Question about HDR...

[PhotoBuffs]

I have a question directed to all you pro's that do HDR very well.

I'm very intrigued about learning more on HDR. I just got into digital photography not too long ago.

I went out and bought a Sony a100 as a starter for digital photography. After reading more about HDR, I don't know if my camera is suitable for taking photos for HDR. The auto-bracketing settings are 3 photos at either .3 or .7 interval. I know it should be more exposures to process a good quality HDR image. I've read some articles where photographers take as many as 9 if their camera will bracket that many.

My question is....if I have a scene I want to shoot & put the camera on a tripod...is it possible to shoot say 3 bracketed exposures with the camera set at the lower end of the zone scale....say near "-2".....the next set of 3 exposure brackets near "0"......and another set of 3 towards the "+2" side?

This will be about 9 exposures in all all across the zone system....can this be done? I know it's more work....but it's all I can do at the moment till I get better at HDR and upgrade to a better camera.

George

[PD Jackson]

Hi,

I am also new to digital and HDR. I usually set my camera up on Manual setting and use the exposure settings to over and under expose a series of shots( as many as you like I suppose) in .5 stop increments. I set up first with a correctly exposed shot and then click down and take, 4 times. I then go back to correct exposure and click up in the same way 4 times. I do not know if this is the correct or normal way of doing things but I have had some nice results, especially on seascapes with lots of cloud movement. The extra time between shots makes the clouds more impressive (in my humble opinion) I think the best advice is get out and try things, you will,I am sure, find a method which suits what you wish to achieve eventually, whilst having fun along the way. Good luck and please post any of your results later.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pdjackson/3547781211/

[FoG]

Firstly you can get great results using three settings but it takes time and practice auto bracketing is not a sefinite neccesity it just limits what you can photograph easily without it (ie changing the exposures manually will take time and increase the risk of ghosting) use a tripod and just play with the settings I have a P&S and no tripod yet I have managed some nice HDR's through trial and error it takes time but is worth learning I use about 5 shots max -2,-1,0,1,2 E/V and try to use subjects without too much movement in them or the backgrounds (clouds moving are a pain lol)

[wattsbw2004]

If you want 9-10 images which I shoot 10 with my A700 set the AB to 5 cont. shots at .7 and start at -1.5 I believe is what i have it at then shoot another five at 1.5 which should help to cover the range. I always do this whether it is at night or daytime but I always use a tripod and I break out the cable release as well at night.

If you look at my photostream all my HDR's are 10 exp HDR images starting sometime back in March I believe is when I started using that many.

Why so many exposures? I find that there is alot less noise in the final product and that if I need to mask something in I have the proper exposure for it rather then having to pull an exp from a set of the 3 and tweak it to my liking. That takes more time and more headaches to get it just right...