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Apr 11, 2019 15:36:10   #
canon Lee
 
hi I am trying a new technique using my camera as light meter. The room is lit with window light, very little ambient. As I understand what I looked at on YOUTUBE, I went up to the window and in M mode, spot metering, put my AF point dead center, flash off, I set my A to F7.1 and the ISO at 320 then adjust for center meter and got 1/1000s. I moved back into the room and shot photo #1 using those settings. I then got the interior reading, moving my AF point to a dark spot in the room, and got 1/250, F7.1 ISO 320
Flash @ M 1/1 bounced to the celling and shot #2 Then selecting both went to PS/layers and proceeded to use Darken mode . It did not work. However I did notice that when I clicked on "vector mask" in darken mode the icon wasn't the usual black square. Maybe that's the problem.





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Apr 11, 2019 15:51:11   #
DWHart24 Loc: Central Florida
 
You're doing way too much work. Set the camera on a tripod and compose the shot first. Set the camera to Manual mode. Set the ISO to 320. Set the aperture to 7.1. Use matrix metering. Take your first shot for ambient light. You want to be over exposed by a couple of stops. Do this by adjusting your shutter speed. The histogram should be to the right middle. The next shot adjust your shutter down (faster shutter) a couple of clicks. Hold your speed light above your head at about 1/2 power. This depends on ceiling height. Take the shot. Next shot adjust your shutter to expose for the window. Aim your speed light at the window at about a 45° angle at about 1/4 power. Take the shot. Edit the photos in PS with your flash layer at the bottom. Ambient layer above that one. Layer mask hide all. Paint in some ambient light. Window pull above the ambient layer. Layer mask hide all. Darken mode. Paint in the window. Watch this video.

https://youtu.be/M8tIUU9unos

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Apr 11, 2019 17:16:23   #
Vietnam Vet
 
You are also doing way too much work. Set your exposure for an interior wall. Take the picture. In Lightroom adjust for exposure and color balance, and then lower the highlights to get the window to look right. Done.

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Apr 11, 2019 18:19:14   #
User ID
 
And for even further less work,
just balance the flash and the
exterior scene however you
like them, all in one shot, no
headache, no PP.

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Apr 11, 2019 18:45:09   #
canon Lee
 
DWHart24 wrote:
You're doing way too much work. Set the camera on a tripod and compose the shot first. Set the camera to Manual mode. Set the ISO to 320. Set the aperture to 7.1. Use matrix metering. Take your first shot for ambient light. You want to be over exposed by a couple of stops. Do this by adjusting your shutter speed. The histogram should be to the right middle. The next shot adjust your shutter down (faster shutter) a couple of clicks. Hold your speed light above your head at about 1/2 power. This depends on ceiling height. Take the shot. Next shot adjust your shutter to expose for the window. Aim your speed light at the window at about a 45° angle at about 1/4 power. Take the shot. Edit the photos in PS with your flash layer at the bottom. Ambient layer above that one. Layer mask hide all. Paint in some ambient light. Window pull above the ambient layer. Layer mask hide all. Darken mode. Paint in the window. Watch this video.

https://youtu.be/M8tIUU9unos
You're doing way too much work. Set the camera on ... (show quote)


I will take the pixs tomorrow when the sun is up & will send the pixs . can you explain "layer mask hide all" ? I have tried to get darken to work with no luck.

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Apr 11, 2019 19:19:35   #
DWHart24 Loc: Central Florida
 
Vietnam Vet wrote:
You are also doing way too much work. Set your exposure for an interior wall. Take the picture. In Lightroom adjust for exposure and color balance, and then lower the highlights to get the window to look right. Done.


Sorry. That's not going to look as good. Have you tried this type of photography?

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Apr 11, 2019 19:20:14   #
DWHart24 Loc: Central Florida
 
canon Lee wrote:
I will take the pixs tomorrow when the sun is up & will send the pixs . can you explain "layer mask hide all" ? I have tried to get darken to work with no luck.


Watch the video I posted above. It explains it.

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Apr 11, 2019 19:21:02   #
DWHart24 Loc: Central Florida
 
User ID wrote:
And for even further less work,
just balance the flash and the
exterior scene however you
like them, all in one shot, no
headache, no PP.


Again, it's not that easy unless you want a photo that is very flashy and not natural.

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Apr 11, 2019 21:18:46   #
canon Lee
 
DWHart24 wrote:
Watch the video I posted above. It explains it.


the screen shot has the layer mask with a dot in the middle, not the usual white box ???? I don't know what that dot means but I think it is preventing me from using the brush tool to make the shot beneath visable??
This is as far as I get and the brush does nothing. Its not so much about the ambient and flash exposures that I put into PS, but the layer mask.



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Apr 11, 2019 21:32:01   #
Photocraig
 
Just say'n, Lee it is WAY easier in LR using the merge function and several exposures. Now, full disclosure here, but I hate just about everything about Photoshop. BUT, I have done this work several ways digital and film, with my own Broker's Commissions on the line.

You're killing yourself in PP when you can capture the exposures you need on site, adjust them to suit and then blend them "automagically" in LR. Probably a facility for that in PS, too! After that, for a wide representation, you can stitch several of 'em together just as ONE STEP easily.

Good Luck, Lee. Real Estate Photography is indeed demanding.
C

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Apr 11, 2019 21:42:09   #
canon Lee
 
Photocraig wrote:
Just say'n, Lee it is WAY easier in LR using the merge function and several exposures. Now, full disclosure here, but I hate just about everything about Photoshop. BUT, I have done this work several ways digital and film, with my own Broker's Commissions on the line.

You're killing yourself in PP when you can capture the exposures you need on site, adjust them to suit and then blend them "automagically" in LR. Probably a facility for that in PS, too! After that, for a wide representation, you can stitch several of 'em together just as ONE STEP easily.

Good Luck, Lee. Real Estate Photography is indeed demanding.
C
Just say'n, Lee it is WAY easier in LR using the m... (show quote)



In many ways I do agree with you. Most rooms have enough ambient light to get a good ambient shot, enough ambient light that the room isn't totally dark with blown out windows. Its the dark rooms that I have to use slow shutter to get a good window pull, and that gives me a noise filled dark shot which I cant use to merge with the flash shot. some of the houses are empty, with no lights just low ambient. I don't have a problem with a room that has more ambient light. I can even get away with not doing a window pull.

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Apr 12, 2019 06:47:19   #
billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
 
canon Lee wrote:
hi I am trying a new technique using my camera as light meter. The room is lit with window light, very little ambient. As I understand what I looked at on YOUTUBE, I went up to the window and in M mode, spot metering, put my AF point dead center, flash off, I set my A to F7.1 and the ISO at 320 then adjust for center meter and got 1/1000s. I moved back into the room and shot photo #1 using those settings. I then got the interior reading, moving my AF point to a dark spot in the room, and got 1/250, F7.1 ISO 320
Flash @ M 1/1 bounced to the celling and shot #2 Then selecting both went to PS/layers and proceeded to use Darken mode . It did not work. However I did notice that when I clicked on "vector mask" in darken mode the icon wasn't the usual black square. Maybe that's the problem.
hi I am trying a new technique using my camera as ... (show quote)


OK, this is really simple. Use Manual exposure on your camera, make sure you are under 1/250 sec.
Take the exposure for the outside for the correct exposure and keep camera on manual.
Now, attach Nikon Flash and set it to TTL. Aim flash up and behind you. Take shot.
You will now have the correct exposure for both inside the room and outside.

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Apr 12, 2019 07:23:31   #
Pablo8 Loc: Nottingham UK.
 
billnikon wrote:
OK, this is really simple. Use Manual exposure on your camera, make sure you are under 1/250 sec.
Take the exposure for the outside for the correct exposure and keep camera on manual.
Now, attach Nikon Flash and set it to TTL. Aim flash up and behind you. Take shot.
You will now have the correct exposure for both inside the room and outside.


I have told the OP this on another thread, almost word for word, but he seems determined to make the job more/too complicated. For years, it has been the staple diet of Real Estate Photography. No need for extra PP work, masks/cutting-out/ double/ multiple exposures etc.

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Apr 12, 2019 09:27:17   #
fetzler Loc: North West PA
 
billnikon wrote:
OK, this is really simple. Use Manual exposure on your camera, make sure you are under 1/250 sec.
Take the exposure for the outside for the correct exposure and keep camera on manual.
Now, attach Nikon Flash and set it to TTL. Aim flash up and behind you. Take shot.
You will now have the correct exposure for both inside the room and outside.


This (billnikon) is the simplest method. You could also make an HDR with careful processing it can be realistic.

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Apr 12, 2019 10:24:39   #
DWHart24 Loc: Central Florida
 
canon Lee wrote:
the screen shot has the layer mask with a dot in the middle, not the usual white box ???? I don't know what that dot means but I think it is preventing me from using the brush tool to make the shot beneath visable??
This is as far as I get and the brush does nothing. Its not so much about the ambient and flash exposures that I put into PS, but the layer mask.


Lee,

Click on the layer. Go up to the layer pull down menu and click Layer Mask than click Hide All.

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