Is Bracketing Really Necessary?
May 4, 2019 18:11:41 #
mwsilvers
Loc: Central New Jersey
pico wrote:
I've experimented with bracketing using three exposures. What is gained in the post-processing as a result of bracketing? Thanks for your thoughts and experiences.
It's useful if you are planning on creating an HDR image.
May 4, 2019 18:29:26 #
Especially if you like to shoot JPEG... Nothing wrong with that. I got some great shots this last year of the foliage change off the blue ridge parkway. 3 shots bracketed for one image.. It don't get much easier than this. With a little tweaking I was happy with results. It all comes down to what works for you. If bracketing gets you out there shooting, go for it. If it's too much like work, then meter correctly for the best dynamic range and adjust accordingly in post. If that's too much like work, get a good grad filter to help separate highlights and shadows and take one shot as well. Now if that's too much like work, not sure what to tell you. Personally I enjoy learning multiple ways of capturing an image, you never know when the extra experience will come in handy........You may also learn more about the limitations of your camera and your photography skills.
May 4, 2019 19:14:41 #
rmalarz wrote:
As I've seen quoted before, "bracketing in for people who don't know how to expose properly".
--Bob
--Bob
Define "proper" exposure.
May 5, 2019 00:00:28 #
wdross
Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado
pico wrote:
I've experimented with bracketing using three exposures. What is gained in the post-processing as a result of bracketing? Thanks for your thoughts and experiences.
There was an article on another photo website comparing black and white film to one of the newest digital cameras under the same basic conditions. It became very apparent that film handles overexposure much better than digital and digital handles underexposure much better than film based off the actual correct exposure. And, although all digital sensors are similar in abilities, they all have slightly different dynamic range results. And if one meets up with a dynamic range scene that does not easily match up to the dynamic range of the sensor, it would be better to take bracketed shots rather than actually miss the shot because one just missed one of the levels of the dynamic range of the sensor thinking one had the exposure "right on".
May 5, 2019 05:24:22 #
catchlight..
Loc: Wisconsin USA- Halden Norway
rmalarz wrote:
As I've seen quoted before, "bracketing in for people who don't know how to expose properly".
--Bob
--Bob
LOL... maybe to old school thinkers.
Bracketing allows those with PS experiene to edit the best possible dynamic range. Using a flash with a leaf shutter camera against direct sun is another good tool. Shadows can be exposed with the slider in PS to a point, but it is much better to layer the bracketed exposures.
May 5, 2019 05:32:42 #
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
pico wrote:
I've experimented with bracketing using three exposures. What is gained in the post-processing as a result of bracketing? Thanks for your thoughts and experiences.
If your shooting RAW bracketing is mostly unnecessary. I shoot nothing now except JPEG. + and find that I can adjust the exposure quite a bit in post processing.
If I under expose a shot I can adjust it quite nicely in camera using the Nikon D-Lighting in the retouch menu. In fact, D-Lighting works very well, and you get three choices.
May 5, 2019 05:43:03 #
catchlight..
Loc: Wisconsin USA- Halden Norway
billnikon wrote:
If your shooting RAW bracketing is mostly unnecessary. I shoot nothing now except JEPG. + and find that I can adjust the exposure quite a bit in post processing.
Bracketing and editing in 16 bit Raw will eclipse any Jpeg image by a mile.... period.
I wonder sometimes why the Jpeg and other miss-information comes on so strong. I hope the younger or new people using this blog don't take statements like yours seriously.
May 5, 2019 05:51:54 #
rmalarz wrote:
As I've seen quoted before, "bracketing in for people who don't know how to expose properly".
--Bob
--Bob
Not every one is a pro....some of us have limited abilities.
May 5, 2019 06:02:14 #
pico wrote:
I've experimented with bracketing using three exposures. What is gained in the post-processing as a result of bracketing? Thanks for your thoughts and experiences.
On occasion you might find that in order to capture unblown highlights, you have shadow areas too dark to render detail that you also wish to capture - a circumstance not so unusual in bright sunlight. What ever dynamic range you have available, bracketing can increase the range, perhaps saving an otherwise lost pic.
May 5, 2019 06:04:14 #
mikegreenwald
Loc: Illinois
robertjerl wrote:
For those who say bracketing is not needed if you ... (show quote)
Right on! Most subjects are easy and require no bracketing. Others benefit hugely from bracketing, and within that group HDR is very helpful as well.
May 5, 2019 06:05:36 #
billnikon
Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont
catchlight.. wrote:
Bracketing and editing in 16 bit Raw will eclipse any Jpeg image by a mile.... period.
I wonder sometimes why the Jpeg and other miss-information comes on so strong. I hope the younger or new people using this blog don't take statements like yours seriously.
I wonder sometimes why the Jpeg and other miss-information comes on so strong. I hope the younger or new people using this blog don't take statements like yours seriously.
I am not sure you read my post. I CAN adjust quite a bit a JPEG image in post, including color, exposure, etc. etc. etc. You should take my statement seriously. Sorry you are not open to others techniques.
May 5, 2019 06:42:42 #
pico wrote:
I've experimented with bracketing using three exposures. What is gained in the post-processing as a result of bracketing? Thanks for your thoughts and experiences.
Well, it's really a choice. If you are attempting to capture the entire tonal range of a high contrast scene, you have three choices. Take with a single exposure, exposing just enough to protect important highlights, and post-process the rest of the scene to recover the shadows and bring the middle value tones up a bit. The results can and often do require quite a bit of work on the midtones and shadows to bring detail and contrast, increase color saturation, and the big one - noise reduction.This must be applied locally to the areas that need it - not the entire image. Reasonably strong post processing would be required, along with shooting raw.
Second alternative is to take mutiple exposures, and either use an HDR program to merge the individual pictures, or do it manually in Photoshop or something similar. or use luminosity masking. You can shoot either jpeg or raw, but you might still get smoother tone and color transitions and have more adjustment latitude if you shoot raw.
Or you can skip the shot altogether and move on to an easier photo op.
May 5, 2019 07:03:47 #
After an exposure take a look at the histogram. Today bracketing to get the exposure right is not necessary.
May 5, 2019 07:10:51 #
Another reason for bracketing is where one does not have the time to shoot, review, adjust, reshoot..... repeat. This is often the case when with a tour group or shooting wildlife, i.e. you and/or the subject are only temporarily at rest. As an aside, my google Pixel 2 phone with Camera ZOOM FX app shoots great HDR, better than my Canon 80D and an HDR merging software say in PS. For the amateur, the Camera RAW plugin that comes with PS and PSE is a easy tool for adjusting the highlights and shadows.
May 5, 2019 07:33:27 #
jradose wrote:
Not every one is a pro....some of us have limited abilities.
AMEN to your statement. I love this site read it every morning with my coffee. I have take my iPad on every trip or cruise we take. I do this as I want to keep up with what advice or topic is going on. But I do admit I am FAR from a pro or understanding just love my camera and taking pictures. Sometimes I feel like those that are more professional and that is about all talk over my head. I know they will not change and I don’t expect them to. So what I do now is keep my cell phone next to me and look up on that what the hell they are talking about LOL. Sometimes I feel like I am being left in the dust but I just will not give up this site. Also I tell everyone that is new about it.
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