HDR Camera Settings

HDR Camera Settings 

01 Keep it steady

As you’ll be combining multiple shots to make your final image, the composition needs to be exactly the same in each photo. This means a sturdy tripod is vital. You’ll also need to take steps to avoid any camera movement between shots, so use a cable release so you don’t have to touch the camera at all during the process.

02 Camera settings

Your aperture has to remain constant throughout the sequence, otherwise the depth of field will change between shots and this will make aligning them more of a challenge. So, switch to your digital camera’s A, or aperture-priority mode. Now the camera will vary the exposure by changing only the shutter speed. We used an aperture of between f/8 and  f/11.

03 How many shots?

In most cases, three to nine images with a one- or two-stop difference between one shot and the next is enough for constructing an HDR image, but if the scene has a very wide brightness range you may need to shoot five or seven frames. Most HDR software can process NEF files, so set image quality to raw format for the best results.

04 Auto Bracket

Activate your camera’s auto bracket feature. This will calculate and adjust the exposures in your sequence. There are two settings. One is the number of shots – three is the normal number, but some cameras let you shoot up-to nine  The second setting is the interval between the shots. This can be 1EV, 2EV or, on some cameras, 3EV.

05 Continuous mode

Now set your camera to the continuous shooting mode. If you have a choice of speeds, pick the fastest available. This will minimise any cloud and tree movement between each shot which can cause nasty ‘ghosting’. You’ll now be able to take all the shots you need for the HDR sequence without touching the camera.