How To Photograph Interiors With Bright Windows Using Off-Camera Flash

In this video, Professional Photographer Gary Fong shows how to photograph interiors with extremely bright windows.

It is followed by a clip from Kyle Perison, who quickly and roughly shows the concept of layer masks to blend composite images into a single image.

This technique is useful in 'painting' an interior with strobe photography, brightening an interior while keeping the view through the windows properly exposed.

LIGHTING KITS

FLASH DIFFUSERS

ACCESSORIES

[Evercrush]

Very nice tutorial! You can also use the brackets on the keyboard while on the brush tool to increase and decrease its size to save time, and it's much better for me personally because I can see the brush grow or shrink. And instead of going to your color picker and changing to black you can hit "x" on the keyboard and it will swap your foreground and background colors in your color picker for you (which in this case would have changed it to black). I just wanted to let you know In case you didn't know the shortcuts. They help me out a ton while I'm working! Thanks again for the tutorial!

[craignowicke]

This is great!  Thank you for sharing!  I have quite a bit of catching up to do, but really look forward to learning and applying your techniques. Best regards from Sunny Tampa, FL

[Berus]

I have to say... I find some of the shadows, particularly those behind the sofa and under the table, to be really intense and distracting. Also, the image conveys that "single flash" look which I really can't get on board with. You've done a GREAT job with the window... I really love that exposure.

[cassiusjb]

Nice demonstration. I know it's not a final product, right?
I prefer to use the pen tool when working with tight edges while making masks. It's much quicker and more accurate.

[OMNR]

When blending in PS with the masks, you should use 6-8% brush, not 50%, as 50% will make the blending too harsh.

[photourstorino]

I don't really like the final result, cos it's really flat!

[cooloox]

Just 2 quick things for the photo editing guy: Firstly, Alt-Click or Opt-Click on a Mac? the add layer mask button to add a layer mask to hide all. This is quicker than adding a layer mask to show all and then inverting it. Secondly, paint on a layer mask with varying shades of grey rather varying the opacity of your brush.

[chiggedycheckyoself]

I don't really like the result. Very unevenly lit with too many shadows. The couch is a little overexposed and the dining area is still too dark. I'd rather stick to HDR or using 2 off-camera speedlites triggered by wireless triggers in manual mode.

[JohnFurtuna]

using an aperture of F2.8 for interiors is not very professional Gary ... :)

[nednedford]

When using the brush tool and masks simply pressing the x key toggles between white and black. It is not necessary to go the color palette.

[mickamcqueen]

very poor result. I expected more.. even the initial base shot, the flash was very inconsistent across the room, looks like you just settled for what was easy.

[cooloox]

In addition to other comments, instead of applying a layer mask to show all and then inverting it, and simply Alt-Click (Opt-Click on a Mac?) to add a layer mask to hide all.

Secondly, painting with a semi-transparent brush onto the layer mask is not the best way to go. Paint with varying shades of grey to vary the strength of the opacity you are painting in.

[mrdev]

If it's a small room I have found that you can expose for the window light and then bounce with ON camera flash, add on optional speed light on a stand; And you have the room in one shot. A small tweek in Light-room and you are done, No need for masking at all. please repond to my comment as I am interested in real estate photography. Thanks.

[marilynzanca]

Hi Gary,   I would like to know, do you have a video on how to take pictures of the rooms with the flash say near windows, it looks as if you in this video you are using the flash from two different angles to light up both sides of the window in order to make the picture correct, but in photoshop how are you deleting yourself and flash from the picture? How do you do that? this video isn't very easy to understand.  As I am into real estate photography.

[chrisi]

As a property photographer, I'd have to disagree with this tutorial as a whole. While its premise is sound. its execution could have been better.
First, The image as a whole is not bright enough. My suggestion would be to have an ISO between 400-800 and then adjust shutter speed to keep the outside properly exposed. The higher ISO will catch more of the flash and make the interior brighter.
Next, there is really no need to use masks. just take the 2nd and 3rd image and set them to 'lighten'. Because there is nowhere to "hide" you would have to mask yourself out of the secondary images. Because of this, I would probably end up shooting this room in hdr to save time. though i do prefer the look of flash and only use hdr when flash is not possible.

[RickyRayPhotography]

This is the lazy man's way of doing it. For best results, capture one shot with a slower shutter speed so that the outside light (ambient light) lights up the room. This reduces shadows and makes sure there is a nice even light. Then speed up the shutter speed and light the windows with your flash and then in photoshop you can blend the two using the same method shown here and you can use your judgement on what looks best. Then you'll have a nice shot that shows the view and everything inside.

[magrittedeau]

What flash and remote flash system do you use, if you dont mind sharing

[gopicasso]

HELLO GUYS :) VERY SIMPLE :) PLEASE DO INTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHY AFTER DAWN, OR ON A CLOUDY DAY FOR BEST RESULTS.DO NOT COMMIT WITH CLIENT ON A SUNNY DAY. IF COMMITTED PLEASE CLOSE ALL WINDOW SCREENS BEFORE SHOOTING FOR BEST INTERIOR AMBIENCE :) OR DOUBLE EXPOSURE :)

[deeeeeeps]

Original shot looks better, but this is a nice technique.

[jamesburke]

There are much better tutorials on YouTube - look at Rich Baum or Nathan Cool Photo for the proper way to blend multiple layers with Lightroom and Photoshop. Gary Fong's lightspheres are great however.