HDR bracketing for interiors: natural results without the cartoon look
Bracketing captures the full range of light in a room. Learn how many exposures to shoot and how to blend them naturally.
Interiors often have a dynamic range of 12 stops or more between shadowed corners and bright windows. Bracketing captures that range across several exposures.
How to bracket
- Tripod and a remote or timer
- Manual or aperture priority with auto exposure bracketing
- 3 frames at 2 stops apart for most rooms, 5 frames for very bright windows
- Same aperture and ISO for every frame; only shutter speed changes
Merging
Lightroom’s Photo Merge > HDR creates a flexible RAW file. Then edit it like any other photo: lower highlights, lift shadows and adjust white balance.
Avoid the HDR look
Overcooked HDR has halos, gray whites and muddy shadows. Keep contrast, keep whites clean and let some shadow remain. The goal is a photo that looks like a bright day, not a painting.
Combine with flash
For the cleanest results, combine brackets with a flash frame to correct mixed color and add crispness.
Watch for movement
Ceiling fans, curtains blowing and trees outside can create ghosting. Turn fans off and use deghosting in the merge.