CAPTURED - Weekly Newsletter

​

3 Photography Techniques to Try (Inspired by Spain’s Blackout)

↓

Hey Reader,

​

Spain had a big blackout this week — el apagón.

​

Phones stopped working.

​

Some people were stuck in lifts or stranded mid-travel.

​

I got lucky. I was home. Nothing urgent going on.

​

And while it could’ve been a pain, it actually gave me a bit of space to pick up my camera and test a few things I’d been meaning to try.

​

No client work. No pressure. Just time to practise and mess around.

​

Here are three techniques I worked on — and how they can help improve your photography, especially in tricky light or indoor settings:

Changing How I Meter Light

​

On Fujifilm cameras, there’s a setting called Photometry.

​

It controls how the camera reads the light in a scene.

​

Most of the time I leave it on Multi — it reads across the whole frame and gives a general exposure.

​

But lately, I’ve been drawn to images with deep shadows and controlled highlights.

​

So I switched to Spot metering — it only exposes for one small part of the frame (usually your focus point).

​

Everything else? Left to fall into shadow.

​

During the blackout, I tried it properly — moving through scenes, testing it with doorways, windows, and people in harsh light.

​

​

I liked it so much I saved a custom setting for it on my Fuji.

​

Now I can switch to it instantly when I want that dramatic, shadow-heavy look.

​

If your photos sometimes feel flat or too evenly lit, this is worth trying.

​

It forces you to make a call on what should be correctly exposed, and ignore the rest.

Bracketing for Better Interiors

​

When I shoot hotels or interiors, I almost always bracket exposures.

​

Here’s how I do it:

• One darker shot (to save the highlights)
• One normal shot
• One brighter shot (to pull out the shadows)

​

I shoot all three in-camera using Fujifilm’s / Sony's bracket mode.

​

No extra lighting, no flash — just a quick burst of three exposures.

​

Later, I blend them in Lightroom or Photoshop, masking in the parts I want from each one.

​

​

It doesn’t take long, and the result looks clean and real.

​

I don’t go heavy with it — no fake HDR vibes.

​

Just enough to balance a bright window and a dark interior without losing either.

​

I practised this again during the blackout with some moody light coming through the windows.

​

And it reminded me why I rely on this method so much, especially when shooting rooms for hotels.

Slowing Shutter Speeds to Add Life

​

Okay, tbh — I didn’t actually shoot like this during the blackout, but it’s something I’ve been thinking more about lately.

​

When I’m shooting interiors or travel scenes, everything can start to feel a bit still.

​

Too perfect.

​

So I’ve been playing with the idea of slowing down shutter speeds to bring some motion back in.

​

Think:

• Curtains moving slightly from the wind
• A couple riding through the frame
• Light trails from passing cars outside the window

​

Even exposures between 1/5 and 1 second can make a difference.

​

The key is having something in the frame that stays sharp, so the motion blur feels intentional.

​

It works best when paired with strong composition and natural light.

​

I usually do this handheld against a wall or with a mini tripod.

​

ISO at 160 or 200, f/8 or higher, then dial the shutter speed until it looks right.

​

This isn’t a technique I use every day, but it’s one I’m bringing into more of my hotel work, especially when I want a space to feel a bit more lived-in or natural.

​

Hope that gave you something useful to try.

​

Let me know if you’ve used any of these before, or if you’re going to test one out soon.

Catch you next week,

Matty 📷 🚀

​

Whenever you're ready, there are 3 more ways I can help you:​

​

🚀 Free Training – If you’re ready to grow your brand & start making money with photography, this is for you.

​

🤔 Not quite there yet? Start here:

​

📸 Master Photography – Learn the fundamentals & take pro-level shots with my beginner course.

​
🎨 Level Up Your Edits – Make your photos pop instantly with my Lightroom presets.

​