HDRbracketingut

HDR bracketing is a photographic technique used to capture a wider dynamic range of light than a single exposure can handle. It involves taking multiple photographs of the same scene with different exposure settings. Typically, three images are taken: one normally exposed, one underexposed, and one overexposed. This sequence ensures that details are preserved in both the brightest highlights and the darkest shadows of the scene.

The captured bracketed images are then processed using specialized software. This software aligns the images and merges them into a single High Dynamic Range (HDR) image. During the merging process, the software selects the best-exposed parts from each individual photograph. For example, the highlight detail from the underexposed image is combined with the shadow detail from the overexposed image and the mid-tones from the normally exposed image.

The result is an image that exhibits a greater range of luminance values compared to standard photographs. This allows for more detail in areas that would otherwise be blown out (pure white) or completely black (clipped shadows) in a single exposure. HDR bracketing is particularly useful in high-contrast scenes, such as landscapes with bright skies and dark foregrounds, or interiors with bright windows. While it can produce stunningly realistic or artistically enhanced images, overdoing the HDR effect can sometimes lead to an unnatural or over-processed appearance.