Photography bracketing — using it to enhance your work.
If you’re ready to advance your photography, bracketing is for you. This post walks you through the three types, how to use them, and when to avoid this technique.
If you’re looking to create stunning HDR (high dynamic range) photos or capture high contrast scenes with perfect exposures every time, then it’s time to master the art of bracketing.
Bracketing in photography is taking several shots of the same subject but changing the settings in between each shot, such as exposure or depth of field.
Bracketing in photography can be done manually, or you can complete the process automatically on most cameras. There are a few different bracketing types, and each one involves altering different settings to achieve the best possible image.
Types of bracketing.
There are three types of bracketing:
- Exposure bracketing: The most common type of bracketing, and usually what people refer to when they say “bracketing” in photography. Exposure bracketing is when exposure is adjusted between a series of otherwise-identical shots. Many cameras have an automatic bracketing mode, or this can be done manually by adjusting the ISO, shutter speed, and/or aperture of your shot.
- Flash bracketing: Flash bracketing can be done manually or automatically when using an electronic flash. The amount of light that the flash provides is adjusted between each shot. This allows you to find the desired combination of ambient lighting and flash lighting for your photo.
- Depth of field bracketing: Less commonly used, depth of field bracketing is done by stepping the aperture up or down, but maintaining a consistent exposure in your shot (i.e. adjusting the ISO and/or shutter speed to compensate). Depth of field bracketing is often used to ensure the entirety of a subject is in focus, while maintaining the blurred background achieved with wider apertures.
When should bracketing be used?
There are times when bracketing can be extremely useful in guaranteeing that your shot comes out the best that it can. For example, when photographing landscapes, it is easy to misjudge the exposure and end up with a sky that’s blown out or ground that’s too dark.
Bracketing helps ensure that you end up with a well-exposed shot or shots to combine to make the perfect photo. It is also helpful for photographing certain subjects at times when you may only have one chance to get the right shot, like a wedding. Images of the dress, the cake, and other still life can greatly benefit from bracketing.
Bracketing is also essential for creating HDR images that capture the brightest highlights and darkest shadows all in the same photograph. By bracketing your photos, then layering them together either in-camera or in post-production, you can create stunning images with an incredible range of exposure.
When shouldn’t bracketing be used?
Since bracketing takes multiple images, it’s not a helpful technique when taking action shots. The exposure may be correct in one photo, but the timing may not be. For instance, if you’re taking pictures of a baseball game and are trying to get a shot of the bat coming in contact with the ball, or a great catch, you only have a split second to capture that photo.
Bracketing means that two out of three images will be exposed incorrectly, and the image that has the moment of contact may be the under or overexposed image. The exception to this is if you plan on combining the images in post to create HDR photos.
