Bob has a confession to make.
For years, he walked through Toronto’s grand buildings — especially Union Station — squinting at blown-out windows and dark shadows thinking, “Well, that’s just the way it is.”
Then one day, he rediscovered a little feature buried inside his Sony menu.
Auto HDR.
And suddenly… everything changed.
What Is Auto HDR Anyway?
On many Sony cameras (yes, even the older ones Bob loves like the NEX-3, a6000, and a5000), Auto HDR takes three photos at different exposures and blends them together inside the camera.
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One image for the shadows
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One image for the highlights
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One image for the midtones
The camera merges them into one balanced image.
No computer needed.
No complicated editing.
Just press the shutter.
Why Bob Uses It at Union Station
Look at a place like Union Station:
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Bright winter light pouring through massive windows
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Dark beams and platforms under the tracks
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Warm indoor lighting mixed with cool outdoor tones
Normally you’d have to choose:
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Expose for the windows and lose detail in the shadows
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Or expose for the shadows and blow out the sky
Auto HDR fixes that.
When Bob photographed the GO train sitting under those heavy steel beams, Auto HDR kept:
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Detail in the train’s green and white paint
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Texture in the dark ceiling
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Natural glow in the platform lights
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And visibility in the snowy skyline outside
All in one shot.
Where to Find It on Sony Cameras
On many Sony models:
Menu → Camera Settings → DRO/Auto HDR → Auto HDR
You can choose:
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Auto (camera decides)
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Or manual levels like ±1.0 to ±6.0 EV
Bob usually sets it around Auto or 3.0 EV for interiors like stations.
Too high, and it starts looking fake.
Too low, and you don’t see the difference.
When It Works Best
Bob has found Auto HDR shines in:
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Train stations
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Subway platforms
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City halls
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Churches
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Underpasses
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Coffee shops with bright windows (yes, even at Balzac’s)
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Glass corridors like the SkyWalk
Basically anywhere Toronto gives you extreme contrast.
When Not to Use It
Auto HDR takes multiple shots quickly.
So:
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Don’t use it for fast-moving subjects
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Don’t use it when people are rushing through your frame
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Avoid it in strong wind (camera movement can cause ghosting)
Bob uses it mostly for architecture and transit photography, where things stay still long enough.
Why This Matters for Street Photographers
Street photography isn’t just people walking.
Sometimes it’s:
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Empty corridors
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Quiet platforms
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The calm before the rush
Auto HDR lets you capture those spaces the way your eye actually sees them.
When Bob stood alone in that long, glass-roofed corridor with the escalators at the end, the scene had detail everywhere — floor, ceiling, walls, lights.
Without HDR?
The windows would blow out.
The ceiling would go dark.
The mood would be lost.
With HDR?
It feels balanced and real.
The Best Part?
You don’t need the newest camera.
Bob proves this all the time.
You can use:
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An older Sony NEX
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An a5000
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An a6000
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Even that DSLR-looking Sony a3000
You don’t need $4,000 gear to handle dynamic range.
You just need to explore the menu.
Bob’s Final Thought
Auto HDR isn’t cheating.
It’s using the tools your camera already has.
Toronto gives us contrast:
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Winter light and steel beams
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Snow and brick
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Glass and shadow
If you let your Sony help you balance it, your photos will look closer to what your eyes saw in the moment.
And that’s what Bob is always chasing.
Not perfection.
Just the feeling of standing there.
Camera in hand.
Waiting for the next train.
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