Real Estate Interiors

Hi Guys!

I need some help. I shoot a lot of real estate photos and really want to up my game and that means HDR. Now I have no problem with HDR for exteriors, but when it comes to interiors I'm not sure I know quite what to do.

I really want windows to pop with great color and clarity and not be blown out.

Typically for my indoor shoots I meter my windows and use my 430ex to fill the room. So my settings are usually around iso 400, f9, 1/160ish ... lets say. This work great.

So... I want to go to HDR instead.. now I can use AEB on my 40d, but I cannot use my flash with this feature? Also, I don't want to futz with a tripod on my stills so, my shutter speed can't get too low.


Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

I would suggest the tripod or a monopod!!
I have only done this twice for friends but they were very pleased.
Have a look.

http://22ndstudio.smug​mug.com …467_vLdix#52166​2409_BFiVD

Oh if you use lightroom, you can use an adjustment brush to bring the exposure down on a window.

If you do several shots at different exposure, you will be able to lift the dark interior areas (you, or your favourite tone mapping software) without noise appearing, so flash is not needed.

A curve like this has absolutely no effect in tones and can be used to lift these areas working in the same way as fill light.

But please, use a tripod, the best and cheapest noise killer and sharpness enhancer ever.

Regards

Thanks for the response guys...

If I meter to get the windows any where near to not being blown out then everything else is way too dark.. beyond recovery..

In this tour is a couple of HDR photos... the look I'm talking about.. the windows look surreal and I'm assuming this is HDR... but without the HDR feel (which is my goal)

http://www.obeo.com/56​5975

Please let me know if you have any other comments/help/tips for me!

heathermarie wrote in post #9958784
If I meter to get the windows any where near to not being blown out then everything else is way too dark.. beyond recovery.

The camera is limited in the dynamic range it can capture, it is not a matter of how you meter, but how exposed your RAW files are. If in a high dynamic range scene you only shoot once, you will either get blown windows (left) or noisy shadows impossible to lift with a minimum IQ (right):

Maybe I'm totally on crack..

Can you show me the three shots you got before you blended them together? I just can't figure this out for the life of me!

heathermarie wrote in post #9959305
Can you show me the three shots you got before you blended them together? I just can't figure this out for the life of me!

No, because I only took two shots (4EV apart).

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Oh I'm GOING crazy on this. I'm trying to use AEB. If I meter for the light spot (the window) then I get three interior dark images... and if I meter for the dark spot inside then I get blown windows.

Thanks so much for your help. Can you explain the steps you took to evaluate this scene and what settings you used?


Why.. WHY... *cries*

You are focusing so much on metering, while you should focus on exposing.

Always in M mode, I did a couple of test shots in order to get the maximum exposure without blowing the outside views (what you call 'get the windows any where near to not being blown'), and that was shot 1. Next I set exposure +4EV with respect to the previous exposure setting (i.e. I set a 2^4=16 times longer exposure time) and shot again. That was shot 2. And that's it.

I now use AEB, but it's the same story:
1. Before setting the AEB, I do a couple of test shots in order to get the maximum exposure without blowing the outside views
2. Once achieved the goal in 1, now I lift exposure by +2EV (i.e. set a 2^2=4 times longer exposure time)
3. Now activate AEB {-2,0,+2}, and do the three shots

Step 2 is very important in order to make the least exposed shot (-2 in the bracketing), a shot with maximum exposure right before clipping the highlights.

Regards

I use exposure fusion, much more natural looking.

You're really smart for doing this (HDR for interior real estate shots). I noticed a couple months ago while searching for real estate that a couple people had done it (hdr), but most do not. Heck, most realtors and agents take poor shots (and most homeowners leave all the clutter out such as magnest all over the refridgerator, etc.).

Two things I learned about interior real estate photography and open houses are:

1. The more light the better. Turn on all the lights, open the window shades, blinds, etc.

2. Get rid of the clutter, and that includes family pictures on the wall, drawings on the fridge, etc. People don't want to see YOUR home. They want to see THEIR future home.

If your shooting interiors I highly suggest you pretend your shooting outside in bright sun and shoot atleast 11 exposures from -5 to +5 after metering a medium toned scene inside. This way your just about sure to gather all the detail for both inside and out. If its super bright outside I'd even go a few stops darker too, check your histogram.

Bob Hasty wrote in post #9966413
shoot atleast 11 exposures from -5 to +5 after metering a medium toned scene inside. This way your just about sure to gather all the detail for both inside and out.

I think by shooting at least 11 exposures to get a single image, you are about sure to quickly fill your memory cards and waste tons of time processing unnecesary shots. 3 shots are enough for any HDR situation that is intended to end in a real state brochure.

_GUI_ wrote in post #9987733
I think by shooting at least 11 exposures to get a single image, you are about sure to quickly fill your memory cards and waste tons of time processing unnecesary shots. 3 shots are enough for any HDR situation that is intended to end in a real state brochure.

You couldnt be more wrong!