how do you correct WB?

In PS..I have read about it several times...and Im lost...I know the color picker etc...but where do you do the rest? I have pscs2

I don't have PS (I have Elements 3) but I do WB corrections in my RAW converter (Rawshooter Premium).

I use (and recommend) Warmcards as a WB reference system. Just click on the card in Rawshooter for a quick and easy (and consistent) WB correction.

In Elements I can adjust WB via eyedropper under: Enhance-->Adjust Color-->Remove Color Cast. I would assume that PSCS2 has a similar command - or if you're using RAW, then the Adobe Camera Raw converter has a WB correction eyedropper.

I use Raw Shooter Essentials to correct white balance using the eyedropper tool. The AWB correction isn't too bad, either.

I have the 18% gray card to use...and I have just done the custom wb on my cam...Im just wondering the methods in PS.. thanx so much..I need to go open PS and check it out!

As long as there is a white or neutrally color object in the picture, you can go into the Curves or Levels tool, click on the gray eyedropper (the one in the middle) and then click on the white or gray object. This will only work if the object in the picture is really supposed to be white or gray. If you can't find anything that's white or gray, then you can try looking for deep dark shadows. They are supposed to be black so if you click on that with the gray eyedropper it may correct your color balance. You may need to click on several places until you get the correct wb.

If, as you say, you are doing a custom WB in-camera you don't need to do anything more. Your jpgs will be correctly balanced and your RAWs will be correct at the "As Shot" setting. Just remember that every time the light changes you need to do a new CWB (as for instance when going from sunlight to shade or because sunlight at noon is different from sunlight at 4:00 PM.)
Elie

The problem with doing custom white balance in the camera is, you have to set up the camera for each lighting situation. For most it won't be an issue, but I was shooting a wedding and we were in about 8 different settings and a couple of them more than once... so I would have had to taken a shot with the card and set my WB to that shot for each location change. And that's just too much. And then if I had to revisit a location that I shot in earlier, I would have to find the card that my test image was on or re-shoot it. Too much to worry about. How I do it is I shoot the color check card in each of the locations once, then I shoot RAW which ignores WB completely. In ACR I open each of the location test shots and set my WB to the card and save the profile with a unique name. Then as I process the images from each location, I just apply the saved WB profile to all the images. It's very quick and simple and I don't have to spend my time at the event worrying about WB.

WOW>.thanx for the info..this is EXACLTY what i was looking for!

That's exactly what I do, too ... except using the Warmcards (same process, they just add a little warmth to the color - which many people prefer for people shots) and Rawshooter. This process simplifies and creates consistency.

I have wondered about correctly adjusting wb as well. Do you folks always correct wb for each photograph shot in RAW?

Just for clarification, would the workflow be:

1. open actual photo
2. open warm card or whatever with either absolute white, absolute black or 15% grey
3. pick wb from warm card and apply to the actual photo

Instead of getting warm card is it not possible to create a white/black/18% in PS directly?

Yes, I do ... unless time constraints (or spur of the moment shots) do not allow the use of reference cards. Even in those cases I'll usually attempt to WB correct using the eyedropper and picking gray, black or white in the image. On the other hand, sometimes the camera gets it right. More often than not, I use the cards and adjust in the RAW converter.

Basically, yes, except I open the image with the reference card first. (FYI ... I usually ask someone to hold it (my children are well trained at this). The card doesn't have to fill the entire image - it just needs to be in the lighting in question, and be properly exposed.) I use the WB eyedropper to pick the card. Then, in Rawshooter I can "cut and paste" the corrected WB data to other images (all of them at once - or one at a time). This needs to be repeated for each type of lighting, but once you get used to it it's quick and easy.

I think some members have tried that - I have not, so I don't really know how well that works. You certainly don't need to buy a relatively expensive set of cards like the Warmcards or WhiBal cards. Just a simple 18% gray card will work fine.

I got a set ox 2 8x10 for 20 bucks CDN..they are cheap!

In PS when shooting JPG you can save the sampled curve or level adjustment from your white/grey/warmcard shot and reload it for other pics in the same lighting.

it's not WB correction EXACTLY. but i go into Image > Adjust > and just play around with the settings.