Photography Tips

Dynamic range refers to the contrast levels in a scene, the difference between the brightest area and the darkest area. When you are at a location the contrast levels could be easily measured. All you need to do is set the camera to Shutter priority mode, use spot metering, first point the camera at the brightest area, (when there are light sources in your frame (lights, windows etc) point the camera towards the brightest source, half press the shutter button and take a reading, now point the camera towards the darkest area, (usually the area underneath furniture or the corners) and take a reading. The difference in f/stop is the contrast level of the scene.

While human eyes adjust dynamically to varying brightness levels and could easily have a dynamic range of 10 – 14 stops, even the most advanced digital camera present in the market only has a range of say 8 – 11 stops. Hence to capture a scene exactly as we see it, using fill light or combining multiple exposures into one are the options available. HDR is definitely the most-used method for real estate and beginner interior photographers. Here are some examples of realistic hdr architectural photography from our various shoots. To learn how to manually blend images for the realistic look refer this tutorial - Architecture Photography Tips - Combining Multiple Exposures for Interior Shots.

Photos by: Jijo John