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Exposure Bracketing: Your Guide For Better Landscape Photos

BySam

This article is all about exposure bracketing and learning how to use it to manage lighting situations that you will come across in your landscape photography journey.

One of the trickier parts of landscape photography is figuring out how to correctly expose your shot when the lighting isn’t ideal.

This is a common occurrence when shooting outdoors as we are often shooting where there is a bright sky and a darker foreground. It becomes difficult to correctly expose an image in a single exposure when faced with these conditions.

That ‘s where exposure bracketing comes in.

Exposure bracketing in landscape photography is a technique where multiple photos are taken of the same scene with different exposure settings.

This is done to capture a wider range of light and dark tones in the image, which can then be combined in post-processing to create a final image with more detail and dynamic range.

This may all seem a bit intimidating right now, but don’t worry, it’s a lot simpler than it sounds.

Before we get started, I wanted to share my FREE Landscape Photography Toolkit with you.

 It’s packed with practical tips and checklists to help you capture beautiful scenes with more confidence, starting NOW!

Promotional graphic for a 'Landscape Photography Toolkit' featuring a sunset view of a lighthouse. The toolkit includes an Exposure Quick Start Guide, 7 Practical Checklists & Info Sheets, and an On-The-Go Camera Settings Cheat Sheet. A 'Free Download' badge is present, and a button at the bottom reads 'Send Me The Toolkit'.

What Exposure Bracketing Is

Exposure bracketing in landscape photography is a technique where multiple photos are taken of the same scene with different exposure settings. 

This is done to capture a wider range of light and dark tones in the image, which can then be combined in post-processing to create a final image with more detail and dynamic range.

Exposure bracketing is a valuable technique in landscape photography to ensure your photos are perfectly exposed every time. 

By taking multiple images of the same scene with different exposure settings, you can capture the best possible results for the varying lighting and tonal range. 

This method allows you to choose the most accurate image later in post-processing, giving you greater creative control over your final landscape photos.

Typically, three shots are taken: one at the camera’s recommended exposure, one slightly underexposed, and another slightly overexposed. Adjusting the exposure can be done by changing the shutter speed, aperture, or ISO settings. 

Making these adjustments allows you to effectively manage your camera’s dynamic range.

Learning this technique really was one of those ‘lightbulb moments’ that changed my photography.

It even led to me having my first image printed large on acrylic that hangs on my wall and makes me smile every time I see it:

Wide-angle photograph of a mountain valley at sunrise, with the sun peeking over the horizon and casting warm light on the lush green forest and surrounding cliffs. The sky is partly cloudy, adding depth to the scene.

Why Exposure Bracketing is Useful in Landscape Photography

In landscape photography, you often face challenging lighting conditions. 

The sky may be much brighter than the landscape, or the shadows might be too dark to reveal any detail. With exposure bracketing, by taking multiple shots at different exposure levels, you can ensure that you have at least one sharp image with good exposure for each part of the scene. 

This allows you to create an evenly exposed final image that captures all the details of the landscape.

Once you’ve captured your bracketed images, you can then use exposure blending to merge  them into an HDR (High Dynamic Range) image using software like Adobe Camera Raw or Lightroom. 

During this process, the software combines the best-exposed parts of each image to produce a single, well-exposed photograph with enhanced detail from the shadows to the highlights.

A coastal landscape framed by a natural rock archway, looking out over tide pools and the distant horizon at sunset, with warm light reflecting off the rugged rock surfaces
Taken well before the sun came up this is a blend of two images as the cave was very dark compared to the sky.

When to Use Exposure Bracketing in Landscape Photography

In landscape photography, you’ll often encounter high contrast scenes where the difference between the brightest and darkest parts of the landscape is too large for your camera to handle in a single exposure. 

This is where exposure bracketing comes into play. By taking multiple photos with different exposure levels, you can ensure that you capture all the necessary details in both the highlights and shadows of your scene.

For example, imagine you’re photographing a dramatic sunset with dark foreground elements. Without exposure bracketing, you might end up with either blown-out highlights in the sky or an underexposed, murky foreground. 

By using exposure bracketing, you can capture a range of exposures and later merge them in post-processing to create a perfectly balanced image.

Bracketing provides a solution by offering a range of exposures, each meticulously tailored to retain those details that might have been lost otherwise.

A vibrant sunrise scene with a double rainbow arcing over a rocky coastline, illuminated by the warm morning light. Lush green vegetation grows on the hillside, contrasting with the orange and pink hues of the sky. The text overlay at the bottom of the image reads, "How To Master Sunrise Photography: Best Settings And Tips."

Most cameras come with an Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) feature, so go through your manual to find it in your specific camera.

Then all you need to do is tell the camera how many images you would like to take in the series (this can range from 2 to 9 or more), and the difference in stops you would like in each shot.

I generally like to bracket three images starting with the properly exposed image, one that is 1-stop underexposed and the final image that is 1-stop overexposed.

It’s worth noting that the composition of the images should remain consistent since the camera will capture multiple shots of the same scene. Make sure to mount your camera on a tripod to achieve this.

Finally, set the self-timer or use a remote shutter release to minimise any camera shake during the exposure bracketing process. 

This helps you achieve sharper and better-quality images from your landscape photography.

A golden hour seascape with waves crashing against rugged coastal rocks, under a softly glowing yellow-orange sky. The cliffs in the background are bathed in warm light, creating a dramatic contrast with the dark foreground rocks. The text overlay at the bottom of the image reads, "Landscape Photography Basics For Beginners: A Practical Guide."

Manual Exposure Bracketing: Step-By-Step

Don’t stress if your camera doesn’t have the AEB feature. You can easily do exposure bracketing manually. 

Make sure you’re only adjusting the shutter speed when changing the exposure – that’s the key here!

Here’s how it’s done:

  • Take an image with the correct exposure.
  • Then take your second shot one or two stops over-exposed
  • For your third shot, take it one or two stops under-exposed

Just a quick reminder: When you follow these steps, make sure you don’t change the composition. We want to keep everything the same apart from the shutter speed so it’s a seamless exposure blending process when you get to edit them.

Use either a remote shutter release or your camera’s self-timer to avoid camera shake when pressing the shutter release button.

A digital graphic titled "Exposure Bracketing Snapshot" featuring an exposure compensation scale and an image divided into three sections showing different exposure levels. The graphic includes instructions on how to take bracketed shots with varying exposures.

Using Aperture Priority for Exposure Bracketing

If you’re not comfortable shooting in manual mode, you can also perform exposure bracketing using the aperture priority mode. Here’s how you can do this:

  1. Set your camera to aperture priority mode and select your desired aperture.
  2. Capture an image with the correct exposure.
  3. Use the exposure compensation dial to adjust the exposure level by ±1 stop for overexposed and underexposed images.

TIP: Take a photo of your hand before and after your bracketed set of images to help you identify them easily when you go to process them.

Photograph of a rocky shoreline at sunset with a blurred silhouette of a hand making a gesture in the foreground. The image captures the vibrant colors of the sky and reflections on the water pools among the rocks.
Holding up the number of fingers showing how many photos to use is also handy

How to Post-Process and Merge Your Bracketed Images

Now that you’ve got your series of photos to merge, it’s time to put them together and make some magic!

Your bracketed images can be blended in almost any post-processing software, but for this guide I’m going to show you how to do it using Lightroom.

You can also follow the same process in Adobe Camera Raw which is part of Photoshop.

  • Import your images into Lightroom
  • Select the images that you want to be merged by holding the shift key while you click on each image.
  • Right-Click and select Photo Merge, then HDR
Screenshot of a photo editing software's dropdown menu highlighting the "Photo Merge" option with sub-options for HDR, Panorama, and HDR Panorama. A landscape photo of a person standing near tide pools at sunset with the sun creating a starburst effect is partially visible in the background.
Screenshot
  • Make sure Auto Align and Auto Settings are ticked. This will allow Lightroom to align them just in case there was any slight movement between taking the images.
  • Leave Deghost amount to none unless there are any moving objects in your images. In this case, try your options and choose the best one.
  • Select Merge
Screenshot of the HDR Merge Preview in photo editing software, showing options to merge images to HDR with auto align and auto settings enabled. The deghosting amount is set to "None," and there's a "Merge" button at the bottom.
This is Lightroom but you can do the same in Camera RAW

Let Lightroom work its magic and it will produce a third image that is the blend of those photos you selected to be merged.

Note, that you will still have your original images untouched, so this is a completely non-destructive process.

If you want to keep your final image looking as natural as possible, stick to only blending two or three images. More than this, and your final image will really look over-cooked.

Now, you might be asking if you could achieve the same result with simply editing the single image taken at the proper exposure.

Not really. Merging your images in Lightroom not only balances out your shadows and highlights, it really brings out all the details and richness of both images. I encourage you to experiment with this and would love you to let me know your thoughts.

Once Lightroom has produced your HDR image you can now go ahead and edit it as you would any of your single images. It will be a DNG file (link to Adobe definition) which is a RAW file.

A peaceful waterfront scene at sunset with soft pink and purple tones in the sky. A small wooden dock leads to a structure labeled "Whitten's Organic Oyster Farms" with contact details, reflected in the still water. The text overlay at the bottom reads "Landscape Photo Editing: Beginner Guide For Better Images."

FAQ’s

Can exposure bracketing be used for other types of photography besides landscapes?

Yes, exposure bracketing can be used for other types of photography, such as architecture, interior, and real estate photography, where there may be a wide range of brightness in the scene. It can also be used for portrait photography, where you want to capture details in both the highlights and shadows.

Is exposure bracketing necessary if I shoot in RAW format?

Shooting in RAW format gives you more flexibility in post-processing to adjust the exposure and recover details in the shadows and highlights. However, exposure bracketing can still be useful in challenging lighting conditions, especially if you want to capture the full dynamic range of the scene without sacrificing image quality.

Should I shoot in RAW when exposure bracketing?

Yes, shooting in RAW format is recommended when exposure bracketing because it gives you more flexibility in post-processing to adjust the exposure and recover details in the shadows and highlights. RAW files contain more information than JPEG files, allowing you to make more significant adjustments without degrading the image quality.

How many exposure bracketed shots do I need to take?

The number of exposure bracketed shots you need to take depends on the scene and the dynamic range of the lighting conditions. In most cases, three shots (-1, 0, +1) are sufficient to capture the full dynamic range. However, in high-contrast scenes, you may need to take more shots to ensure that you capture all the details.

Can I use exposure bracketing with my phone?

Many phone cameras have a built-in HDR (High Dynamic Range) mode that automatically takes multiple shots at different exposures and combines them into one image. However, the results may not be as good as using a dedicated camera and manually bracketing exposures.

A stunning seascape at sunrise with cliffs and water, illustrating a photography guide titled 'The Exposure Triangle: Complete Guide For Beginners.

Conclusion

And that’s it – now you know what exposure bracketing is all about – and even better, how to get out there and try it for yourself.

So now all you have to do is get out there with your camera and have a go. 

Find some high dynamic range scenes (hint: sunrise and sunset are perfect), take your bracketed shots and process them using Lightroom’s HDR Merge function.

That’s it for now – Keep Clicking

Other Helpful Articles:

Sam is the creator of joywithphotography.com, a website dedicated to helping newbies Discover the joy of learning landscape photography – without the overwhelm. Based in Australia, Sam combines her passion for photography to bring you tips, insights and experiences to help you take better photos without all the technical jargon so you enjoy the journey.

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