If you take photos in the forest or take landscapes in the sunset, there are areas where the shadows are pitch black or the highlights are blown out. You just can’t get it right in camera (ask me how I know). Unlike our eyes, cameras have a limited dynamic range, so they can’t see all the detail in both bright and dark areas. But in his recent video, photographer Christian Möhrle guides you through the one setting that will help you deal with this. It’s Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) and it can be your secret weapon for conquering challenging lighting situations.
What is AEB, and why should you use it?
You’ll see the issue when you take a single photo of a landscape with a bright sky and deep shadows in the foreground. The camera captures the sky perfectly, but the details in the shadows are lost in darkness. Alternatively, you can expose for the shadows, but the sky will look like a washed-out mess.
This is where AEB comes in. It’s a camera setting that allows you to capture multiple exposures of the same scene at different brightness levels – typically one base exposure and bracketed exposures that are slightly under and overexposed. By merging these bracketed exposures in post-processing software, you create an HDR image with significantly more detail in both highlights and shadows.
Why five shots?
Traditionally, photographers used 3-shot AEB, capturing one base exposure and one stop under and over. however, Christian suggests using the 5-shot AEB. You can squeeze out even more detail from the scene by capturing two additional exposures (one stop further under and overexposed compared to the 3-shot method). This is particularly beneficial for scenes with extreme contrast, like landscapes with a bright sky and dark foreground elements.
Setting up for the 5-shot AEB
Christian further guides you through setting up your camera for the 5-shot AEB:
Find the AEB setting: Consult your camera manual to locate the AEB setting, which is usually found within the shooting menu. It might be labeled as “AEB,” “Bracketing,” or something similar.
Choose the number of shots: Select the 5-shot option. Some cameras might offer even more bracketed exposures, but 5 shots usually provide a good balance between detail capture and image file size.
Adjust the bracketing increment: Christian recommends using a 2-stop increment for each bracketed exposure. This means each additional image will be two stops brighter or darker than the previous one, capturing a wider range of tones.
Post-processing
After you’re done shooting, you’ll have to bring these five shots together. Most of us edits our photos at least to some extent, so this will just be an additional step in the workflow.
First, import your bracketed exposures into the software of your choice. Look for a feature to merge them into an HDR image. Most software offers a seamless merging process, so this shouldn’t be a problem.
Once the images are merged, you’ll have significantly more control over the shadows and highlights without introducing noise. Experiment with adjustments to bring out the best details in your scene.
When is 5-shot AEB not ideal?
While powerful, 5-shot AEB isn’t always the answer. It’s less suitable for scenes with movement, as merging images with moving objects can create ghosting artifacts. Opt for 3-shot AEB or single exposures for such situations.
Also, capturing five images requires more storage space. Additionally, processing HDR images can be slightly more time-consuming than editing single exposures.
Still, despite the potential downsides, I think 5-shot AEB is worth a try. I have only used the 3-shot AEB and wasn’t too happy with it, but I’ll give this a chance and see how it goes. How about you? Will you give it a chance? Or is it already a standard for you?
[The SECRET for BEAUTIFULLY EXPOSED PHOTOS | Christian Möhrle – The Phlog Photography]
