Best/simplest method to photograph lighted objects

[Lemosteam]

Ok Guys,  here is something that I regularly struggle with photographing.  I had a hard time with my polar express model without making it look like nighttime, etc.

In the area I photograph, I have three clamp style lights with 5000k flouro, with three more permanently attached to an overhead "fixture" I made with three more 5000k flouros. These are directly above my work area.  On the computer desk (180 degress opposite) I hafe two ceieling lighst, also with 5000k flouros.  Everything in the area is the same color.

I can turn off any of the three clamp lights separately and I can unscrew any of the others as well as turning off the computer overheads.

Here is an example take with an iPad in full lighting.  Now keep in mind this is a highly resisted led 1K + 33K resistors in series and the pot is all the way down:


I have a LG3, an iPad mini, and a Canon SX20 (I think, not at home)

How can I tone down the light burst to get down to the part and the light?  Am I asking for the impossible?
More like this but without the dark, grainy look and less glow from the LED.

[MK]

This is a dynamic range issue.  Basically the range is too great for the camera to resolve (the human eye is better at that).  If it exposes correctly for the LED, you get the nightscape.  If it exposes correctly for the overall scene the LED is blown out.

What you need to do is HDR photography.  Take two photos.  One exposed for the LED (to your liking)and one for overall scene (use tripod, don't move camera between shots), then merge the two photos.

[DKS]

This is a dynamic range issue.  Basically the range is too great for the camera to resolve (the human eye is better at that).  If it exposes correctly for the LED, you get the nightscape.  If it exposes correctly for the overall scene the LED is blown out.

What you need to do is HDR photography.  Take two photos.  One exposed for the LED (to your liking)and one for overall scene (use tripod, don't move camera between shots), then merge the two photos.

Agreed. However... there's a small problem if you take the image for the overall scene with the LED on. It will not only blow out, but it may "bloom" as well, that is the blown-out area may be larger than the LED itself, thus making it impossible to combine the two images due to the loss of some of the image around the LED. My suggestion is to shoot the overall scene with the LED turned off.

[MK]

Oops, left that part out!     Yes, leave the LED off when taking the overall photo.  It will definitely bloom!

To add, see if your camera have a HDR function built in.  My Nikon D500 has it and it does a pretty good job.  In this situation you may have to do spot metering on the LED see if the camera can figure it out.  Or do a matrix metering overall and see if that works too.  Otherwise, the merging method will have to be used.

[Lemosteam]

Thank you gents.  I will apologize for my lack of knowledge here.

Understand the dual shot. Not understanding the acronyms here- do you mean using focus stacking tools or photoshop to blend the two photos?

Are you talking about the multiple range capability that some cell phones have?

I will look to see if the Canon has HDR (what does this stand for?); but likely not, its kind of old tech.

[DKS]

HDR = High Dynamic Range, which is a process that expands the dynamic range (the range from light to dark it can resolve) beyond a camera's normal capability. HDR involves capturing multiple images at different exposures, then combining them into one image, somewhat equivalent to using image stacking for greater depth of field. Our eyes have a tremendous dynamic range that is greater than that of most cameras, hence the problem you're seeing, and the need to use "tricks" to compensate.

[Lemosteam]

Thank you David!