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04/15/2004 08:41:07 AM · #26 |
Also consider if you can change your setup so that you can illuminate the background seperately from your subject, thus giving you more control over what's overexposed and what is not. Then use custom white balance and over-expose (and you'll be surprised just how much you have to overexpose sometimes, I've gone up to +3EV in some instances). Good luck!
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04/15/2004 09:36:22 AM · #27 |
| My instructor insisted that I use RAW mode on my last assignment and I was amazed at what I could do with the images after the fact. Increase contrast, exposure, saturation. It made a difference with the images. |
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04/15/2004 12:16:01 PM · #28 |
Originally posted by LtHousLady:
Originally posted by lelani:
Originally posted by scottwilson:
What I will do if I really want to get the whites right is to use the white balance mode where it is set by shooting a white target, I think this is call preset in most cameras. This works very well and under a lot of lighting conditions is the only way to get a good white balance. |
i think its custom WB on my cam. i dont know how to do this but ill check out the manual for instructions, |
The custom white bal is probably like my 10D. Take a pic of a gray card in the setting you'll be taking pics so it fills the field of view. I use a piece of printer paper in a pinch & get "satisfactory" results. Then go into the Menu & scroll to "custom WB" & hit the enter button in the middle of the back wheel. It will pop up the last pic taken but you can scroll through all the pics if you wanted...just select the gray card pic & hit the enter button again. VUALA! It's set. |
I believe that you are supposed to shoot something white not gray to set the WB.
This is straight from the 10D manual:
"With custom WB, you shoot a white object that will serve as the standard for the WB. For the standard white object, a sheet of plain, white paper is recommended." |
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04/15/2004 12:34:20 PM · #29 |
Originally posted by nborton:
I believe that you are supposed to shoot something white not gray to set the WB.
This is straight from the 10D manual:
"With custom WB, you shoot a white object that will serve as the standard for the WB. For the standard white object, a sheet of plain, white paper is recommended." |
I hear most people suggest etht 18% gray card. As to white paper..go look at Staples - there are many shades of white - from 84 brightness or so to 0ver 100. put the extremes next to eachother and you will be amazed at how off white the cheaper (84-94 brightness) papers are.
It's fine in a pinch, but the 'proper' way is usually better.
White Balance Tutuorial and Techie stuff
WarmCards and more WB examples
Message edited by author 2004-04-15 12:38:26.
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04/15/2004 06:48:43 PM · #30 |
I got a great tip from a local photographer here.
He said to use a lid off of a pringles can. Put it over the lens and take a picture. I haven't tried it yet though.
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04/15/2004 07:03:12 PM · #31 |
when i try to photograph a gray or white card for what ever reason im not able to focus, im sure im doing something wrong, will someone explain what the problem may be.
thanks |
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04/15/2004 07:25:01 PM · #32 |
| If the card fills the frame, it doesn't matter if it's in focus -- it's better blurry. You're trying to get an averaged meter reading. |
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04/15/2004 07:48:35 PM · #33 |
Originally posted by lelani:
when i try to photograph a gray or white card for what ever reason im not able to focus, im sure im doing something wrong, will someone explain what the problem may be.
thanks |
Indeed focus does not matter. Put it in manual focus so you can still fire the shutter, and go.
The reason you can't focus is that focusing depends on contrast, and when you are shooting a white (or gray) card, there is no contrast.
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04/15/2004 07:49:42 PM · #34 |
you probably can't focus because there is nothing to focus on. the camera needs contrasts to focus.
but like generalE said, it doesn't matter if its in focus. |
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04/15/2004 08:07:27 PM · #35 |
The way I see it, if you're shooting a stationary subject, then you can afford to take a longer exposure and therefore you shouldn't exactly need extremely bright lights.
You seem to have all the detail and most of the colour information you need from those shots, so all they need is some polishing up in an editing program. Being not too good at the whole taking pictures thing, this is my preferred method anyway.
 
 
Message edited by author 2004-04-15 20:11:12.
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04/15/2004 08:12:52 PM · #36 |
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04/15/2004 08:16:03 PM · #37 |
Originally posted by SquirreI:
You seem to have all the detail and most of the colour information you need from those shots, so all they need is some polishing up in an editing program. Being not too good at the whole taking pictures thing, this is my preferred method anyway. |
You can certainly fix it up that way, but if you get the chance to compare results like this, with a properly exposed original, it is quite instructive on why its good to get it right in camera, in the first place.
You can get away with moving maybe + or - 1 stop of light like this, but the subtle tonality in the shots get really trashed by these adjustments. There is more latitude to do this in RAW modes (high bit editing modes) but even then, its generally better to get it right in the first place, particularly for higher key scenes like this.
The light ratio between the background and subject is a key part too -
the sensor captures maybe +- 2.5EV of light (roughly) if you have a mid tone subject, and you want a blown out background, that means the background needs to be about 2 stops lighter than the subject values.
For lighter subjects, you need a ratio more towards the +1 range, and then compensate the base exposure accordingly (+1EV metered on the subject, or +2 or +3 EV, if you meter on the background)
Message edited by author 2004-04-15 20:16:35.
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04/15/2004 09:14:21 PM · #38 |
I'm going to get some appalled gasps from the true photographers here, but when things get complicated I usually just say "Screw it. I'm using the magic wand tool".
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04/15/2004 09:38:22 PM · #39 |
Originally posted by SquirreI:
I'm going to get some appalled gasps from the true photographers here, but when things get complicated I usually just say "Screw it. I'm using the magic wand tool". |
Not appalled gasps, but just pointing out that you often either end up doing more work fixing things, or just end up with worse results over all than doing it right in the first place. |
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04/15/2004 09:45:29 PM · #40 |
| If you have Photoshop, spend as much time with it as you can, it is fun and resourceful! Adjusting the contrast is OK, and Photoshop has a very useful AutoContrast function. I prefer, however, to adjust the levels; you can do this manually or use the Auto Levels feature, which is usually very helpful in color balance, white balance, contrast, and even saturation. Try opening the image in Photoshop, click on Image > Adjustments > Auto Levels, or Shift+Ctrl+L in Windows. Hope that helps out some :-) |
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