The HDR Myth in Real Estate Photography

Since I started using HDR / Flash hybrid method, my photos look much better, it takes just a few seconds more to shoot and pretty much the same time to edit. I realise that the merged HDR frame helps a lot in keeping the natural look to my photos whilst the flash brings up all the details (window pulls always!).
Thank you very much for all the knowledge Nathan, It's been just a year and a half since I started in RE photography, but because of everything that I learnt from you, translated to my work, I managed to successfully shoot just over 200 properties until then.

I thought shifting to HDR cause folks on the groups swear by it now but flambient gives me the best WB and colors. It doesn't take me that much time either.

Great video.

Had recently done a property with flambient, and indeed the results are superb. I had a bathroom that I did previously with just HDR and it was unusable even after a lot of post processing killing the green mixed with blue casts from outside, oranges from lights and wood basin, it still looked terrible.
Thank you so much for sharing.

Interesting video, made me want to learn the flambient method =)
*i only used auto HDR in Lightroom of bracketed photos.

Wow great technique. Thanks for sharing Nathan! I've always used HDR auto blending with Enfuse as my "budget friendly" option, but I'm re-thinking how to use high quality HDR as another option to use in all situations. You're awesome, keep it up brother!

Can you enable subtitles for your video? Thanks a lot

Nathan, thanks for your video and your opinion. You sum up my impressions on this subject. I have been working a lot with Flambient and using HDR only for large rooms. I have noticed the increasing videos of photographers calling HDR the golden way. Shot quickly, practically on the run, 4-5 houses a day, image processing outsourced. I was curious and in the last weeks I watched many techniques from these photographers and tried them on my own photos. None of them work for me. HDR editing is mostly about correcting the typical mistakes like color casts and manually cropping windows. This eats up an incredible amount of time and leads to unsatisfactory results. The only solution as to why this works for some is outsourcing. At the same time, the examples in many of these videos are under ideal conditions. Just like yours, windows are mostly hidden or partitioned. There are scenarios, like the large rooms, where HDR has its place. But again, a flambient photo would be better, it's just not possible. To me, this is a big myth that I don't understand why some push it.

Finally, a question for you. How do you create those nice soft contrasts like on the wood from the pool table? Looks like Dodge and Burn or a heightened detail contrast but at the same time not as harsh as clarity. I've noticed this several times in your photos.

Woow! Nathan, I didn't even seen the amount of views on this video, probably I wouldn't even open it. But it's only because of the thing, that this topic is not so popular. Hope it will changes and you'll become more famous, because your videos are really helpful, when you're stepping on this track. Thanks a lot!!

Hi Nathan, thank you for your email
May I know how to open all exposures( flambient, flash, window pull in...) in one layer?

As always , an amazing teacher.. Tha
nks so much!

Hi Nathan thank you for the video. If I may ask, when you are shooting the 3 shots do you use the flash WB for the flash shots and then white ballance for the room for the ambient?

Thank you for being the voice of reason, quality, and professionalism in a world awash in quick-fix, corner-cutting mediocrity.

Hey Nathan! Great video once again! I've commented on a few of your videos and am still working through your books! Do you have a tutorial for editing using CaptureONE instead of Light Room? I'm trying to move away from all of these subscription based programs sou would be beneficial to get your take on CaptureONE.

This was a Awesome watch..... Thank you

Even the best HDR methods don't have the professional crispy look of flambient. But of course as you show it's good to know multiple methods so you're prepared for every situation. Fantastic video!

I much prefer the flambient technique all the way! Thank you Nathan for clarifying things here!

I applied for a position with a company that does a mix of HDR and flash. Required to do 5 bracketed shots from -2 to +2, then a bounce flash of room for white balance, then a flashed window shot and then a no flash window shot. So, 8 shots for one room. The company does the editing. I was competing against another photographer that does HDR all the time, so missed out. I still prefer flash ambient anyday!! Thanks Nathan.

Very good video, can you show the making of the photo on the right monitor?
Cheers from Portugal

I shot a house in August using flambient and received a call from the homeowner who liked my photos so much that he hired me to shoot 3 of his equipment businesses last month, just one of the scenarios you were talking about on getting a higher-paying job. I"ve been using flambient for a little over 5 years now and just purchased one of your books a couple weeks ago, wish I had purchased it earlier, so much I didn't know. Thank you!

Thank you very much for this video Nathan! I 'm an amateur photographer and want to learn more of RE photography. Which of your books should I start with first?