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Top 13 Real Estate Photography Editing Techniques

The post-processing for real estate photography takes a good amount of time for many photographers. This usually takes a huge amount of time as this is an important step in creating amazing images that will help clients in selling their property.

There are different techniques that photographers can use and do in order to retouch and make the properties look great in photos.

Here are some of the basic and most commonly used editing techniques for real estate photography:

1. Perform color correcting.

Color correction is probably one of the basic and essential steps in real estate photo editing. Color correction can be done on Lightroom and Photoshop. However, it’s easier and quicker to do it on Lightroom. With the eyedropper tool, just click on a neutral area to correct the colors of the entire image. Depending on the photo, you might need to adjust the saturation, hue, and tint in order to get a more realistic image.

2. Straighten the lines.

When shooting properties, you need to be extra careful with your lines. You need to make sure that these are straight and not bent in some way. Whether you’re shooting interior or exterior, you have to look at the lines and shoot them properly. However, you can always retouch them after a shoot. To align the lines in Photoshop, you can use the Free Transform. Make sure that you select the entire image and drag the corner of the image opposite to where the lines are leaning towards.

3. Even out the light.

When shooting interiors or exteriors, you might encounter problems with the shadows and uneven lighting. To combat this, use Lightroom to adjust shadows, highlight, whites, and blacks. Drag the Shadows bar to the right in order to open up the shadows a little bit. Make sure that it is a safe middle ground. If you have harsh highlights on the photo, you may want to drag your highlights bar to the left in order to bring down the hot spots. To adjust the whites and blacks, hold down the Alt key on your PC or the Option key on your Mac. Bring the whites or the blacks bar to the right until you see specs of white or black on the image.

4. Clean up the image with cloning.

Remove unwanted objects in your photo using the clone stamp tool in Photoshop. Click the clone stamp tool and choose the source area. Then, you can start cloning and painting over the object that you want to remove.

5. Adjust clarity.

On Lightroom, just push the clarity to the right in order to polish the photo. With adjusting the clarity, you might want to adjust the blacks as well in order to add depth and crisper look to the image.

6. HDR.

High dynamic range (HDR) is a technique that many real estate photographers use to create a greater dynamic range of luminosity. To create HDR images, make sure that you have shot your subject in different bracketed images. Then, all you have to do is merge the photos into one to show its highlights and shadows.

7. Lens correction.

This is a handy tool that you can use in Lightroom. It corrects the optical issues found in most lenses. To use this, just go to the Lens Correction module and click Enable Profile Corrections. Then, click on Remove Color Aberration.

8. Curves.

The Curves is a powerful tool in Photoshop. This can be used for color correcting and optimizing your colors. However, it can be an extensive tool that can be challenging to master. To use Curves, go to the Image menu, choose Adjustments and click on Curves. Click Auto in the dialog box. Drag the diagonal line at the center and pull it up to brighten the image or down to darken it. When you’re already happy with the outcome, click OK. You can freely play around with this tool and experiment in order to achieve the look that you want.

9. Using image processor.

The image processor allows you to resize your photos in batches. This is a time-saving tool, especially if you are working on hundreds of images that will have to be used in different mediums. To use the image processor tool, select File menu and click on Image Processor. Choose Folder in the dialog box and save in the same location. Choose JPEG as file type and click on Resize to fit and put in your desired dimensions. Make sure that you include the ICC profile and click Run.

10. Playing with hue and saturation.

Hue and Saturation is another helpful tool in Photoshop. This can be used for color correction and is also similar to Curves. However, Hue and Saturation can be used to enhance the greens on exterior and landscape photos. To use Hue and Saturation, go to Image menu, choose Adjustments, and click on Hue and Saturation. Choose Yellow from the dialog box. Increase the hue and decrease the saturation and lightness. Change the option from Yellow to Green and repeat the changes you’ve made to hue, saturation, and lightness. Then, click OK.

11. Do composites.

Composite is an ingenious technique that merges different photos to create a seamless image. This can be used in real estate when you’re blending together different images, such as stitching flash and ambient shots into a single photo. This is often done on instances wherein the subject is manually lit by the photographer using a handheld flash.

12. Batch edit, if possible.

If you’re working on similar edits on a number of photos, it’s best to batch edit them using Lightroom. This allows you to save time and do the minor edits all in one go. Just do the retouches and adjustments on one photo and sync these changes into the rest of the images.

13. Keep it natural.

The final yet most important photo editing technique when retouching real estate photos is to keep it natural. It can be too easy to go overboard when editing photos. However, you need to make sure that you create a more natural look in order to make the photos believable. The goal in real estate photography is to sell the property. Make sure that you err on the natural side every time you retouch your images.

January 17, 2018
Interior Photos: Basic Editing Using Lightroom

Interior photos are beautiful but also can be very challenging to shoot and edit. However, they make up the majority of the photos in a given property listing since buyers are interested in what’s inside a home.

Photo Editing Company

Aside from putting the work in shooting the property, you also need to take the time to retouch and post-process your images before you hand them over to the clients. Amazing photos take time and effort, especially if you are shooting interior photos.

Using Lightroom

Adobe Lightroom is a staple tool for many photographers, no matter what their niche is. This software allows organizing, viewing, and editing a large number of images. This is great for non-destructive editing that still keeps the data of the original image.

Lightroom will allow you to batch edit and adjust the lighting and colors on your images. This is a great quick tool to go over images for some minor or basic editing.

Aligning your verticals

photo by Shopify

One of the most basic, yet most necessary editing that needs to be done on all interior photos is aligning the verticals. This can be easily done on Lightroom.

1. Use transform tool under the develop tab and make the proper adjustments.
2. Make sure that the columns and the edges of the furniture are straight and aligned properly.

Adjusting the brightness

One of the usual issues when shooting interiors is dark images. There is an easy fix to this problem.

1. Open up the shadows in your image a little bit by dragging the shadows to the right. Adjust accordingly and make sure that you don’t highlight all your photo. A middle ground would be perfect.
2. If needed, you might want to bring down your highlight a little bit. This does not work for all interior images unless you see some hot spots or there are a lot of bright lights in your photo.
3. Hold down the Alt key on your PC or the option key on your Mac, and bring the whites bar to the right until you see specs of white on your photo. This will define the white on your image.
4. To show the blacks on your image, hold down the Alt key on your PC or the option key on your Mac. Bring the blacks bar to the right until you see some specs of black color on your image.

Correcting the white balance

Changing the white balance on interior photos can be a matter of personal taste. Often, the white balance in interiors can be off since you have several light sources. One of the easiest ways to correct the white balance is to use the eyedropper tool.

photo by www.lightroompresets.com

1. Click on the eyedropper tool on your Lightroom and find a neutral color. You can check the RGB percentages on the tool as you go over some areas of the photo. It would be best to pick white or a gray area.
2. Once you click on the right color, this will automatically correct the white balance on your image.
3. Adjust the temperature and the tint as to your liking. Increase the temperature a bit if the photo is too blue and bring the tint to the right.
4. Add some contrast and bring in some exposure to the photo. Just adjust the contrast and exposure bar as you seem fit.

Adjusting for the grain

Check the darkest areas of your image, like the floor or corners. Often these are the parts that have the most grain. To retouch for the grains, follow these steps:

photo by photographingspace.com

1. Adjust the luminance under the noise reduction module. Drag the bar to 40 or until the green grain gets neutralized.
2. Adjust the amount of sharpening to around 90 to make the photo very sharp.

Doing some lens correction

photo by photographylife.com

Lightroom’s lens correction tool is a very handy module that corrects the different optical issues on most lenses. It’s a quick and powerful tool that can be used on photos.

1. Just go to the lens correction module and check enable profile corrections. This automatically adjusts your photos and can bring about such big difference in the after photo.
2. Go to the color tab under lens correction and check remove color aberration.

Dodging and burning

Adding some interesting lights on the image is possible through Lightroom. Doing some dodging and burning on the photo will add some extra light. This can be great for images with lighting fixtures as this creates more realistic lighting.

photo by photographylife.com

1. Take your brush tool and make sure that you adjust the exposure, feather, flow, and density. Keep these high in order to create effective streaks of light.
2. Drag the brush on the areas where the light beams from the fixtures are naturally hitting, like the floor or ceiling. Drag over these areas to brighten the area. This technique adds some shine on the light in the room.
3. You can create a new brush with every beam that you add to make the light beams different every time.

January 11, 2018
Simple Guide to Enhance Real Estate Photography Using Photoshop

As a real estate photographer, there is a lot that goes on a day of photo shoot. Finding the right time of the day, good lighting, and good angle are all necessary to create great photos. In addition to that, the right gears are also important. However, most of the work goes beyond the shoot. Real estate photography editing and retouching take a lot of time to enhance real estate photography.

Retouching skills are necessary in order to beautify and create amazing photos that make potential buyers interested in the property.

Here are some tips for using Photoshop to enhance real estate photography:

Using Hue and Saturation

Hue and Saturation is a great Photoshop tool to correct colors. It has different options that you can play around with. One of the typical color errors in real estate photography has to do with adjusting the greens. Capturing the vibrant exteriors, like the grass and trees can be challenging for newbies. To accentuate the greenery follow these steps:

1. Open your image in Photoshop and select Image menu. Choose Adjustments and click on Hue and Saturation.
2. Select Yellow from the drop-down menu on the dialog window.
3. You can adjust the Hue to +15, drag down the Saturation to -5, and the Lightness to -5.
4. Select Green from the drop-down menu and make the same adjustments to Hue, Saturation, and Lightness.
5. Click OK.

With this technique, the changes are usually subtle. However, you’ll notice more vibrancy in the grass and make it stand out more in the photo.

Adjusting the brightness

When shooting exteriors of properties, getting a balanced light can be a challenge especially if you’re working with direct sunlight. There will be dark and shaded areas and brighter areas. Editing the photo in Photoshop might be the best solution for this issue.

1. Go to the Image menu. Then, choose Adjustments and Click on Levels.
2. Drag the center bar to the right in order to tone down the super bright areas.
3. Click OK.

This will add more contrast to the image. This tones down a lot of the brightness in the photo.

Darkening the grass color

If you see the grass a bit brighter than it should be, do a little retouching.

1. Go to the Toolbar and right click on Burn tool.
2. Select the right size of your brush. Go for a larger brush if you’re working on a larger area and a smaller brush for some details. Drag over your brush to the grass. This darkens some of the grass and leaves.
3. Stop only when you get the contrast that you want.

Straightening the home or property

Having straight lines on your image is important to make the property look its best. Often when the camera is not angled correctly, you might have slanting lines. To correct this, follow these steps:

1. Click on the Rectangular Marquee tool from the Toolbar.
2. Select the entire image.
3. Click on the Edit menu and choose Transform.
4. Click the Skew option from the drop-down menu.
5. Drag the corner of the photo to the left, if the house or property is leaning to the right. You might also need to pull the right corner a bit to balance it out. Make sure that you do not pull too far as this goes way past realistic. Make sure that the edges are aligned and are straight.
6. Once you’re done click on the check button.

This technique also works in straightening up the edges for interior shots.

Evening out the lighting in the interior

For interior shots, there might be instances when either half of the photo is darker than the other half. Lighting up every corner of the interior can be a challenge.

1. Go to the Dodge tool and choose the right size of the brush to work with.
2. Drag the Dodge tool over the darker areas to add a bit of brightness.
3. Go to the Filter menu, choose Sharpen, and click on Unsharpen Mask.
4. Raise the amount in order to get clearer details. Click OK.

January 8, 2018
Why is Phixer Considered One of the Best Photo Editors in the US?

Being in the business of real estate is competitive. The industry itself is highly competitive. There is a sense of urgency in everything, especially in selling as many properties as you can. Time is also of the essence as you have to focus on selling and booking more clients.

To keep up with your competitors, hiring photo editors is a must. This allows you to save time in order to focus on the essentials of your business. Finding a reliable photo editor can be challenging. If you are looking for one, consider Phixer.

About the company

Phixer is a photo editing company that specializes in architectural and real estate imagery. They take pride in using innovative software and processes to edit graphics, videos, and photos.

The company started in March 2009 as a group of developers and artists in Seattle who developed an application that streamlines marketing for real estate. A year later, they created a software application that delivers high-quality videos and photos. It was in February 2010 that Phixer was launched. That same year, the company grew and expanded to India. In 2013, they opened a subsidiary in the Philippines by partnering with Philippines Adobe Representatives in order to build a team of experienced photo editors.

High-quality output

Phixer maintains its quality and consistency despite having off-shore offices in India and Philippines. The USA office ensures ad checks the quality of the output.

Their real estate photo editors are well-trained and have the best software. Phixer has its own Style Sync software that allows photo editors to replicate the taste and style of every photographer. This allows them to learn from your unique editing technique in order to create images and videos that are consistent with your own personal preferred style.
They ensure that their photo editors have certifications with the advanced software applications in order to create the imagery needed for your business. Phixer provides continuous training to keep photo editors abreast with the latest in technology and processes. They are also required to have a degree in graphic design so you’re assured of their knowledge and skills in retouching your images.

Experience and support

Phixer has been in the industry for more than 10 years. This ensures that they have enough experience in real estate retouching. They have a proven track record and success with their output so you are assured of the quality. They are dedicated to quality so every image is scrutinized to pass their standards.

Their USA support team will assist you in every step of the way. From the very start of the project until the delivery of the output, you can be confident that you’ll get the assistance that you need. Phixer also has a quick turn-around so you can get ready for the next client without a sweat.

Fair sourcing

Aside from ensuring that every output that goes out is of high-quality and provides photographers the value that they need, Phixer creates a fair working environment for all their employees. Off-shore photo editors are given the same benefits and support as the ones in the US. This includes a retirement plan, health insurance, and a two-week vacation. Aside from that, the company gives artistic encouragement and development to inspire them with their own artistic endeavors.

January 5, 2018
What are the Best Real Estate Listing Sites in 2019 and Why?

When you’re searching for a home, there’s so much work that needs to get done. It is a big financial investment that can affect your future and your family’s future. Making sure that you purchase the right home is of high importance.

In addition to that, searching for a home is time-consuming. If you are in an urban area, you might need to pour most of your time for weeks or months looking into different websites and doing property visits. To speed up your search, make sure that you’re looking at the top real estate listings online.

From 2018 to 2019, Phixer still recommends to check out these top sites when looking for a house.

1. Zillow. The great thing about Zillow is that it has millions of property listings that often come with Google Earth views. This can be useful especially if you want an accurate image of how the property looks and not just an edited photo. The site has Zestimates, which is an estimated market value of a property that uses public data. There is also a forum for potential home buyers to interact with other people and get helpful advice. Zillow is a great tool if you’re a homeowner who wants to know the value of your home.

2. Redfin. This site has a coverage on 75 different metropolitan areas in the US and is updated every 30 mins or less. It has a pretty robust search tool that has interesting features like marking a home that is not for sale yet as a favorite where you can get an alert once it gets listed. You can also specify the fixer-uppers and homes with views that you want when you search. It has a “Last Call” option that updates you when a competing buyer gives a bid so you can counter. As a home buyer, you can view a home in person with a Redfin agent and they also have free home-buying classes if you are in their area of service.

3. Realtor. This listing is available on every state in the US. Realtor is sponsored by the National Association of Realtors which gives you access to hundreds of multiple listings services. You are sure that with this site, you are looking at a credible real estate resource that is frequently updated throughout the day. Their listings provide adequate marketing summaries to your chosen neighborhood, as well. The site is a good information resource and has useful services such as finding a realtor and search assist wherein you are matched to a real estate professional in a specific area.

4. Trulia. It is a user-friendly real estate listing site that allows you to view listings in map formats or in photos. You can get information on the neighborhood of your choice, like its price trends, school reviews, crime reports and others. Trulia also has interesting features, such as find an agent, compare it, and price reductions. It has an online community where potential buyers and home sellers can interact and discuss the buying and selling processes. Users can also blog about their experiences.

5. Homes. If you just want the basics, then Homes.com is where you should look. It has an easy way to look for properties for rent, homes for sale, the home values of recently sold properties, and a directory of real estate professionals in different areas. The site also has demographic information about different neighborhoods. The great thing about Homes.com is that it has different mobile search options no matter what your device is. Its mobile site is also robust so you can easily drive around the neighborhood and search for available homes.

January 2, 2018
Top 5 Best Cameras for Real Estate Photography

When it comes to real estate photography, having the right gear is indispensable to creating really good images. Although having a good eye and knowing composition are necessary skills, investing in superb gear will be a game-changer for your work.

If you’re in the market for the best cameras in your field, here are Phixer.net’s top choices for you:

Canon M3 EOS

photo credit usa.canon.com

This point-and-shoot compact camera is super easy to use. This is a budget-friendly camera that is great for those who are just starting with real estate photography. It comes with the 15-45mm wide-angle lens that fits perfectly with shooting properties and interiors. Even if it’s considered a beginner’s camera, you can always shoot it like a professional. Make sure that you have the right accessories to accompany your Canon M3. Shoot with a tripod and an external flash or some lights. Having the bases covered ensures that you can start shooting with a simple camera and still create amazing photos for your clients.

Sony Alpha a7R III

photo credit sonyrumors.co

This camera is best for low-light and interiors. It’s a full-frame mirrorless camera that can be used with interchangeable lenses. It has a resolution of 42 megapixels and an ISO range of 100 to 3200. The camera is powered by an EXMOR R BSI CMOS sensor and BIONZ X processor. It creates amazing photos with a size of 7952 x 5304 pixels. Sony has installed the five-axis sensor shift for shake compensation.

Nikon D5

photo credit Nikon USA

It’s an all-around great camera that you can shoot anything with. It has 20.8 megapixels and full-frame CMOS sensor. The camera has an ISO range of 100 to 102400. It also has 12-bit RAW S and 14-bit RAW format support. Since it has a large sensor and a smaller resolution, it creates lower noise on images and has a better dynamic range in low-light situations.

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

photo credit usa.canon.com

This is one of the top DSLRs today. It has a 30-megapixel CMOS sensor and it comes with a digital lens optimizer. The camera captures amazing photos with a great amount of detail. Its smart optimizer technology reduces the optical defects. If you’re going to shoot real estate video, this camera allows you to capture 4K videos, as well.

Panasonic Lumix GH5

photo credit CNET

This is an excellent camera for shooting 4k video. It has a 20.3-megapixel sensor that’s great for high-quality videos and for photos. This comes with a large OLED viewfinder and an advanced autofocus system. Its image stabilization allows you to create steadier shots while reducing the motion blur. It’s also designed well and is comfortable to use.

With a good camera for your business, you also need to invest in accessories. External flash, tripod, extra batteries and charger, UV filter and lighting are necessary for supplementing your camera. This allows you have a good setup every time you’re out for a project. You’re also assured that you have all the bases covered when it comes to gears so that you’re primed to capture the best images for your clients.

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Featured photo credit: https://www.nyip.edu/

December 29, 2017
Top 5 Architects of All Time

The following famous architects changed the way we think about construction and gave us some the most breathtaking buildings to photograph.

Frank Lloyd Wright

George Barton House

Easily the famous American architect, Frank Lloyd Wright designed 1,114 works of various types which turned into 532 completed projects. Over 7 decades he was one of the most innovative, prolific designers ever and changed the way we live by changing the way we build.

Antoni Gaudí

Park Guell

Antoni Gaudí believed the essence and the meaning of architecture are found in the very patterns of nature and its laws. Gaudí himself once said: “originality consists of going back to the origins.” Gaudí tremendously impacted subsequent generations of modernists architects. His genius created a unique, personal and incomparable style that defies typical classification.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

Chicago Federal Center

Starting as an innovative architect in 1920’s Germany, Mies was the last director of the Bauhaus, a seminal school in modern architecture. After Nazism rose to power, due to it’s strong opposition to modernism, Bauhaus was closed. Mies emigrated to the United States and accepted the position to head the architectural school at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago. Mies sought to establish a new architectural style that could represent modern times just as Classical and Gothic did for their own eras. He created an influential twentieth-century architectural style of extreme clarity and simplicity. He made use of modern materials such as industrial steel and plate glass to define interior spaces and strove toward an architecture with a minimal framework of structural order balanced against the implied freedom of unobstructed free-flowing open space. He is often associated with his quotation of the aphorisms, “less is more” and “God is in the details”.

Philip Johnson

The Crystal Cathedral

Johnson’ role as the founding director of Museum of Modern Art’s Department of Architect meant that he helped to shape architectural trends from 1935 onward. In 1979, Johnson was the first recipient of the Pritzker Prize. From his early modern structures to his later postmodern buildings, Johnson defined several architectural movements over the course of his decades-long career.

Eero Saarinen

The Gateway Arch

The modernist ideal of simplicity became a form of corporate conformity after the war, and it is against this backdrop that Eero Saarinen’s mid-century designs provided a fresh perspective. In contrast to the standardized box adopted by the International Style, Saarinen employed swooping curves that gave his architecture a sense of soaring transcendence which is evident in projects such as his 1947 design for St. Louis’s magisterial Gateway Arch.

December 28, 2017
A Guide on How to Optimize Your Real Estate Listings

With the internet becoming an indispensable platform for selling, you cannot afford not to be found online as a business owner. Especially when you’re in the real estate industry, the competition can be tough. You need to be ahead in the game to outsell your competitors and reach your market faster.

In order to outsell your competitors and reach your market faster, you need to establish a strong presence online and make your listings accessible to potential buyers. Aside from just posting, you also need to ensure that your listings are optimized.

Here are some considerations that you need to take into account in order to optimize your listings:

1. Add relevant content.
Make sure that you have effective copy and text for your listings. This is a must if you want to sell your properties quickly. Aside from that good copy also ranks well with search engines. Make sure that you add an adequate description of the property and include the address. Use local keyword phrases, as well. This is necessary especially if you are servicing a specific area or state. Use common local search terms and customize these depending on your specific area. Making sure that these are included will help buyers find your property easily online.

2. Include reviews.
As a business, it is essential to establish your credibility with your potential customers. To do so, add positive reviews from previous clients. Make sure that you have solicited feedback from happy clients every time you make a sale. This is something that many potential buyers look for when checking out listings. They want to know if you have a good reputation as a broker and have given home buyers many positive experiences during the long grueling path to home purchasing.

3. High-quality real estate photos and videos.
Do not underestimate the power of good property photos and videos. These are necessary in order to encourage potential buyers to check out the property in person. The majority of the buyers get persuaded by the photos and videos featured in listings. Most consumers are visual. So having photos will definitely help your bottom-line, as well. Relevant images and videos also help you in improving your online search ranking. Make sure that these enhance the visitor’s experience and encourages them to take a look at the property. Take advantage of the professional photos and videos that you have invested in and might as well ask some help from real estate photo editor to make your photos stand out.

4. Put listings on major sites.
Posting your property listings on the major listing websites can also help in optimizing their visibility. These sites are usually credible and are high ranking in most search engines. Having credible links to your listings will help boost your own ranking. This also helps in making a sale faster and gets your property to as many potential buyers as possible.

5. Incorporate your social media.
If your business is active on different social media platforms, it’s also best to incorporate these into your listings. This helps build client relations and act as a key platform for addressing customer service concerns. Make sure that you are available on the major social media platforms that your customers are using. Posting available properties on social media platforms also will help to spread the word. This optimizes your listings and links back to your listings.

6. Keep your listings (on your site).
If you are running your own website, don’t delete previous listings. Mark them as sold and keep the content and images on your site. If you can get reviews from buyers, then update your listing to include status and the feedback from the buyer. This helps in optimizing your site, especially in keeping relevant keywords on your website. This also shows potential buyers the properties that you had success in selling and gives them a glimpse of the type of service that you provide.

December 25, 2017
How HDR and Flash work together

Which Is Better for Real Estate Photos?

There are strong opinions in the photography community about the usefulness of HDR vs Flash photography. Before we get into that debate lets take some time to define HDR. An HDR image is commonly made by taking three photos of the same scene, each at different shutter speeds. The result is a bright, medium, and dark photo, based on the amount of light that got through the lens. A software process then combines all the photos to bring details to the shadows and highlights both. High dynamic range processing includes any photo in which you are extending the luminance values beyond what the camera initially captured. The great Ansel Adam’s used the Zone System to extend the dynamic range of his photos. You are also extending the dynamic range of your photos by pushing up shadow detail and bringing down highlight detail through luminosity masking, exposure blending, curves, levels, or pumping sliders in camera raw.

by Diana Eftaiha

HDR, or “High Dynamic Range” photography receives a lot of negativity on the internet, particularly from photographers who prefer the use of traditional flash or ambient lighting techniques. So why does “HDR” elicit so much disapproval? There’s a lot of hate because HDR photos sometimes don’t look realistic but when trying to capture the perfect sunset over an ocean it would be impossible to get the detail in the foreground, while also bringing out the colors of the sky without the use of HDR. Good HDR is about finding a proper balance and requires some forethought and patience to avoid the over-saturated or washed out and flat looking photo that induces cringes from your fellow photographers. The goal is that when you look at an HDR photo you can see exactly what you would see were you to be standing there looking at the subject with your own two eyes. HDR is a process, not a genre. It’s another tool in your bag of tricks that you can use to create art and sell images. Instead of writing off high dynamic range techniques, take photos knowing that you can use HDR as a tool when it’s appropriate for the subject. There are some subjects that naturally lend themselves to HDR, and others that don’t. If you are shooting anything that has texture and depth (especially metal), then HDR can look great.

Photo by Alberto Restifo on Unsplash

Flash photography refers to the technique in which a flashbulb or electronic flash is used to provide momentary illumination of a dark or insufficiently lit subject. Flash photography has been around for more than a hundred years. It started with a dangerous and manually controlled technology that used a powder that was lit by either fire or electrical current. Why use flash when you are already shooting brackets? Well, the ability to control contrast and brightness will almost always produce better photography. Contrast refers to the difference in brightness between the darkest and lightest portions of the photo. The distribution of the light source is the primary determinant of the overall contrast. Even though artificial light sources offer you more control over photo shoots, it is associated with the burdens of needing more gear, and time to set it all up. Depending on the photo you have in mind, you may need multiple artificial light sources to balance your image out. Also, with flash photography, if the dynamic range of a scene is greater than one to be captured with only one shot, you have the choice to sacrifice either the highlights or the shadows of a photograph.

Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash

Taking multiple exposures, with one good flash shot can make things a lot easier in post-production.

Photo by Phixer

As evidenced by the image above, the strengths of these two techniques complement each other well and therefore the results possible after post-production are exceptional.

December 20, 2017