A method includes obtaining, using at least one processing device of an electronic device, multiple image frames having different exposure levels. The method also includes determining whether a moving saturated region is present in at least some of the image frames. The method further includes selecting one of the image frames as a reference frame, where the selected image frame depends on whether the moving saturated region is present in at least some of the image frames. The selected image frame may have a first exposure level when the moving saturated region is present in at least some of the image frames, and the selected image frame may have a second exposure level longer than the first exposure level when the moving saturated region is not present in the image frames.