5 Reasons You Should Merge To HDR For Better Architectural Photos

As part of my professional workflow I'm using Lightroom's Merge to HDR feature on a consistent basis. Here's 5 reasons why I do, and 5 reasons that you should consider it too!
Capturing the full dynamic range within a scene is a continual struggle, particularly for architecture photographers because the contrast between interiors and exteriors is often so vast. We have many techniques at our disposal, and many that I've covered before. But whether you use Lightroom or Photoshop, luminosity blending or a dedicated HDR program, merging your brackets into one file in Lightroom offers several advantages. Let's take a look in this video what they are.
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[@stevenlingo7212]

Love your videos on both of your channels -- Could you do an HDR architectural sample with the new Luminar NEO HDR plug-in? Would love to see how your approach might have changed. A video on CAMERA PROFILES that you mentioned that you mentioned on your other channel would be an appreciated topic. Great work!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi Steven, thanks for your kind words. Great ideas for a couple of vids there. I'll see what I can do! Cheers for watching 😀👍

[@wearechangecthartford]

Ditch my files?!?!? You're a madman!!!

[@241photography]

Great video. Have used LREnfuse for many years but would love to see a proper LR HDR Merge workflow and see what I'm missing.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks Bruce. I'll see what I can do for you. 😀

[@2triumphalex174]

Great video! Thank you! Merging workflow video would be incredibly useful! 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@thelongarmmarine]

Another video might be in order…I’m quite weak in my PS skills…tried to watch an older video of yours, discussing smart objects & the like, but got a little lost…I’m currently using PhotoMatix to merge HDR, then with a flash shot, opening as layers in PS & using luminosity…

[@davidgray5659]

Hi Anthony could you please show an example of how to write or setup the licensing contract between you and a client as I have no idea how to write one and really studying to learn how to get started in this field and build my portfolio and clients

[@archiphoto]

Hi David. It's a good suggestion. I'll see what I can do. It's a very in-depth topic though and your initial contracts should really be finalised with lawyer to make sure you're fully covered and using the lingo appropriate to your country and accepted business practices there. A lot of what I do for clients is all done on verbal / email agreements and very much on a trust basis. So unless I'm working for a big corporation, often times there isn't an official contract in place.

[@jbphoto7493]

Let's see the process

[@ptatore]

A workflow video would be great.

[@JerodBeeson]

Workflow please!

[@paulfischer9722]

Thanks for the video! I compared an edited RAW and an edited DNG from a 3 shots bracketed exposure (1 stop). I noticed that I was able to recover as much data with the RAW as the DNG. Moreover, the DNG had more noise (which seems logical as the camera crank up the ISO to take that 1 stop overexposed shot). Therefore I don't know why I should continue taking bracketed exposures... Do you have an idea? I like your other HDR videos and would be happy to see more of them as we use them a lot in architecture photography

[@archiphoto]

Hi Paul. Cheers for the comment. It does sound like you're going about collecting your bracketed sets in the wrong way. Your ISO should remain consistent just like the f-stop. It's only the shutter speed that should vary. Adding amplitude into the sensor via increased ISO isn't actually giving you access to any more true dynamic range. Hence the reason your merged shots are noisy. Brackets are great for those times when you have a wider dynamic range to capture than the camera's sensor will allow or where there is a LOT of bunching at one end of the histogram (usually the shadows) in these cases shooting a proper set of brackets will serve you well. More dynamic range. Less noise. Just make sure you're not changing the ISO. Change shutter speed only. Hope that helps 😀

[@paulfischer9722]

@@archiphoto thanks a lot for the tips! A photographer also advised me to merge 5 shots instead of 3, with 1 stop in between. I'll definitely try that. Looking forward to see more info and hints on your channel!

[@ciphermedia]

Workflow please! Also, in my experience with bracketed exposures & Lightroom HDR, I often get poor results with translucent curtains. The HDR doesn't seem to deal well with the transition of the curtains between window (where the curtains are back-lit) and wall (where they're front-lit by the room ambient light). What's your strategy in this situation?

[@archiphoto]

Hi Mate. Could you send some examples through to [e-mail] and I can take a look. Cheers.

[@cabbagepatch8947]

I sometimes bracket 3 or more but then just select, feather and copy a darker or lighter area and paste it into the 'base' image.