Digital Photography in Available Light

essential skills: digital photography in available light

Double exposures
A double exposure can be used to balance the bright ambient light and the comparatively dim
interior lighting of a building. Some digital cameras allow for the multiple exposures, that are
required to achieve this outcome, to be recorded in-camera. If the camera does not allow for
multiple exposures to be made using a single image fi le, two separate exposures can be combined
in post-production. To achieve this result the photographer must use a tripod and take care not to
disturb the alignment whilst adjusting the camera to make the second exposure. If the camera’s
white balance is set to daylight the interior lighting will record as a different color temperature to the
exterior daylight. If the images are combined in post-production the interior lighting is placed on a
layer above the exterior lighting layer. Set the interior lighting layer to the Lighten blend mode.

First exposure - exterior ambient light - exposure: MIE less 1/2 stop

Second exposure - total darkness - interior lights on - exposure: average highlights and shadows

Combined exposure