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How to "mark" photos" (in camera) that were exposure bracketed
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Oct 12, 2021 07:49:26   #
Bendmac Loc: Bend, Oregon
 
Nikon D7500...just starting to play around with exposure bracketing and have a couple of questions...

First, I have the mechanics of it figured out (setting how many frames, what degree of exposure variation {+1, -1, etc.), In the shooting menu, I have it set for "MTR/-1/+1", etc...is that the best way to go or better to go "-1-MTR-+1"?

Second, it looks like after the bracketing is set and the photo is composed, some people advocate using the self-timer to take the shots. (Obviously, shooting from a tripod, this is to ensure no camera shake). I've also seen people recommend C/Low or C/High...if you choose that second option, will the camera take all the shots in the bracketed series or does there need to be a separate shutter activation for each of the shots?

Third, if you use either an IR or wired remote, same question...once you hit the shutter release, does it take all the shots since "BKT" has been set, or a shutter click for each shot?

Lastly, what is a good way to "mark" those photos, in camera, for a bracketed series? Seems it could get kind of confusing in PP about which is the starting shot of the series, how many there are and which is the last one. I've seen some people mention putting a hand or finger in front of the lens after the shot has been composed, take a shot, THEN do the bracketed series, and then do the hand/finger thing again to indicate the end of the series. What do y'all recommend? (I'm not about to haul 3x5 index cards marked "Start" and "End" out in to the field!)

LOL...and yes, I already learned the hard way about turning bracketing OFF so your next shot doesn't default to the bracketing you did on the prior shot...

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Oct 12, 2021 07:54:10   #
rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona
 
I don't use bracket techniques. However, I do, on occasion, do panoramic photographs. At the start of a sequence of photographs, I simply put my hand in front of the lens and take an exposure. When the series of exposures is complete, I take another photograph of my hand. That very simply marks the start and finish of that sequence.
--Bob
Bendmac wrote:
Nikon D7500...just starting to play around with exposure bracketing and have a couple of questions...

First, I have the mechanics of it figured out (setting how many frames, what degree of exposure variation {+1, -1, etc.), In the shooting menu, I have it set for "Mtr/+1/-1", etc...is that the best way to go?

Second, it looks like after the bracketing is set and the photo is composed, some people advocate using the self-timer to take the shots. (Obviously, shooting from a tripod, this is to ensure no camera shake). I've also seen people recommend C/Low or C/High...if you choose that second option, will the camera take all the shots in the bracketed series or does there need to be a separate shutter activation for each of the shots?

Third, if you use either an IR or wired remote, same question...once you hit the shutter release, does it take all the shots since "BKT" has been set, or a shutter click for each shot?

Lastly, what is a good way to "mark" those photos, in camera, for a bracketed series? Seems it could get kind of confusing in PP about which is the starting shot of the series, how many there are and which is the last one. I've seen some people mention putting a hand or finger in front of the lens after the shot has been composed, take a shot, THEN do the bracketed series, and then do the hand/finger thing again to indicate the end of the series. What do y'all recommend? (I'm not about to haul 3x5 index cards marked "Start" and "End" out in to the field!)

LOL...and yes, I already learned the hard way about turning bracketing OFF so your next shot doesn't default to the bracketing you did on the prior shot...
Nikon D7500...just starting to play around with ex... (show quote)

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Oct 12, 2021 07:56:59   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
I use the file name (number) for the start and end of a series.
I can discern under/on/over by the way they look when viewed (in Explorer).
(The actual number (+1, etc.) can be added to the comments field if need be.)

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Oct 12, 2021 08:04:21   #
BebuLamar
 
It doesn't cost anything to shoot so try it out and see which works best. You also know if you need only 1 press (which I think you do) to do the entire bracketing in C mode. View the EXIF and see if it indicates the shot is part of a bracketing sequence.

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Oct 12, 2021 08:35:53   #
ncribble Loc: Albuquerque, NM
 
This is a good post snd I too, have debated this problem. The conclusion I’ve come to is just to waste the next series on bracket shots. I.e. I’m shooting a series of 3 bracketed shots, after the series I shoot the next three at to floor or my hand then I’m set for another series. Then in post processing it is easy to see the start of the bracket. Just delete the three floor shots and go on.
If there is a better way I too, would appreciate your suggestions.
Norm

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Oct 12, 2021 08:49:21   #
Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States
 
Aren't the bracketed shots the same composition?
When the composition changes, you're out of that series and into the next.

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Oct 12, 2021 09:00:51   #
abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois
 
As mentioned above, you will see the differences of one stop bracketing in Explorer or LR. No need to shoot extra frames as mentioned. I use the high-speed multi-exposure mode. I hold down the shutter and it fires three times and stops.

I find bracketing at one stop for most scenes does not help that much with my raw files. Raw has so much exposure latitude that the technique is not that helpful.

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Oct 12, 2021 09:24:41   #
a6k Loc: Detroit & Sanibel
 
Have you looked at your EXIF? It's fairly easy to tell with a Sony, in my experience.

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Oct 12, 2021 09:26:00   #
Bendmac Loc: Bend, Oregon
 
Thanks all for the replies...appreciate your insight!

I

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Oct 12, 2021 09:42:24   #
MrBob Loc: lookout Mtn. NE Alabama
 
Here is a novel approach... get yourself a small, voice activated Olympus voice recorder that you carry in your top pocket. TALK to yourself as you go about your creative endeavors. Comments, important notes, exposure variables or anything else that your little heart desires. If nothing else, play it back at your next party... You will be a big hit.

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Oct 12, 2021 09:46:38   #
Bendmac Loc: Bend, Oregon
 
ROFL...yeah, I suppose I could use the voice recorder on my smart phone...but, Lord, there might be some...uh...colorful language to be played back at that party! I'm a former "puddle pirate" (Coast Guard) so I CAN swear like a sailor...🤣

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Oct 12, 2021 10:33:09   #
SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA
 
I don’t have a D7500 but in my experience with my Nikons if you use any continuous shutter it will shoot the entire bracket. For other types of bracketing or panoramas I’ll shoot my hand in between but with exposure bracketing it’s pretty easy to tell where the series begins and ends just by looking. I set mine to do normal exposure first then under to over in order. It’s always obvious where the series begins and ends.

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Oct 12, 2021 14:44:25   #
DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA
 
Doing exposure bracketing or panoramas, it's nice to have definitive marks where the sequence starts and stops. There are several ways to do this.

rmalarz's technique of just taking a photo of his hand (or foot) to start the sequence will work. If you are taking a lot of sequences you might even want to write a description on a card and take a photo of that, so you have more information at hand when you start post.

If you're taking a panorama, I usually take a couple shots in landscape orientation, then do the panorama in portrait orientation (or vice versa depending on the direction of panning)

To satisfy my OCD I usually use -M+ for the bracketing order.

And I use high speed continuous shooting. It runs through the bracket and stops. That minimizes the time between images so there are minimal changes in the background. Particularly important for combining images in post.

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Oct 12, 2021 15:15:45   #
jdubu Loc: San Jose, CA
 
I've also read about the hand shot marking the start and end of a sequence, but never used it myself for bracketing. I do use it sometimes for panos.

I set my camera to shoot from either longest exposure to shortest or vice versa so the grouping is consistent. Handheld with high speed drive.

Where it can get complicated is when I shoot with a TSe lens and I am shifting for photomerging. Depending on the scene, I may set anywhere from 5 to 9 brackets per each shift. With a standard 3 shift, that could be 27 exposures to mask and layer. Although, I don't normally use all the exposures... better to have too many than not enough. If I shift left to right, then top to bottom and then 4 diagonal views, that's a ton of exposures to go through. For these shoots, I use a CamRanger2 to minimize how much I am handling the camera.

Either way, I can discern where the bracket begins and ends by the darkest or lightest exposure and organize my workflow accordingly.

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Oct 13, 2021 05:30:26   #
John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK
 
rmalarz wrote:
I don't use bracket techniques. However, I do, on occasion, do panoramic photographs. At the start of a sequence of photographs, I simply put my hand in front of the lens and take an exposure. When the series of exposures is complete, I take another photograph of my hand. That very simply marks the start and finish of that sequence.
--Bob


I just take a snap with the lens cover on or as Bob says hand over lens to separate each individual batch. I'll often do several of the same scene going under and over and sometimes take images from different sets.

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