When using the tool to correct wb in LR or apeture....

[Sauk]

What are the values that you look for in order to get the correct wb? By values I mean 198, 194, etc.... when the tool is over an area.

Thanks

[tim]

I think you're overthinking this. Choose the WB tool, click on something white. I don't look at the numbers.

[Sauk]

yeah but shouldn't you look at the numbers as well? I guess if a kid has a white jersey on and I get 255,255,255 then that should give me a solid white balance?

[bildeb0rg]

I think you're overthinking this. Choose the WB tool, click on something white. I don't look at the numbers.

Read this again...;)

[Sauk]

lol I guess I am over thinking it :) Sometimes after doing that the image still doesn't look right. I guess I could always make small adjustments from that point.

[tim]

Sometimes clicking on something white doesn't look right, so I click on something else. If the dropper says 255, 255, 255 then the chances are you've blown the highlight so it won't take a reading from there anyway. You can get 255,255,255 when the item's red if you way overexpose it. Those numbers will be different for the same object under different lighting, so looking at the numbers isn't helpful. I often use the presets in ACR.

[V8Rumble]

The WB droppers need a neutral (monochrome, black, gray, white) colour so it can remove the colour cast and tint from it.

[tim]

The WB droppers need a neutral (monochrome, black, gray, white) colour so it can remove the colour cast and tint from it.

It's doesn't so much need a neutral color, as it needs to have a neutral colored subject in the scene. This neutral colored object may actually look red under whatever light's present. Splitting hairs perhaps.

[PixelMagic]

The Black, Grey and White Eyedroppers in Photoshop work a bit differently from the White Balance tools in Camera Raw and Lightroom and could be the source of your confusion.

In ACR or Lightroom, ideally you want to click on a neutral color in your photo (where RGB values are all equal) but that's not always possible. Then the next best thing is to click on an object that should be white. However, if you click on a white object with RGB values of 255,255,255 ACR/Lightroom will regard it as a specular highlight and give you a waring that the color you click on is to bright. In Photoshop you would not get such a warning.


yeah but shouldn't you look at the numbers as well? I guess if a kid has a white jersey on and I get 255,255,255 then that should give me a solid white balance?

[Dermit]

In Lightroom when using the WB tool you should try to click on something that is supposed to be neutral and prefereably something in the mid-gray tone area. If you click on something too bright it does not do as well. The numbers you see when hovering over an area are the RGB mixes that currently make up that area of the image so you can see how far off it is from neutral. Antoher tip is to have the left panel in LR visible and the preview image part of that panel also visible in the upper left. Now when you hover over areas with the WB tool you will see real time wb correction to the preview view, without clicking. So as you move the cursor around you instantly see the effect it would have if you do click on the area under the cursor. Try it, it's really cool.

[GilesGuthrie]

In Lightroom when using the WB tool you should try to click on something that is supposed to be neutral and prefereably something in the mid-gray tone area. If you click on something too bright it does not do as well. The numbers you see when hovering over an area are the RGB mixes that currently make up that area of the image so you can see how far off it is from neutral. Antoher tip is to have the left panel in LR visible and the preview image part of that panel also visible in the upper left. Now when you hover over areas with the WB tool you will see real time wb correction to the preview view, without clicking. So as you move the cursor around you instantly see the effect it would have if you do click on the area under the cursor. Try it, it's really cool.

QFT.

I've got a 5d, so it's my most used tool. ;)

[Sauk]

what are neutral RGB numbers by the way? Are there specific numbers I should look for?

[Riff Raff]

White is 255,255,255
Black is 0,0,0
Middle grey is 128,128,128

See a pattern? :-)

But on the original subject, I usually just click on something that "should" be white. And if it's a portrait, I'll usually warm it up a bit (maybe +200K). Truly neutral white balance doesn't seem to look that great with people.

[Sauk]

Well thanks for all the information here. Thanks for the input

[PixelMagic]

A neutral object, as oppose to neutral numbers, is one that is comprised of equal RGB values; i.e. grey. equal RGB values result in grey....92, 92,92 would be a shade of grey, as would be 192,192,192.


what are neutral RGB numbers by the way? Are there specific numbers I should look for?