Auto Exposure Bracketing vs Post processing

[xpatUSA]

Nikon has a Flexible Program Mode where you can adjust shutter speed/aperture simultaneously where the overall exposure will stay the same; within reason.

Yes, that is the only form of Program Mode available on my Sigma. Interestingly, the Mode is not new, dating back to the 50's for some cameras, e.g. Kodak Retina Ib:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exposu...EV_on_a_camera
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[Geoff F]

OK!! then do you consider the issues of my photographs are one of "composition" or that of "tonal range" or both? Then what do you consider that one can do by manipulating the settings at the camera level? As Manfred opines [#23] that no camera in the world can take care of "dynamic range" issues without the help of post-processing. As with regard to the focusing issues of my "trees image", could that be remedied with AE/AL lock?

With the trees scene you were in a no win situation right from the start.

When I arrive at a potential photographic location the first thing I do is to look at the general scene to see if there are any obvious good angles; also anything which must be excluded. So I will have a basic idea about what might work before even picking up my camera and thinking about possible camera settings and if I don't see any real potential there, I just walk on past the area.

The distant trees are too hazy for anything other than a bit of unimportant background and you also have a very bland sky. However, it might have been possible to salvage something if you could have found a good interesting sharply focused foreground. Something like a group of brightly coloured leaves may have worked to create a main subject; but without that, I would have walked on while looking for a different location.

Another day, with different lighting, and focusing on those distant trees without anything showing in front of them plus a good sky may produce acceptable results.

Some scenes aren't going to work well, no matter what camera settings you use. On occasions, I find a potential location but don't shoot anything because I know the results will not work; but when I return on another day the conditions will have changed and I get an acceptable image. Firstly, find the composition; then consider the camera adjustments and if neither are good, don't bother to shoot.

However, there are a few times when I doubt that I will achieve anything worthwhile but I have a go anyway and experiment with a number of different shooting options. In a few cases, I will surprise myself with the resulting image, so it is always worth taking a shot but don't worry if it doesn't work out, just ditch the poor results and move on to something more productive.

When I try a 'no hope' shot I start by evaluating the scene to pick out the strengths and weakness of the potential shot. For example, any possible over exposure areas or parts which are in heavy shadow. Is there a need for some exposure compensation to boost a weak scene? Also, what is going to be the main subject and how much foreground/background to include.