What is Exposure Bracketing?
Exposure bracketing is a technique where multiple images of the same scene are captured at different exposure levels. Typically, this involves:
One properly exposed image, based on the camera’s light meter.
One underexposed image (e.g., -1/3 EV or -1 EV) to retain highlight details.
One overexposed image (e.g., +1/3 EV or +1 EV) to bring out shadow details.
By capturing these variations, you ensure greater flexibility in post-processing, allowing you to select the best exposure or blend multiple images for an optimal result. Some cameras and smartphones offer built-in bracketing presets, but adjusting the settings manually helps develop a deeper understanding of exposure and its impact on an image.
Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB)
Many modern digital cameras feature Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB), which automates the process by taking three or more shots at different exposure levels in quick succession. This is particularly useful in high-contrast scenes, such as landscapes with both bright skies and deep shadows similar to the work of Ansel Adams, who mastered tonal control in photography.
Why Use AEB?
AEB is especially beneficial for HDR photography (High Dynamic Range), where multiple exposures are blended to create an image with rich detail in both highlights and shadows. This ensures that no part of the image is overly bright or lost in darkness, resulting in a well-balanced and professional-looking photograph.
Understanding HDR Photography
What is HDR?
HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography is a technique used to capture a more balanced exposure by blending multiple images taken at different brightness levels. Since cameras have a limited dynamic range, they often struggle to expose both bright highlights and deep shadows correctly in a single shot.
Typical HDR Bracketing Sequence:
Underexposed (-1 EV): Captures details in the brightest areas (highlights).
Properly exposed (0 EV): A balanced base exposure.
Overexposed (+1 EV): Reveals shadow details.
By blending these exposures, HDR produces a final image with richer tones and enhanced detail, making it ideal for landscapes, architecture, and high-contrast environments.
The Evolution of HDR: The Ansel Adams Zone System
Before digital HDR techniques, Ansel Adams pioneered a similar concept through the Zone System a method designed to control exposure and tonal range in black-and-white photography. This system allowed photographers to carefully adjust their exposure and film development to preserve details in both deep shadows and bright highlights, essentially an early version of modern HDR.
Find out more on my ANSEL ADAMS blog post!
My attempt at exposure bracketing and HDR
Other images corrupted when redoing blog posts =(