film, because of it's narrow exposure latitude.

So when you upload your photos to the computer, have a look at all three of them and pick the one you like best. You may also find that one of them is better for editing, even though it doesn't look the best at first glance.

Now, that being said....the current 'fad' is HDR (high dynamic range). This means that you use software to combine the different exposures, in order to end up with an image that has a wider range of tones that you camera would have been able to capture in a single exposure. This can be a great tool but it's also very easy to overdo it and get photos that are surreal, even wacky. Some people like it, some don't...its up to you.

 

[EleanorW]

I think bracketing is maybe what the photographer was wanting me to do. Unfortunately I wandered away from the group and did see him again before I went home - I get distracted easily, but wound up with my sunset pictures lol

 

[MBasile]

I am saddened that HDR is thought of before bracketing

 

[EleanorW]

Would bracketing be the same as this exposure fusion in Photomatix? I just downloaded that software this morning and have been playing with it.

 

[Big Mike]

Photomatix is for creating HDR images.

Bracketing is the act of taking multiple shots at different exposures.

 

[musicaleCA]

I am saddened that HDR is thought of before bracketing

Me too. *sigh* The first thing I thought of was bracketing. I didn't even think of HDR because it probably wouldn't apply to the situation...

*sigh*

Would bracketing be the same as this exposure fusion in Photomatix? I just downloaded that software this morning and have been playing with it.

No. Photomatix takes multiple exposures and combines them into one image. Just take the image that looks best to you from your three bracketed shots and edit that one image. No need to over-complicate things with difficult techniques like HDR, tone-mapping, and exposure blending.

 

[KmH]

Besides at only +1 and -1 for the bracketed exposures there is not really enough dynamic range for Photomatix to produce anything much more useful than what Mike and musicaleCA suggested.