Exposure Bracketing for beginners - Photography tips and tutorials

Summary

In this tutorial, Paul from Photogenius explains exposure bracketing, a technique used to capture multiple exposures of the same subject for better photos. He demonstrates how to set it up on a Canon EOS 1500D and Nikon DSLR, emphasizing manual control over auto settings. The video showcases how to use bracketing for landscape photography and creating HDR images with software like Lightroom. Paul also covers manual bracketing for cameras without auto exposure bracketing.

Takeaways

• 📸 **Exposure Bracketing Defined**: It's a technique where multiple exposures of the same subject are taken using different camera settings, useful for challenging lighting conditions.
• 🏞️ **Popularity in Photography**: Bracketing is popular among landscape photographers and those who blend images or create HDR images using software like Photoshop or Lightroom.
• 📷 **Manual vs. Automatic**: The video demonstrates both manual and automatic exposure bracketing, ensuring applicability to a wide range of cameras.
• 🎥 **Canon EOS 1500D/T7 Demonstration**: The video provides a step-by-step guide on setting up auto exposure bracketing on a Canon EOS 1500D/T7 camera.
• 📈 **Understanding Over and Under Exposure**: It explains how to adjust camera settings for overexposed (brighter) and underexposed (darker) images to capture detail in different lighting conditions.
• 🔧 **Manual Bracketing on Nikon D3500**: Even cameras without auto bracketing can achieve the same results by manually adjusting exposure settings.
• 🖼️ **Creating HDR Images**: The video shows how to merge bracketed images into an HDR image using Lightroom, enhancing detail in both shadows and highlights.
• 📐 **Consistency with Tripod Use**: To ensure alignment when merging images, the use of a tripod is recommended to keep the camera stable between shots.
• 📚 **Educational Content**: The video is part of a series of photography tutorials aimed at helping viewers take better control of their cameras for improved photography.
• 👍 **Community Engagement**: The presenter encourages viewers to engage with the content by subscribing, liking, and commenting, fostering a community of photography enthusiasts.

Q & A

What is exposure bracketing?

Exposure bracketing is a photography technique where multiple exposures of the same subject are taken using different camera settings. It's particularly useful in challenging lighting conditions or when achieving a balanced exposure with a single image is difficult.

Why is exposure bracketing popular among landscape photographers?

Exposure bracketing is popular among landscape photographers because it allows them to capture a wider dynamic range, ensuring that both the highlights and shadows are well-exposed, which is often difficult to achieve in a single shot due to the high contrast in outdoor scenes.

How can bracketing be used to create HDR images?

By taking bracketed shots at different exposures, photographers can later merge these images in software like Photoshop or Lightroom to create an HDR (High Dynamic Range) image. This process combines the best parts of each exposure to produce a single image with a greater dynamic range than any single shot.

What is the purpose of taking an underexposed and overexposed image in bracketing?

The underexposed image retains detail in the shadows, while the overexposed image captures detail in the highlights. These details can be merged to create a balanced image that has a good representation of both shadow and highlight areas, which is particularly useful in high-contrast scenes.

How do you set up auto exposure bracketing on a Canon EOS 1500D or T7?

To set up auto exposure bracketing on a Canon EOS 1500D or T7, you press the menu button, select the second red camera tab, then choose 'Exposure Comp/Auto Exposure Bracketing' from the list. You then use the dial on top of the camera to select the degree of over or underexposure for the second and third images.

Can you use exposure bracketing without a camera's built-in auto exposure bracketing feature?

Yes, even if a camera doesn't have a built-in auto exposure bracketing feature, you can still manually take bracketed shots by adjusting the exposure settings yourself for each shot.

What is the advantage of using a tripod when taking bracketed shots?

Using a tripod ensures that the camera doesn't move between shots, which is important when you plan to merge the images later. It allows for precise alignment and makes the merging process in post-processing much easier.

How does continuous shooting mode simplify the process of taking bracketed shots?

In continuous shooting mode, you only need to press and hold the shutter button for the camera to automatically take the bracketed images in quick succession, which saves time and ensures consistency between the shots.

How do you merge bracketed images to create an HDR image in Lightroom?

In Lightroom, you select the bracketed images, go to the 'Photo' menu, choose 'Photo Merge' and then select 'HDR'. Lightroom then processes the images and creates a preview. If you're satisfied with the preview, you click 'Merge' to create the HDR image.

What is the alternative to auto exposure bracketing for cameras without this feature?

For cameras without auto exposure bracketing, you can manually adjust the exposure settings for each shot by using the exposure compensation button and dialing in the desired over or underexposure values.

Outlines

00:00

📸 Introduction to Exposure Bracketing

In this video, the host, Paul from Photogenius, introduces the concept of exposure bracketing, a technique used to take multiple exposures of the same subject with different camera settings. This technique is particularly useful in challenging lighting conditions or when aiming for a balanced exposure. It's commonly used by landscape photographers and those interested in image blending or creating HDR images. The video will guide viewers through setting up bracketing on a Canon EOS 1500D/T7, and also touch on how to use it with a Nikon DSLR. The host emphasizes the importance of moving out of auto mode to take control of the camera for better photography, which is the channel's main focus.

05:02

🖼️ Applying Bracketing and Creating HDR Images

The second paragraph demonstrates how to apply auto exposure bracketing (AEB) on a Canon EOS 1500D/T7, detailing the steps to set it up through the camera's menu. The host then explains how AEB can be utilized in different camera modes and the convenience of continuous shooting mode for capturing bracketed images quickly. The video proceeds to show a practical example of using AEB at Wellington Point, capturing images of a jetty. It then moves to post-processing in Lightroom, where the host merges the bracketed images into an HDR image, highlighting the process and the benefits of having detail in both shadows and highlights. The paragraph concludes with a brief mention of manual bracketing for cameras without AEB, showcasing the process on a Nikon D3500 and the results achieved by merging the images in Lightroom.

Keywords

💡Exposure Bracketing

Exposure bracketing is a photography technique where multiple shots of the same scene are taken at different exposure settings. This is done to ensure that at least one image captures the full dynamic range of the scene, especially when there are both very bright and very dark areas. In the video, the host explains how to set up and use exposure bracketing to improve photo quality, particularly for landscape photographers and those interested in creating HDR images.

💡Dynamic Range

Dynamic range refers to the ratio between the brightest and darkest elements that can be captured in a photograph. A high dynamic range allows for more detail in both shadows and highlights. The video discusses how exposure bracketing can be used to capture a greater dynamic range than a single exposure could, by combining multiple images with different exposures.

💡HDR (High Dynamic Range Imaging)

HDR imaging is a method of combining multiple images with different exposures to create a single image that contains more detail in both highlights and shadows than a single image could capture. The script mentions using software like Photoshop or Lightroom to blend the bracketed images into an HDR image, which can then display a greater dynamic range.

💡Canon EOS 1500D

The Canon EOS 1500D is a DSLR camera model featured in the video. The host demonstrates how to set up auto exposure bracketing on this camera, making it a practical example for viewers who might use the same or a similar model. It illustrates the application of bracketing in a real-world scenario.

💡Nikon DSLR

Nikon DSLR is another type of camera mentioned in the video. The script discusses how to manually achieve exposure bracketing on a Nikon DSLR that doesn't have automatic exposure bracketing, showing versatility in the technique's application across different camera brands and models.

💡Manual Functions

Manual functions refer to the ability to manually control camera settings such as shutter speed, aperture, and ISO. The video emphasizes the importance of using manual functions to take control of the camera for better photography, including the use of manual controls to perform exposure bracketing when automatic options are not available.

💡Aperture Priority Mode

Aperture Priority Mode is a semi-automatic camera setting where the photographer sets the aperture and the camera automatically chooses the shutter speed. The video mentions using this mode for taking bracketed shots, highlighting how different camera modes can be utilized for specific photographic techniques.

💡Shutter Priority

Shutter Priority is another semi-automatic camera mode where the photographer sets the shutter speed and the camera selects the aperture. The script includes an example of using Shutter Priority mode with auto exposure bracketing, demonstrating how bracketing can be applied across various camera settings.

💡Light Meter

A light meter is a device that measures the intensity of light. In the context of the video, the light meter on a camera is used to indicate the exposure settings for bracketing. The host describes how the light meter shows the different exposures that will be captured, providing a visual guide for the photographer.

💡Continuous Shooting

Continuous Shooting, also known as burst mode, allows a camera to take multiple photos in quick succession. The video provides a tip on using continuous shooting in conjunction with auto exposure bracketing, which simplifies the process of capturing bracketed images by taking all the necessary shots with a single press of the shutter button.

💡Lightroom

Lightroom is a photo editing software mentioned in the video for merging bracketed images into an HDR image. The host walks through the process of using Lightroom to combine the differently exposed images, demonstrating a practical application of post-processing software in achieving the desired photographic outcome.

Highlights

Introduction to exposure bracketing and its benefits for photography.

Explanation of how bracketing is used to capture multiple exposures of the same subject.

The popularity of bracketing among landscape photographers and its use in HDR image creation.

Demonstration of setting up auto exposure bracketing on a Canon EOS 1500D.

The importance of using a tripod for consistency when taking bracketed shots.

How to use continuous shooting mode for bracketing to capture images quickly.

A practical example of taking bracketed shots at Wellington Point.

The process of merging bracketed images into an HDR image using Lightroom.

The option to edit bracketed images individually or merge them for enhanced detail.

Manual method of bracketing for cameras without auto exposure bracketing feature.

Demonstration of manual bracketing using a Nikon D3500.

The flexibility of bracketing to ensure capturing the perfect exposure in challenging lighting conditions.

The historical use of bracketing by film photographers as an insurance policy for capturing the perfect shot.

The ease of setting up bracketing in modern digital cameras compared to film cameras.

The channel's focus on teaching manual camera controls to improve photography skills.

Encouragement for viewers to subscribe for weekly photography tutorial videos.

Transcripts

in this video i'm going to be talking

about exposure bracketing what it is how

to set it up and how we can use it to

make our photos even better

hi paul here from photogenius welcome to

my channel where i do photography

tutorials i share tips

tricks do occasional gear reviews as

well if you're new here

please consider subscribing this video

is all about a technique

called bracketing now what is meant by

bracketing well this is a very useful

technique

where we take multiple exposures of the

same subject

using different camera settings now this

is very useful when it's difficult to

get

a really good balanced exposure with

just one

image or when the lighting is very

tricky it's very popular with landscape

photographers

and also photographers who like to blend

multiple images

or create maybe hdr images using

software like photoshop or lightroom

and we're going to take a look at that

as well later in the video so in this

video i'm going to be featuring the

canon

t7 or 1500d i'm also going to be

featuring a nikon dslr later in the

video

but it doesn't matter what camera you

have as long as it's got manual

functions

then the things we're going to talk

about in this video should apply to your

camera as well

the key thing here is that we're getting

out of auto which is what this channel

is all about

the photogenius channel is all about

taking control of the camera so you can

take better photos

now bracketing is a technique that was

often used by film photographers

as a way of trying to ensure that they

nailed the shot now what do i mean by

this

well some of you may be too young to

have ever used a film camera but i've

got one here

this is a film camera these of course

are digital cameras and there are some

big differences between these cameras

and one of the most obvious ones is

there's no lcd screen

so with a film camera when you take a

picture you don't get to see the results

straight away in fact you don't get to

see them

until the images are printed out at a

later date

so let's just imagine for a moment the

pressure of being maybe a wedding

photographer

whose job it is is to capture amazing

moments those one-off moments he's got

to nail it every time

but there's no way of checking your

images on the go so to ensure you nail

the shot as a film photographer you

would often use the bracketing technique

and this involves taking

three separate exposures usually used in

a light meter like this one

the first exposure or the first image

the idea is for this image to be

balanced

for the second image we would go

slightly overexposed for a brighter

image

and with the third image we would aim

for a slightly underexposed image

or a darker image now the idea is

between these three images

one of them is gonna nail the exposure

so bracketing for film photographers

was a bit like an insurance policy now

most digital cameras

have automatic exposure bracketing built

into them and in a moment i'm going to

show you how to set this up

don't worry if your camera doesn't offer

this function because as long as you

have manual controls on your camera you

can do this too

and i'll show you how to do this later

in the video okay

so let's start with this canon eos 1500d

or t7 i'm going to show you where the

bracketing feature is on this camera

to set up auto exposure bracketing on

this canon camera i start by pressing

the menu button you want to select the

second red camera tab

exposure comp auto exposure bracketing

is top of the list

so i'm going to press set and now by

dialing the dial on the top

of the camera i can select to what

degree

i want my second and third image to be

over or underexposed so one click to the

right with the dial would give me one

third

exposure over and under another click

two thirds and three clicks is one stop

brighter or overexposed and one stop

darker or underexposed

so i press set i'm then going to clear

the

menu and you will now see these three

markers appear on the light meter

indicating that we will get three

exposures one regular

one one stop over and one one stop under

so let's take the three images focus

picture one picture two

and picture three and if we play back

the images

you will see this is the third image

which is one stop overexposed

the second is one stop underexposed and

this is our normal

well balanced exposure now auto exposure

bracketing will remain

on until you turn it off so when you're

done press menu

press set to select move the dial to the

left this time

and press ok to set and now

we are done to put this feature to the

test i took the camera down to

wellington point

to get some bracketed shots of the jetty

on what was a beautiful sunny brisbane

afternoon

and because i want to blend multiple

images together

i'm using a tripod so the camera doesn't

move between

shots so with the camera

in aperture priority mode i selected

auto exposure bracketing and set it to

give me a one stop over and one stop

under exposed image

now here's another cool tip if you

select continuous shooting

you only need to press and hold the

shutter button down for the camera to

automatically take three images

in quick succession

and here's the three images

now if you choose to use a different

camera mode here i'm selecting shutter

priority

you will see aeb still remains on

so with my images taken it's back to the

office to put them into lightroom and

let's take a look at our three images

this first one is the original balanced

shot

this is the underexposed image and of

course this

is the overexposed image now let's go

back to the first image which i think is

a pretty good shot

the only thing it's lacking is some

detail in the shadows

now the underexposed image is of course

dark but what it does is it retains the

detail

in the sky you get this lovely blue sky

whereas the overexposed image blows out

the sky the sky is overexposed but what

it gives us

is the shadow detail we don't see in the

other two images

now of course whilst i could edit these

images independently what i want to do

is show you how easy it is

to merge all three images to create an

hdr

or high dynamic range image so i begin

by selecting the images

i want to merge i go up and choose the

photo option

select photo merge and then select hdr

so lightroom gets straight to it and

provides us after a few moments with a

preview image

so i'm happy with the preview so i click

on merge and after a few moments

a brand new hdr image is created

and added to the lightroom library

and once again let's take a look and

compare all the images this

is the original balanced image this of

course is the underexposed

this is the overexposed and this is the

hdr

now of course you don't have to do hdr

if you don't want to you can edit your

images individually you might decide to

put them into photoshop and merge the

images together

it's entirely up to you now earlier in

the video i mentioned that even if your

camera doesn't have

automatic exposure bracketing this

doesn't stop you from taking bracketed

shots

i'm going to show you how it's done now

if like this nikon d3500 your camera

doesn't have

automatic exposure bracketing you can

still do it yourself only manually

now i have the camera in the aperture

priority mode i'm going to start by

taking one standard shot

there it is and now what i'm going to do

is my bracketed shots

now to do this i'm going to hold down

the exposure compensation button on the

top of the camera

and dial to the right one two

three clicks will take me to plus one

which is one stop overexposed

now if i go back hold the exposure

compensation button down

dial left three clicks takes us back to

zero

another three clicks to the left will

give me minus one which is one

stop underexposed also shown on the

light meter here

we now have our three images so for

press playback

here is image three this is underexposed

this is our plus one overexposed

and this is our standard exposure

and here's another two images i took

earlier today on the nikon d3500

using the bracketing technique and

merging the images in lightroom

so i really hope you enjoyed this video

if you did please give it a thumbs up

because it really helps the channel you

can leave your comments below you can

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thanks for watching

see you next time bye

you