The Window IX :: Inside Looking Out

Exposed for Outside

This has been an age old challenge, to get both the inside exposure and the outside scene balanced.  Whereas our eyes can automatically adjust to see detail over a wide range of lighting levels than even the best digital camera. Also our eyes are constantly looking around the scene adjusting focus on regions of varying brightness. The image our mind sees is a reconstruction, and not a direct measure of the light entering our eye(s). If you are skeptical, read the Cambridge in Colour article Cameras .vs. TheHuman Eye.

Exposed for Inside

The camera just has to take a single image and because it has a limited dynamic range, and if its using the light meter to choose exposure it is likely to choose something in the middle.  The inside is very dark compared with the intensity of light outside. Finding a compromised for these two lighting condition may be too hard and any exposed in the middle will leave the interior in deep shadow and/or the exterior view bleach out.

You can override the automatic exposure metering and take two exposure one for inside and one for the outside view. Then blend them together assuming you have that capability in your postprocessing software. This is a very common procedure recommend elsewhere on the net, but it can be tedious to do.

Another alternative is to use the HDR methodology, which combines different exposures or can also exploit the extra information in a single RAW photo to expand the range of tones that can be reproduced. The article I have linked is somewhat old but does explain the method well. Most post-processing software now has a HDR capability. I prefer Trey Ratcliff's AuroraHDR and using a set of three EV bracketed photos (underexposed by 2 stop. Normally exposed & over exposed by 2 stops) which I have dialed in for the camera to take as a series.

Bracketed EV Series

A word of warning, be careful when tone mapping (or using presets with HDR images because it is easy to overdo and end up with ugly. faux painted look that is disturbing to most viewers. I prefer to just use the default HDR image (with AI controlled tone mapping and looks natural) from AuroraHDR and do any further tweaking in my chosen post-processing software, usually using On1 Photo RAW. It is my best solution to the Indoor and Outdoor View at the same time dilemma. Most real estate photographers must also believe!

Final HDR Result