How To BRACKET For PERFECTLY EXPOSED Landscape Photos

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

Addendums needed for WHY to bracket with shutter speed instead of aperture or ISO: - Changing F/stop will vary the depth of field for each image, so you'll have variations between images of areas in or out of focus. - Changing ISO can change the color balance. P.S. - set the camera's white balance to a manual function (e.g. daylight, shade, etc.) rather than AWB so the color values remain constant. Varying exposure lengths can also affect the color balance, so the images may not visually match when you blend later.

[@brucewiebe6490]

Of course changing shutter speed and introduce motion blur if there is movement in the picture. eg. windy conditions or moving water.

[@EC-ol8nz]

John Drummond Good explanation on depth of field. I didn’t know iso could affect color so much. I use a nikon d5200👍

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

@@EC-ol8nz thanks. White balance changes from ISO adjustment might be subtle but noticeable, depending on the sensor, I guess. I don't know from model to model. I just know that changing shutter speed adds the fewest extra variables, unless you have wind and moving foliage.

[@nickfanzo]

Iso is gain, not exposure

[@oamyway975]

👍👍 🙏🙏

[@davidadams421]

Quick tip if you do a lot bracketing, use the Auto-Stack by Capture Time feature ( _select all your bracketed shots >> Photo >> Stacking >> Auto-Stack by Capture Time_ ). Then you can simply select the stack and CTRL+H to HDR it. Great video!

[@AdamosKyriakou]

David Adams i assume that’d in Lightroom? Been looking for that feature in Capture One Pro

[@davidadams421]

@@AdamosKyriakou Yeah, should have said, this is a tip for Lightroom.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

David Adams Thanks David! Appreciate you watching!

[@acceleratedcareerdevelopment]

Amazing Tip! I will try this real soon!

[@jamesgerboc]

I like how your camera exposure, exposure compensation and histogram are reflected in Live View. Your expansion of how to tell when to use bracketing is much harder when Live View doesnt change and the effects are only in Playback.

[@ralphbaez9099]

The best explanation of bracketing I've seen yet. You actually go through all the steps in camera as well as in post instead of rushing through like most guys do. Thanks!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Great to hear the video was helpful Ralph!

[@mikemitchell3889]

I have no doubt your explanations of technique are helping many budding shooters!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Mike Mitchell Much appreciated Mike - I sure hope so!

[@molopez619]

Mike Mitchell he does a great job explaining!

[@kennypringle4580]

I have never attempted hdr bracketing of multiple images. After watching your video I’m no longer afraid and intimidated by the process.

[@sshultz8121]

I really appreciate that your video runs through the entire process from taking the shot through post processing. Well done!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

S Shultz Thanks so much - glad you enjoyed this week’s video!

[@mauistevebear]

Great video! I'm a big fan of stacked images, both exposure, and focus. What I learned from you today was your 3 image, 2 stop setting. I've been using 5-7 with 1 stop, and YES, they were coming HDRie. Gonna start using just 3/2 stop. Thanks, Mark! you are a great instructor!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Steve Bearman Thanks Steve - I do my best! It’s great to know you were able to take something away from this week’s video👍

[@judycolbran8271]

When shooting sunrises especially in winter when hands are cold, often get frustrated the sky is over exposed and find using and changing filters too fiddly especially with cold numb fingers.. Been wanting to learn how to bracket and merge the images for quite some time. You have explained this so clearly. I took 5 photos in my kitchen at different exposures and merged them through light room. Easy Peasy.... Very happy, can't wait now to get out for a sunrise and give it a go. Thank you. Have now subscribed and looking forward to seeing some more of your tips and tutorials x

[@karakallaromain5378]

very well explained thank you

[@Powerstroke98]

Well, I see I'm back, after 3 years, checking out your video again Mark, as I haven't used bracketing for a while, and figure it's time to get back into adding some HDR into my images. Appreciate your help, as I see many of your videos, and find them all so very helpful...thanks again.

[@fachiro1]

Great video...absolutely great

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Roger Su Thanks Roger - it’s great to hear!

[@Nicola_Kluge]

Thank you so much for comparing the single shot to the bracketed shot version! That was extremely helpful! Great tutorial, really appreciate you!

[@stevegrooms1142]

The general advice you give early in the video is fine. It's the kind of tip KZbin videos usually offer. But when you compared the HDR image with an edited version of the image, you did something remarkable. That step elevated the video from "pretty good" to "great!"

[@molopez619]

Steve Grooms definitely a valuable video to watch and catch some fundamentals.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Steve Grooms Thanks for this feedback Steve - it’s very much appreciated👍

[@benjaminstrobel3622]

Mark! Thank you for taking the time to break down exposure bracketing. Super helpful!

[@wahabdilawar]

This is most definitely the BEST video on the topic of HDR, which I have seen so far. The explanation in the end regarding the difference in detail was eye-opening. Brilliant. Thank you very much for your time and effort.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Wahab Dilawar This is great to hear - thank you!

[@justond7596]

Mark thank you so much, first of all, for speaking as a human and not as a used car salesman like too many videos I found on KZbin. Your information is practical easy to understand and easy to put to use, common sense and with visible results, thank you and I'll be watching a lot of Mark Denny videos this weekend ... Juston

[@JeffUnderwoodUK]

Not only learnt a huge amount about why my attempts at HDR were falling short through my Sony, but I also enjoyed the video. Great.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Jeff Underwood Great to hear it was helpful Jeff!

[@VSims]

Three years later and this video will help me on my first HDR RE project.. thank you!

[@turnerrandolph4256]

I mostly shoot micro 4/3 and bracket often. I've found if I don't bracket I tend to over expose. If I am underexposed when I bring up the shadows I have way too much noise. If I over expose then I can usually bring the highlights down and have a nice image. Anything more than 1 stop and I have found bracketing to be the savior of my image. Thanks for the video!

[@molopez619]

Definitely great advice!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Thanks Turner! Appreciate you watching it!

[@nate2838]

You have an extremely good way of presenting that is easy to understand and deliver the information concisely.

[@ianclark2722]

Hi Mark Another really useful video, something else for me to think about, many thanks Ian

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Ian Clark Many Thanks Ian! Glad you found the video useful!

[@lynnekrueger9056]

Sooo glad I found this video! I've been looking for explanations on bracketing and you answered them. I thought it was a fancy term for manually taking 3 photos and deciding which exposure is preferred. I see now about auto bracketing AND blending them together is the goal. Thank you for fully explaining that!.

[@natew.455]

This helps to better understand how a photographer can tell their story with an image. For so long I made the exposure the main theme of my story telling, but I never get the images I want. When I do it’s pretty much a fluke. Knowing when to use HDR gives more control.

[@andybanks3416]

Hi Mark , The best video I’ve seen on how to bracket, & also your video on focus stacking, you make it simple to do . Many thanks.

[@EdBacon]

Nice overview, I agree I think Lightroom HDR Photo Merge does a very nice job. And as you said one can use other techniques to blend exposures with more control. May I offer a few suggestions based on my experience. When shooting with my Olympus there is a feature to show the clipped shadows (blue) and blown highlights (red) on the EVF or live view monitor. I capture an image changing the exposure until the blue disappears (ignore the red area); capture a second image adjusting exposure until the red disappears (ignore the blue). Often these 2 images are sufficient and can be merged, but if there was a wide range between the 2(many clicks of the dial), then I capture another exposure between the two extremes. Of course by “adjusting exposure” I mean keep a consistent aperture and adjust shutter speed (or exposure compensation if in aperture priority mode). I have found this more precise than the defaults offered by the auto exposure bracketing. When shoot with my Sony a7riii, the dynamic range is often sufficient to use a single capture. In this case I do not try to do it all in a single set of adjustments in Lightroom. There are two techniques I consider. First use global Lightroom adjustments for either the shadows or the highlights, then use a local adjustment for the other (highlight or shadow). The local adjustment tools have a luminosity masking feature which makes the transition between these two areas “believable”. The second technique to consider would be to load the RAW file as a smart object, duplicate the smart object layer. Adjust one layer in ACR for the shadows, adjust the other for the highlights, and use masks to blend them. I find that only time I am relying on auto exposure bracketing is when I do a hand-held HDR. I know you said don’t do that, and I almost always have my camera on a tripod, but sometimes while waiting for the light I grab a second camera and explore other compositions. So if the shutter speed is fast enough and with the in-body stabilization I sometimes can pull this off (assuming continuous shooting).

[@molopez619]

Ed Bacon great advice Ed!

[@richard5005]

Mark you hit a home run with video. Thanks !

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Richard Gerber Really appreciate it Richard!

[@mnzman59]

Mark, I'm relatively new to your channel but already have learned a lot. Explaining what you're doing in the field, then demonstrating in the lab really helps me understand not only the how-to's but also the why's in your subject matter. I shoot with a Canon 80D and use LR for post processing. I am able to watch/pause your video and replicate each step with my equipment and software along the way. Very useful! Looking forward to more of your posts. You're helping me unlock (and understand) many of the features and functional capabilities of both my DSLR and my post-processing software.

[@paulfacklamm5150]

This is genuinely the best advice you can get for free as a rookie photographer. Thanks mate, really appreciate your effort

[@AvenueImaging]

Fantastic explanation! Subscribed!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Great to hear! Thanks so much!

[@Spiros_Pandis]

More fantastic content! Thanks, Mark!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Spyros Pandis Thanks so much!

[@davidaldridge3669]

I had never heard of the "one stop rule" before. It certainly makes a lot of sense. Thanks Mark for that very useful tip.

[@molopez619]

David Aldridge this video is a gem!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

David Aldridge Great to hear it was helpful David!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Moises Lopez Photography Thanks Moises🙏

[@georgee3401]

Great tutorial. Thanks!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Thank YOU George!

[@jasonlouzado8216]

Great video and summation of the benefits of bracketing to get that great dynamic range. Looking forward to putting it in action! Thanks Mark!

[@jamesvoiss7122]

Really helpful information. I have not used exposure bracketing before. Now I’ve got something new to play with. Thank you.

[@ronwesson373]

You are sooo good at explaining things. I thank you again from the bottom of my heart.

[@pappumurthy9462]

One of the best on bracketing videos. Very well explained HDR purpose.

[@ackaku]

I have just begun to watch your videos. I think they are great,..precise , easy to understand and really helpful. Thanks a lot !

[@mthesse]

That technique helps a lot . Thnx Mark. Keep up with your awesome work.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Michael Hesse Appreciate it Michael - great to hear the video was helpful!

[@davegrenier1160]

If your camera is suggesting a baseline exposure ("correct" according to the meter) that is over- or underexposed (today's metering systems are pretty smart, but they can be fooled be extreme lighting situations), you can compensate with the exposure compensation dial to bring that middle exposure where you want it, and then get your bracket around that exposure. In windy conditions or other situation in which you have a moving camera and/or subject, take your best shot in RAW, then make your bracket from that image in your RAW processing by outputting the baseline image and one image at an overexposure setting and the other under (output them as ".HDR" images if you are able). You will then have the exposures you need to do what you want in post. I see almost zero difference between images made from an in-camera bracket and those made from an artificial, RAW-editor-made bracket. It's just easier and faster to let the camera do the work at the scene. If you find later that your exposures won't combine well because of ghosting or a focus shift, you can still use your best exposure to do the manual, post-camera bracket in your RAW editor. Concerning HDR merges - HDR compilers allow the user to change some (even many) parameters such as exposure, contrast, saturation, vibrancy, etc, as well as how much tone mapping it applies. Check to see what its preset is applying and how much, and then change to suit (maybe save as your own preset). It's easy to get a very natural-looking image out of an HDR editor that allows you to control the output.

[@aleksandarzphotography]

Very good speech! Default +2,0-2 works very good but for best results i like to manually bracket stuff. Switch metering mode to average spot metering and move focus point on sky, foreground, background etc. for best results 🙂

[@leniehulse1621]

So after doing the metering manually do yo7 blend the photos by layering in PS or do still use hdr in LR?

[@SamuelLetecheur]

A clear and to the point tutorial. Great job as usual. I always go back to your channel when I need guidance or to refresh my memory about photography technique.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Samuel Letecheur This is great to hear Samuel! Appreciate ya stopping by to let me know!

[@tamarapipkin7675]

Excellent video, easy to follow your instructions. I'm going to try the new skills I just learned this weekend. Thank you!

[@shot2death876]

Good introduction to bracketing...

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

oldkingjames oldkingjames Thank YOU!

[@Spartacus1975]

Thank you for the video! What also helps, if the foreground is dark and the sky bright: A GND-filter to darken the sky and to make the exposure differences smaller. And when I was shooting with my A6000 I was bracketing a lot, with the A7R III hardly ever because of the possibility to pull up the shadows with almost no noise (at low ISOs of course).

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Tom Pohorski Many Thanks Tom! Appreciate ya watching this week’s video!

[@jmoreland]

I just started getting into photography and stumbled upon your videos and they are helping a lot, so thank you for all the tips and knowledge!!

[@DanBuell]

Great video btw!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Thanks Dan! Glad you think so!

[@rebatov]

You're totally right about the HDR look. It looks totally unrealistic if we have more than 3-4 stops of bracket. How much is the right bracket? Now, I know! Thanks!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Bishal Dangal I usually shoot 2 stops under and 2 stops over.

[@prospectvic]

Wow, I have not pushed a button on my Z5 as yet, your video has finally made sense to me, everybody else edits there pictures till they look fake, I think yours looked very easy to follow and kept detail. You have put hope back into my new chosen hobby, thanks mate. Len from Aussie land

[@darksideemt]

Excellent info as always sir!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

travis branum Thanks man👍👍

[@TonyOlinger]

Excellent explanation and video... thank you 🙏

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Tony Olinger Glad to do it Tony! Thank YOU for watching!

[@JustinBradleyPhotographer]

Nice use of the exposure on the video while explaining the bracketing process! Small touch, big impact at really driving home the point and I could not have explained it better myself.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Justin Bradley Thanks Justin! Appreciate it man!

[@framed-tales]

As always Mark, even though I believe I know the things you describe, it feels so refreshing to watch and listen to your tutorials. Great service Man! Keep doing this and do not let yourself merge into commonplace gear hypes and competitive rants. Always looking forward to your videos.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Abu Sufian Mohammad Asib Thanks so much! Really appreciate the support!

[@JohnDoranski]

Thanks for this old video. I only started photography in March 2024, so this was really helpful in my shooting today. 11 Sept. 2024.

[@dorypanch1936]

Thank you for this awesome video. I was so afraid to try it but the editing part is so easy to understand. Thank you so much again!

[@ksnmurthy4476]

Awesome and simplified tutorial. Thanks Mark. 💐👍

[@tonymckeage1028]

Hi Mark, Great Video, I do it's exactly the same as you except i use my base exposure as -1 stop, then bracket at - 3 and + 1. I developed that based on that light meters always tend to over expose! I then make the call to either select the best! or use HDR blending! I think it has made a huge difference to my images, thanks!

[@jeffersononetwo]

Outstanding video!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Jeff Leak Thank ya Jeff!

[@JacksonBly]

Terrific explanation, Mark. So very helpful. Thank you!

[@stackerssenior890]

The one stop rule for bracketing is useful - thank you

[@loganarmbruster3945]

Great explanation Mark! I have always wondered how I could confirm that LR was taking the best exposure for each tone (shadows, midtones, highlights, etc), and this was a great tip for verifying LR was indeed using the correct exposure for the shadows (overexposed bracket) and the correct exposure for highlights (underexposed bracket). However, I did want to point out that the deeper and richer green tones in your image are also likely from the basic editing that LR applied when you did the HDR merge. When the auto-settings are applied, LR typically bumps up the vibrancy and saturation, brings down the blacks, and bumps up the whites to introduce some more color and contrast to the image. These minor edits weren't applied to the single 'correct' exposure, thus making the HDR image slightly more contrasted and saturated which would make the greens look a bit more rich. However, there is no denying that it produces a MUCH cleaner image and there is no doubt that even with all the same edits applied, the HDR image would have better color and contrast in the shadows. Nonetheless, nice video Mark!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Thanks Logan! Glad you enjoyed it man! Yep, colors always render better when captured with a proper exposure as opposed to needing to increase exposure or shadows and/or make major adjustments to the highlights.

[@oamyway975]

Very nicely explained. Important tutorial. Thank you 😀 👍 🙏🙏 💐💐💐

[@MichalOlender]

Smooth, thanks Mark!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Michal Olender Thank YOU Michal!

[@JobberE69]

Basic and pretty well explained...perfect video! :) - For the filters, I'll add: if your subject is going above the horizon (or entering the sky), don't use filters...if the subject remains below it, then it's a good option :)

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Guillermo Gallego Lora Glad ya enjoyed it👍

[@lammydi]

Hi Mark, I've been using the Blending technique in Photoshop and I just tried the bracketing using LR. It shown similar results with a lot less work using your tutorial. This will save me a lot of time in my workflow. THANK YOU.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Lammydi Awesome! Great to hear the video was helpful👍

[@signmanjfk]

Very well explained. Awesome job. Can't wait to try it...

[@lifeinrc9051]

Mark, I've watching a hand full of your videos and have to say you have greatly helped this photo noob a great deal in understanding different processes. Thanks for the tutorials sir, subbed.

[@a1pestservice]

Thanks for a great video and tips.

[@brucetga31]

Thank you for this video and keeping it simple.I didn’t really understand bracketing but I went out and used it yesterday and it made a huge difference in the quality of my photos. Still making mistakes but learning.

[@MickeyGooner]

I knew exp bracketing was good but your comparison between using that or shadows/highlights blew me away and totally convinced me to use the AEB option on my X-T30 more! Thanks Mark!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Mickey B. That’s great to hear man! Glad the video was useful! See ya next week👍

[@Powerstroke98]

When I bracket, like you I usually always use 3, but with one stop between, so I'm going to try 2 as you do, and see what I come up with! I tend to use the Skylum products (rarely use LR) thus Aurora takes care of the HDR images nicely. One thing I've found though, is after doing your bracketing, put you camera back to single shot with bracketing off, as it's easy to forget, making your next outing having yourself wondering why things are not working as they should! Thanks Mark!

[@terrygordon1045]

Great video Mark. From someone totally new to bracketing photos.

[@andygiordano1072]

Very well explained Mark, thank you! The quick, one click blending feature in lightroom is also good to know about.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Appreciate it Andy! Yep, super simple to do in LR!

[@johnjackson9601]

The information you provided on the one stop method was very beneficial for me. Thanks for sharing that tip.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Great to hear - thanks for watching John!

[@VincentBee2532]

Excellent

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Corey Panno Thanks Corey!

[@grantw7]

I wish I had watched this BEFORE I went to the Grand Canyon and Egypt. Merging is much faster in getting closer to a great image than just relying on LR alone.

[@draculalime]

Thanks so much for mentioning how this is a better alternative to the graduated filters. I've been so stressed out about a trip I'll be taking soon where there will be many beautiful landscapes, thinking I won't get the images right. Since I won't be able to afford the filters any time soon, what you said put me at ease and kinda boosted my confidence about the shots I'll be taking. Thanks again for this and honestly for all your content!

[@fabsamba]

Great class again!! I was struggling with brackets, that was enlightening!

[@johnyates153]

Thank you with this video,it has helped me understand the exposure bracketing concept I'm excited to start using it now!

[@davytyler]

This is mind blowing. I didn't know this was a thing. I cannot wait to try this.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

David Watkeys Glad to hear the video was helpful David - appreciate you checking it out!

[@therowleys1855]

Thanks ! Very helpful video

[@busterlynch5278]

Very helpful and informative. Thanks.

[@DieterWoestemeier]

Good job

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Dieter Woestemeier Much appreciated!

[@ericklindberg8377]

Great video! This is exactly my process for bracketing and I tend to use it a lot as well. My camera is not nearly the best, so it's dynamic range isn't the greatest. Doing this really helps! Have been doing a lot of video work the past couples days, was great to have your video to sit and enjoy while drinking my Saturday morning coffee! See ya next week my friend!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Erick Lindberg Appreciate ya letting me join you on your Saturday morning coffee session - see ya next week buddy👍

[@rhiggins86]

Great tips and great video! Well explained, straight and to the point! Thanks for the help and explanation :)

[@instant_mint]

Thanks for the super helpful video! I feel like I know how to do it now! 😀 Can't wait to try

[@Hackineering]

I was looking for something ultra specific and you sir hit the nail on the head. Much appreciated!!!

[@bobsmurf1601]

Great video Mark, short and simple to follow and great to see the difference in you're results between processing the exposures and bracketing in Camera, an eye opener,thank you.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Bob Smurf Many thanks Bob! Great hearing the video was useful!

[@pauldowney7130]

Thanks Mark - excellent presentation. You’ve really gotten good at explaining things - you’re confidence is showing since I first latched on to your channel. Always look forward to your calmness and clarity. 😃👍

[@danielrao3120]

A very informative and well-explained video Mark. Thank you very much.

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Daniel Rao Great to hear - I’m glad you think so!

[@richardburguillos3118]

What I found amazing is that it created a combined image in RAW! For some reason I thought it would change the format. That’s great. What if you adjusted each of the three images and then combined them? Does not ignore your adjustments to those images when combining?

[@iandi8898]

great video mark and perfect timing as i was just thinking of buying graduated filters👍

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Awesome! Hope the video helped!

[@ricardomagath3640]

Mark Denney!! Love your tutorials man! Learned a lot and it helped cleared some confusing topics regarding landscape photography. I particularly like the video of the tree at different focal ranges and understanding how zoom lens compression of the background and foreground changes the perspective of the image 👍🏻👍🏻

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Abdullah Thanks so much - really appreciate that!

[@constomy]

Awesome, just learning photography. I did a sunset shot the other day that this would have worked great. I really appreciate the info! Excited to get out there and try it again with this

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Appreciate ya watching Tom! Glad the video was helpful!

[@christianjensenphotography]

Great video. I often use the histogram to check for under/over exposed images/areas. If the histogram is chopped or out of boundaries I know I'm getting bad areas. If the histogram falls within its boundaries I know that I have a well exposed image to work with when I get back home to my computer.

[@danieldowns2756]

Thank you Mark, perfectly explained.

[@milosmokry]

Thank you for a very useful and constructive video that will help a person to perceive the exposure of the composition of the photo and help him to include this HDR method in his work style.

[@welshchap]

Brilliantly useful tutorial. Thank you.

[@antonydavid2953]

When using Lightroom HDR, I always check the ‘stack images’ box to clean up my library.

[@danielbastos1885]

Great tutorial, Mark! Topic very well explained. I was just thinking of buying graduated filters... Thanks a lot!

[@MarkDenneyPhoto]

Daniel Bastos Thanks for watching it Daniel!