Bracketing in Photography

In one of my posts I told that I sometime use bracketing and shoot about 3 pictures at the time.
I was scolded and told it's 'wrong' and that a 'real photographer' shoots 'one good photo' and doesn't use bracketing in most of his photos.
I thought it'll be a good issue to discuss:
I come from the film making world, in which we do multiple takes until we get our desired outcome, and sometimes use the other takes in editing if some parts are better.
That's also why I shoot in bracketing mode! If I take 3 pictures, most of the time, there's gotta be a best one of the three! And if I take a group photo and someone doesn't smile in the best photo, there's the other one that he does smile in, and with proper tools, I can edit it in.
What do you think? Is taking a 'one good shot' is an essence of a photographer?

Bracketing is used when there is uncertainty or when you want to blend multiple exposures.

There's not much uncertainty in digital photography as you can see the image immediately.

I very rarely bracket; mostly when dealing with changing or dIffacult lighting while shooting things that can't really be reshot (events and such).

I would say bracketing because you can't nail the exposure (in simple lighting conditions) or to the point where you end up missing shots because your taking three of everything would be bad form.

Other than that, whatever works for you.

I shoot brackets for urban exploring interiors where I want to subtle HDR to keep details or landscapes where I want to blend skies/foregrounds for a more stormy look etc

General shooting, portraits, kids, car shows, inner city walking, etc etc there is no need to bracket.

I bracket for any image of significant importance.
Things go wrong. Its always better safe than sorry and no need to show your mahoness to anyone just to prove something very different to yourself.

Bracketing is no more/less valid than shooting RAW/Jpeg, making a composite image in PS, making an HDR photo (via software or in-camera), etc.

The end result is really what matters; if the consumer of the photo is happy with it, that's what matters.

If you are employed to take photos and there is a specific requirment to not blend shots, or something, then that should be taken into account. Otherwise, anyone else saying you got there the wrong way is probably not explaining themselves properly, or, ard talking out of their ass.

It would be akin to me telling you to be get to Paris, and someone else telling you got there the weong way because you took a ship instead of flying. As long as you arrive in Paris, it doesn't matter how tou did it, in this case.

I've only bracketed when I may want to merge images (fusing/HDR). But there's nothing wrong with this:

samsen wrote in post #15594859
I bracket for any image of significant importance.
Things go wrong. Its always better safe than sorry and no need to show you mahoness to anyone just to prove something very different to yourself.

Bracketing is a tool. If it might help you get the right exposure, why not use it?

"Bad form?" Nah.

Bracketing is just another tool in you toolkit. Some situations call for it. Others don't. Anyone who says "real photographers don't bracket" is just a fool because they are ruling out a useful technique because of pride. But like anything there are times that call for it and times that don't. Using it as a crutch will prevent you from honing your skills.

I bracket like a pimp when it comes to once-in-a-lifetime shots...

I'll bracket exposures if I'm shooting a scene with "challenging dynamic range", not necessarily for HDR or blending (although I've done my share) but often to choose one with the best "balance" to "massage" in my Raw processor.

More often, when I'm shooting handheld/walkabout photography I'll have the camera set up for Continuous mode and shoot a sequence of two or three shots. I'm often not steady enough to just take one and walk away. And, back when I was shooting film there were a whole lot of "fails". Now, I increase the likelyhood that one or more out of two or three will be good.

This also comes in handy in sports, street photography, and events involving "people in action" -- sometimes just the bit between one pic and the next will reveal a change in expression or action that can make a real difference!

In reality to me, its not the question of bracketing, its the question of what increment I need to bracket for the given situation.

Bracketing exposures goes well back beyond digital photography. Where it was very useful was when shooting transparencies (slides) where the photographer relied on commercial processing.