Whites aint White

[HairyHaggis]

OK ... trialling and going mad with this .... I cant seem to get my whites white ???

Should I be setting a custom white balance EVERY time I shoot? If so, what is the proper process for doing this as I do it according to the manual and I dont seem to be getting it right ... all help apprecaited.

Shooting with S2

[Camarochas]

I'm not sure what the problem is, but I think the first step is to determine if the whites are "muddy" or if they have a color cast to them. I think you want to eliminate an exposure problem first (if that's is indeed the problem) before looking into color problems. Another issue may be monitor calibration.

Charlie

[easternherp]

Can you post a sample?

[HairyHaggis]

Hey mate,

Check my MORE CHARLY AND MAXINE thread ... there is one there I have just noticed the skin looks out ... cheers.

[Theo2005]

Just looked at the more charly... thread. Mind you, I have never seen the actual colours of these walls... :bowdown: Your "correction" there looks a bit too white and over exposed to me. :surrender

The easiest way to set WB correctly in a studio setting is simply to let the model hold a greycard in front of her in the first picture. There are cards that have a white/grey/black area as well. :righton:

Every time you change the light (in whatever way) repeat the greycard routine. It's easy and routinely done once you are used to this.

Using auto WB isn't advisable: better set a specific degree Kelvin or a specific preset. That way you eliminate the not-so-consequent behaviour of auto-wb.

When working in the above described way you best shoot RAW. That way you can use the greycard picture to get the correct WB without having to worry about losing data in your images. (WB change in RAW = non destructive).

Hope this helps,
Theo

[HairyHaggis]

I must admit Theo, that I do not set CWB any time, I always WB on AUTO, which is now evidently doing me no favours .... I will try this grey card thing you speak of next time.

Incidentally, where can I buy these cards or is it something I can make ???

TIA

[HairyHaggis]

Also Theo ... the pic looks over exposed on the adjustment as I used diffuse glow filter, nothing else .... check the original and you will see what I mean.

TIA

[Theo2005]

I must admit Theo, that I do not set CWB any time, I always WB on AUTO, which is now evidently doing me no favours .... I will try this grey card thing you speak of next time.

Incidentally, where can I buy these cards or is it something I can make ???

TIA

Every well assorted camerastore should have them, or at least can get them for you. Kodak used to make them, those are the ones I have (R-27, 2 cards, a small one and a big one) but I think that part of Kodak is controlled by Tiffen now. Not sure though.

Capi Vak (prof. store in Netherlands has a set of 15 white-gray-black cards for only 16 euro ex vat. See the enclosed picture...
UPDATE: as well as their website: http://www.qpcard.com/

I lately got a Gossen colourmeter (expensive little bugger :D ) so I guess my greycards will be collecting dust before long :)

Theo

[Theo2005]

I must admit Theo, that I do not set CWB any time, I always WB on AUTO, which is now evidently doing me no favours .... I will try this grey card thing you speak of next time.

Incidentally, where can I buy these cards or is it something I can make ???

TIA

Oh, yes, you can make them. Simply search Altavista or whatever with "greycard" and you find it fast enough. I'm not sure I would trust a home-made greycard though. But that's probably just me :bowdown:

Theo

[Theo2005]

Also Theo ... the pic looks over exposed on the adjustment as I used diffuse glow filter, nothing else .... check the original and you will see what I mean.

TIA

Okay, that explains it :righton:

Theo

[Linda G]

Are you getting good skin tones? There may be a color cast from the lights that's changing the whites to a yellowish color and if you compensate for that, the rest of the colors will shift, too. We always 'go for the skin tones' unless told otherwise and your skin tones look nice!

[HairyHaggis]

Hi Linda,

Thanks for that, you have helped on many an occasion in the earlier days when I was shooting in my kitchen with the green cast. Now I started to shoot in a mates flat with white walls, and the tones looked better, although I am not consistent enough, but I am putting it down to inexperience and trial and error.

But I move into new studio, excuse the photo but its a camera phone, and there are still boxes to be put away, but it will give you an idea of what I have now. 49sq mtrs and a spiral staircase down into the office below.

Cheers.

Link To Studio Photo (http://www.theswampbbs.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17279)

[Linda G]

Pst, try again, no picture! :tongue2:

[easternherp]

PSST Linda,

Try the link

[Linda G]

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