As a real estate agent in Bend, Oregon, you’ve likely heard about HDR photography. Many real estate photographers offer this upgraded level of service to produce the highest quality indoor and outdoor images for real estate listings. We began offering HDR photography in 2018 and our clients are thrilled with the results. It takes a dark-lit room and makes it pop with vibrancy and details previously only captured by the human eye, not the camera.
When you see a photographer listing HDR photography, you might not know what it means. Did you know that Ansel Adams used HDR photography in his world-famous work? He had to manipulate his process manually. Thankfully we have computers to help us through the process digitally. But it is not a new technique. It’s been used for a long time, and with great reason. The results are awesome.
Today we’re walking you through the process so you have a better understanding of why this technology is so incredible for real estate photography. We can’t imagine shooting a home without it.
What is HDR Photography?
HDR stands for “high dynamic range” or more simply put, the range between the lightest light and the darkest dark you can capture in a photo. Today’s technology including HDR cameras and processing software allow photographers to capture both ends of this spectrum quickly and efficiently. HDR photography involves shooting bracketed exposures in order to capture full detail in the scene (including both light and dark areas) and combining them later in post-processing.
How does HDR Photography work?
An HDR photo is a mosaic or combination of multiple bracketed images (anywhere from 3-7) taken at different levels of exposure. Three exposures are usually sufficient, at two stops (EV) apart. Because HDR involves multiple images, we recommend always using a tripod along with your camera’s shutter timer to reduce blur. Post-processing software such as Aurora HDR, Lightroom or Photoshop takes all of these photos and blends them together to create a single image that includes the most focused, well-lit and colorful parts of the scene. Here is an example of the pre- and post- processed image from a Bend, Oregon real estate listing we recently shot for Michelle White of Cascade Sotheby’s International Realty.
These are the 5 pre-processed frames from the same bracket. Notice the difference in exposure.
To give you a better idea of the power of HDR, essentially,
You can go from this:
To THIS!
Why choose a real estate photographer who uses HDR Photography?
To capture vibrant, lifelike images that pop on the screen.
To grab potential buyers’ attention with images that mirror the details and contrast captured by the human eye. An HDR image really makes it feel like you are sitting inside the room.
To extend the dynamic range, thereby capturing and retaining the maximum of details in both the dark and light areas of your image. This is incredibly important when you are shooting on very bright or very dreary days. Both of these lighting situations are common in Central Oregon and therefore, HDR photography is a necessity.
Interested in getting high-quality HDR images for your real estate listings? Contact us today!
