Shooting inside a room looking towards a window

[kronic]

Hello everyone,

I'm just looking for a little help with taking indoor shots with windows. Lately I have been shooting a few houses from the inside, and when I take a picture of a room with a window in it, the shot doesn't come out right -the window is completely over exposed.

I have played with different techniques, and angles but I can not seem to fully understand what is needed to take a shot like this.

Example: Shooting in a living room, with a window in it (about 10-15 feet away), but the window light is over exposed. No flashes, just sun light. I know it depends on the sunlight etc, but what kind of settings on the camera, or positioning is needed to preform this shot better? What should I be metering on, the window light or the inside?

The goal is to have the window in the picture, and see the outside view in the shot. Once again, I know it depends on the type of day/weather, but there has to be more to it.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

I'm using a Canon 40d.

[DC Fan]

Multiple merged exposures - one for the interior and one for the window - or fill flash to bring the interior illumination up to the level of the window.

[Mike R]

Use a flash such as the 580ex for fill.

[JeffreyG]

Use a flash such as the 580ex for fill.

+1.

The room light and the outside light together are beyond the dynamic range of your camera. If you expose so the window doens't blow out the interior will be dark. Expose the interior properly and the window will be a white square.

So expose for the window and mount a flash to light the room. Bouncing a powerful flash will give even lighting if the room is not too large.

[kronic]

Thanks for your comments, I will give it a try tomorrow.