DPP - Exercise - Colour cast and white balance

DPP - Exercise - Colour cast and white balance

Well here I am reading the detail of the exercise, to look out of the window to see it pouring down with rain AGAIN!  Thinking I should be in a warmer climate to study for this :-(  So I have decided to do some research first and see if the sun decides to make an appearance)!

Research:

 

All Digital cameras have a menu for the WB icons similar to that shown below.

This image has detailed notes about the settings.

[online image] http://digitalphotobuzz.com/creating-the-correct-white-balance-in-camera Accessed on 26/09/12

 

The system used for correcting colour temperatures within the camera is called white balance, this is so because the white areas are simply the easiest tones to find and are the ones that closely reflect the natural colour of the source of the light, this therefore helps to avoid colour casts within the images.

[online image] http://www.bltdirect.com/lampColourTemperatures.php Accessed on 26/09/2012

 

 

What the eye sees is neutral light, as the brain has the ability to neutralise this, whereas the camera doesn't and will only capture what it sees. The wrong WB setting will lead to unflattering images, however post production software can be used to alter images.

AWB - Auto White Balance will not always do your photography justice as in some situations it will not support the light. Hence the reason to adjust the different settings for the various lighting conditions.

Light may appear blue in the shade or a reddish colour at sunrise and set and can also be affected by coloured surfaces ie: painted walls!

However, you can also use the WB setting to your advantage when opting for creative images.

EXERCISE: Colour cast and white balance

 

PART 1

Find the following outdoor lighting situations each of which has a different colour temperature.

 

• Sunlight
• Cloudy
• Open shade on a sunny day
• AWB

Choose a scene, object or person to photograph, shoot 4 versions using each of the white balance settings.

Compare the images taken.

Quick the sun is out - albeit not strong but out all the same.

The well behaved model!

 

My model in sunlight.

WB: AWB

 

WB: Sunny

WB: shade

 

 WB: Cloudy

 

 

 

My model - cloudy:

 

WB: AWB

WB: Sunny

 

WB: Shade

 

WB: Cloudy

 





 My model: - Open shade on a sunny day

 

WB: AWB

 

WB: Sunny



 WB: Shade

 



WB: Cloudy

 

PART 2:

Find and shoot a mixed lighting scene.

 

Indoor/outdoor scene at dusk, in which the interior is lit by incandesent lighting (orangeish) while the exterior, especially under a clear sky is bluish.



 

WB: AWB

WB: Sunny

WB: Shade

WB: Cloudy

Other Photographers work:

Both images show great creative use of colour casts.

 

A great image showing cold blue colour cast appearance on the rocks.

Joe Cornish: Contours in blue

This is a fantastic piece that shows great light and a colour cast that infact created a dramatic effect.  (this image was initally shot with a filter to balance the colour cast but the photographer went back and took another shot)!

Waite, Cornish & Ward, Working the Light - A landscape photography masterclass, 2006 Bertrams , Pg 115 & 9