Photo Bracketing & Lightroom Stacking

Written by Gregory Cazillo Wednesday, November 16, 2011 00:00

Another question from a CAZILLION!  This time its from Leo and he asked about image exposure bracketing.  What is it, how do we use it, when to use it is all explained in my video.  I also added some bonus stuff on how to make your life a lot simpler when using bracketing both in camera and in Adobe Lightroom.  Check out the video, oh and don't forget to comment with your favorite HDR or bracketed photo!

Hey Greg,

Not sure if you remembered, but I commented a few months back, asking about Bracketing. You mentioned how you might do a video on that, was wondering if you still was planning to do a video on that?  In all honesty, I haven't done any research on it, however I just found an inspiring HDR image and I want to give it a go. I will start looking into it, but curious to see your educational video.

Keep up the good work!

Many thanks.

Leo Hoang

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+1 # Espen Sebdal 2011-11-16 10:05

Hey Greg. Thanks for that video.
I've been making HDR for a little while, and I wrote a small guide with a workflow example on my facebook-page.

I find there's 2 major factors when it comes to HDR photos.
1: Using bracketing and fuse together images to make a nice photo with a larger dynamic range of light.
2: Using bracketing to tonemap a photo to make it surreal. This will make real life photos look like its taken out of a game, and can be really cool if done right.

Using photomatix to fuse or tonemap is excellent and will give you better images if the tonal range is so large that you will either get a blown out portion of the image or a completely dark one. This method will help you maintain details in both these areas.
So its not just for making surreal pictures but you can merge it together to make an image with lots more details.

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0 # Espen Sebdal 2011-11-16 10:05

Whats great about photomatix is that once its installed you can export from lightroom directly into photomatix, and when you are done and save from photomatix it will be reimported to lightroom. Handy :)

Link to my note on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=162428770436820

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0 # Dima 2011-11-16 10:07

Good video, thank you Greg. I'm still a bit unclear on your use of bracketing. Do you combine the frames or just choose the one that works best for you? Thank you!

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0 # Gregory Cazillo 2011-11-16 10:11

It depends on your need and what you want to create. Usually I will just pick one other times for interior photos I'll combine a couple for the windows.

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0 # Robby 2011-11-16 10:26

Nice video on auto bracketing! A few of the bracketed sets of images you had in lightroom would make for cool HDR images. I would like to see a video on when/if/and how you go about creating a HDR image.

One of my hdr images
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-XiovgNeU540/ToYmFQ9VsiI/AAAAAAACIWk/xPAKPK7t-xA/s912/DSC04653And8more.jpg

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0 # Robby 2011-11-16 12:07

Hmm, google munged my link

let me try this
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/106530468110569616272/albums/5566256006026655457/5658251853731050018?hl=en

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0 # Michael Lamberty 2011-11-16 10:59

Hello Greg,

watch here for one of the one best hdr-artist in germany.
I like his style and what is amazing that all needed shots taken freehand.
Best regards
Michael
www.flickr.com/photos/farbspiel/6249681860/

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0 # Robby 2011-11-16 12:10

Quoting Robby:

let me try this - NON SSL
plus.google.com/u/0/photos/106530468110569616272/albums/5566256006026655457/5658251853731050018?hl=en

Greg, This comment object does not seems to process "https://" links correctly. It displays the link properly, but the actual href is linked to "http://https// " -- not correct -- creating a bad link.

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0 # Gregory Cazillo 2011-11-16 12:13

They seem fine to me, they are just links. The comment function should have anything to do with it.

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0 # Gregory Cazillo 2011-11-16 12:14

Great stuff everyone! Keep them coming...

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0 # Tod Grubbs 2011-11-16 13:03

Nice presentation on bracketing and stacking with LR. I would like to hear more about stacking in LR, I watched the video to get what you had to say about stacking. I do HDR and you said to send you a good one. Here is one I took a few weekends ago standing in the middle of a busy street to get this shot of Austin Texas with the Texas Capitol in the back ground.

http://beecreekphotography.com/blog/?p=369

Re
Tod Grubbs
Bee Creek Photography

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0 # Dan Holahan 2011-11-16 14:00

Every time I listen to one of your casts, I learn something. Thank you. Here's a link to some of my HDR photos.
http://djh-photo.blogspot.com/2011/11/photos-taken-this-morning-at-beaver.html

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0 # Yasser 2011-11-16 15:24

Very informative video(s), thanks Greg. I'm learning my way in slowly and worked with HDR and bracketing using my D5000. Here is a link to my flickr HDR set:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/yayad/sets/72157624697333792/

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0 # Scott 2011-11-17 17:59

I don't care for HDR stuff either but Dave Hill has some of the most interesting stuff I've ever seen. http://www.davehillphoto.com/

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0 # Jim 2011-11-18 06:48

For those of us who don't have Lightroom ... yet ... as of today (18 Nov 2011) Amazon.com is selling it for $150. That is the full version and I just ordered mine.

After I install it will probably spend a few weeks just watching all of Greg's videos to see what I can do with it.

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