Now that I think about it, I color correct peoples JPG files all the time. Still if I were shooting JPG, I'd want a custom WB, but technically, it can be done in post.

Custom white balance has been a major thorn in my side. My photos either come out with the yellow or blue haze and yes some of them can be fixed in the editor program I am using (not Photoshop, but hoping after kitten season to take a PS class).

I have read the manual many times and go step by step in setting the CWB yet the photos are still not correct, so I feel I am missing something. My first question is when you look at the EXIF file it states the photo is manual WB even after I just set the CWB. Would the EXIF show custom white balance if I set it correctly? Next question is that when following the instructions for setting the CWB and using the white paper the manual wants me to be in manual focus (which I do). Can anyone explain why?

WB was a major problem with my point and shoot, but now I am using the Canon Rebel 300D. Either I am totally lost or it is broken LOL.

Last night I had a major break through (I feel like I am in “My Fair Lady”) By George she’s got it! While I still have a WB and CWB problem I realized I am confusing light issues with WB. Additionally, the breakthrough came on metering. I thought that when metering the light I was to get it to zero and VIOLA a correctly lit shot. Noooooooooooooo. I realized last night the meter is a guide to correct the exposure!!! DUH!!!!!!! Yes, I feel like an idiot, but what a difference. A shot that was taking me an hour to get… last night I got 10 of them in about 10 minutes!!!

This is pretty much what I was getting for each photo:



After I realized the correct way to utilize the meter I got these shots:







What do you think? Are these better? Your thoughts on the two tone (BG/FG)?

Thanks,
Barbra

Very cute. Love those eyes.

Personally, I don't care for the two colors for the background in this case. If you had more (a lot more) distance between the subject and background the transition would be less harsh and (to me) more pleasing.

I can't speak to Canon cameras, so I'll leave that bit to others.

I played around with this one a bit. I straightened the horizon, got rid of a couple creases, did a levels adjustment, cropped and ran my Kill Highlights and Kill Shadows actions on it.

Not necessarily better, just different.

This is interesting and I never noticed it before but in the JPG EXIF I can only see white balance = auto or manual whereas in my RAW files I can see the specific white balance in the Camera Raw section of the metadata. So I assume that 'manual' would be any of the modes other than 'auto'.

There is also some talk among Canon users that the custom white balance may work better in some cases using an 18% grey card. Go figure.

Regarding your white balance issues, you should try shooting a frame using the correct exposure, only with your hot lights turned off...if the frame is not dark - nothing on the histogram --- then you are getting mixed light from sources other than your hot lights.

Why are you trying to use a "custom white balance"? You don't have mixed lighting. Just set the camera to the color temperatures of your bulbs, which should be around 2900K to 3400K.

Interesting that somone would make a comment about the historgram (one of photographys BEST tools to come out in years) like this. Usually people who make largly dismissive statments like that are full of cow feces. ;~)

Sounds like somone who lucked into some kind of notariaty and has very little technical ability.

Roman

Jim,

You have to forgive me.... When I go into the editing programs I start to lose it. After a few minutes of changing the lighting I can no longer tell which is better (Is it my eyes or do you all get that way?). I must be getting really bad now, because I really don’t notice any difference from your corrected bmp to my original.

I even waited until morning to look again with fresh eyes.

Barbra