This is a guest post from fellow photographer Joe Hoetzl.
Since you are already using a tripod (right?), unless you are doing single frame and changing exposure in your favorite RAW processor, you should also use a remote shutter release.
When you are taking shots with the intention of processing them in a HDR photo, the last thing you want to be concerned about is getting the shots lined up. Sure there may be a breeze causing some leaves to move, by why add to the problem, possibly causing the leaves on a calm day to look like they were moving. Using a shutter release such as the Canon RS-80N3, Nikon MC30 or Olympus RM-CB1 helps control camera shake, by eliminating your press on the camera body’s shutter button. For the utmost clarity and sharpness in your shots, you may also want consider using the mirror lock up feature in your camera. Mirror lock up eliminates the minute vibrations caused by the mirror in your DSLR and SLR flipping out-of-the-way during exposure. If your camera body has “live view”, you are also witnessing mirror lock up, so, switch to live view when doing HDR shots.
Photo by Joe Hoetzl. View the photo on Flickr.
Thanks for reading and happy shooting
Comments
383 responses to “HDR Photography Tip: Remote Shutter Release”
This is a good tip. For Nikon folks without mirror-lock-up and who find focusing in Live View really annoying (e.g. me when I used to shoot a D90) you may find that another helpful setting is "Exposure Delay" which you can find in the shooting menu of quite a few Nikon DSLRs (D90, D80, D700 all have it so I suppose most of the others do too). This causes the camera to pause for about a second between lifting the mirror and firing the shutter and this delay is helpful in allowing the vibrations induced by the mirror slap to decay.
Another great tip! Thanks for sharing Dave!