Custom white balance

[haunteddoc]

Does anyone use a custom white balance while shooting at WDW? Should I just relie on the AWB from the camera or when should I use it? Is shooting a white card the best or what other method works good?

 

[zackiedawg]

I adjust my white balance constantly...I love custom white balance. If you have a grey card and the bag to bring it along, it would be best, but there are plenty of grey to white objects that you can white balance off of if you need to. I've white balanced off walls, pavement, people's t-shirts, clouds...whatever is handy!

I think because of the various show lighting gels, foliage, colorful paint on buildings, and varying sunlight, that Disney is a great place for using custom or manual white balance. Even the best Auto WB systems can sometimes get lost in certain situations.

Of course, if you shoot RAW, you can always adjust WB in processing...but if shooting JPG, you should try to get it as close as possible when shooting because the ability to correct in post processing is limited.

 

[haunteddoc]

Thanks zackiedawg. I have been taking my camera to work and goofing around with the white balance during some down time we have. I am going to try an shoot my sons percussion competitions which are held in a gym so I thought I would try setting some custom white balance there since it will be under various lighting conditions.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

I always use AWB and correct things later using iCorrect Editlab Pro 5.0. It's a terrific program; better than Photoshop colour correction, IMO.

 

[Tim]

hi dr. jim,

generally i use auto white balance and pretty much leave it alone in photoshop. i am not worried so much as the whites looking totally white (at least at disney) as i am keeping the atmospherics and ambient lights correct. if i was shooting a wedding or something, oh yeah i would make sure to get a custom white balance.

i haven't tried this but i have read numerous places that but putting a pringles can lid in front of the lens and pointing it a the light source will give you a good custom white balance. your mileage may vary...