Warm images

[Brian Mackey]

Hello all. I need some help.. I Have the 10D and I use Novatron Monolights 500 WS. these lights are 5500k so I ahve the 10d set at 5500k and forced to use that white balance. My images are very warm. They of course can be adjusted in PS, but... My question is, if your using 5500k strobes, what should you set the cameras color temp / WB to for accurate images? Or at least not as warm...

Im sorry if this is not clear, Im not very good at message text :)

[robertwgross]

Brian, theoretically, the white balance (color temp.) in the camera should match the color temp of the lights. However, you said that your shots came out looking too warm.

That could mean one of two things. Either the camera is actually set too high, or the lights are actually burning too warm. If the lights are supposed to be 5500, maybe they are actually at 4500 or 5000. Sunset is more like 2000, with all of the warm reds and yellows. Flash is typically cooler and around 6000.

It should be easy to do a calibration test.

The way that I have used the term "warm" here is the practical way that photographers speak of it. Actually, 6000 is a hotter temperature than 5500, but to the physicist, white hot or blue hot flash is hotter than red hot or yellow hot sun. So, you have to choose your terms carefully, depending on who you are talking to.

---Bob Gross---

[rapierphoto]

Tell me if this is wrong. Wouldn't the type of umbrella have an effect on the color. Silver vs. white? I custom white balance with a gray card because I thought that the color of the light would change after reflection from the umbrella.

John Rapier

[Dans_D60]

White (gray) balance will fluctuate depending on subjects, backgrounds, and of course light source. Auto WB attempts to adjust on-the-fly for these changes and most of the time it does a decent job. Nevertheless I found by only shooting in RAW can I adjust for these color temperature changes with guaranteed results. A few weeks ago I was shooting a model in the studio with flash units and the differences in white balance simply by shifting the background from pink to muslin-gray were dramatic. My workflow has me always shooting a gray card. If needed, changing the white balance on RAW images during the post processing is a snap.

Dan
http://www.pettusphoto.com

[justme_dc]

You could always set a custom white balance.... I do this everytime I shoot with strobes (which is alot). I will shoot a new balance everytime I adjust a power setting or move a light. I never end up with images that are not the correct color temp. It may sound like alot of work but I used to have to color balance chromes and digital is a walk in the park by comparison. You could also just buy an EXPODISC http://www.expodisc.com/ and be done with it. They are worth every cent for quick accurate WB.

[Brian Mackey]

justme_dc wrote:
You could always set a custom white balance.... I do this everytime I shoot with strobes (which is alot). I will shoot a new balance everytime I adjust a power setting or move a light. I never end up with images that are not the correct color temp. It may sound like alot of work but I used to have to color balance chromes and digital is a walk in the park by comparison. You could also just buy an EXPODISC http://www.expodisc.com/ and be done with it. They are worth every cent for quick accurate WB.

good advice Ill start the habit next shoot :) can't afford the disk so Ill have to just do it long hand. thanks everyone for their advice

[chtgrubbs]

Many factors can influence the color balance of strobe lights. Soft boxes and white umbrellas can warm the light by 200-300 Degrees. Also, if you turn the flash output down from maximum the light can also get warmer, particularly if you use a variator dial on the flash. If you are shooting in a small room light bouncing back from warm colored walls can influence color balance. And use a high shutter synch speed or the modeling lights may be contributing to extra warmth.

[Doug Rowan]

rapierphoto wrote:
Tell me if this is wrong. Wouldn't the type of umbrella have an effect on the color. Silver vs. white? I custom white balance with a gray card because I thought that the color of the light would change after reflection from the umbrella.

John Rapier


Custom White Balance is to be made off of a white object (per the maunal). Many film shooters have a problem with this because they are accustomed to using a gray card to make exposure settings. It's called "White Balance" for a reason...if you used different colored images to create a custom white balance, you will get different color casts. For instance, I use a pale green card to give my images more of a warm color (if that's what I want).

Umbrellas do something very similar...gold gives a warm reflection & silver gives a whiter (or cooler) reflection.

http://www.photo-digitaldesigns.com/Pics/KFace6147W.jpg
Katie Beth, 1:30pm Central time, ambient light with a 42" gold reflector 30' away.

[rapierphoto]

I was informed that you can white balance with either gray or white. The camera just wants something nuetral. The reason I use a gray card is because I know it is 18%. I am not comfortable using a white card because of the different shades of white.

John Rapier