What is wrong with my camera setting?

[nima]

I have a canon 20D and a 24-70 L lens.

For some reason my pictures seem too "colored". Is there a setting that i need to play with ? Anyone has any idea why I might be getting this pictures:

here is an example

http://nimaheydarian.com/files/IMG_1312.JPG

Thanks a lot

 

[osirus]

if you mean the redness, then that would be the white balance setting.

 

[Flash Harry]

your shooting into a bright light, no flash, its dark, the photo is underexposed, possibly your lens isn't fast enough for the lighting anyway, in fact till you realise its light that creates an image you'll continue in this vein. when shooting in dark places without flash, slow shutter, high iso, fast aperture etc etc you need to know what your doing to get even an acceptable image. The book "understanding exposure" will be of great service to you, buy it. H

 

[Overread]

I agree that looks like a white balance factor. There are a few things that you can do to help with this:

1) auto white balance setting vs manual white blance - auto generally does a good job but its not perfect - manual is the best way but, of course, takes a few moments to set up and there is a skill in getting the right surface to meter off. I use auto all the time and have not done much with manual so I really can't advise how to go abou it best save to say that it is an option

2) shooting in RAW mode. If you set your camera to save images as a RAW then you can manually set your white balance in editing. Infact with RAW files you have to edit every shot since exposure, white balance, contrast, saturation, sharpening, noise removaland a few other things are not applied in the camera. Instead you get the raw data from the camera sensor and then you edit that in editing software (software that came with the camera will do this - also programs like photoshop elements will do it as well).
This lets you manually set your white balance to the desired level however whilst RAW sounds and feels complex at the start out its very simple once you get get the hang of it - save as JPEG+RAW when starting out and that way you will also get a JPEG version of the photo as well - so you can always revert to using that until you get the RAW really understood. Of course its important to note that RAW files are much bigger than JPEG and thus you will be able to take fewer images on a memory card as well - however the added editing power is considered by many to be worth working with larger files

 

[rufus5150]

your [sic] shooting into a bright light, no flash,

While I don't disagree with the advice about Understanding Exposure, from his image's exif :

Camera Make: Canon
Camera Model: Canon EOS 20D
Image Date: 2004:01:06 22:00:37
Flash Used: Yes (Auto, red eye reduction mode)
Focal Length: 50.0mm
CCD Width: 22.48mm
Exposure Time: 0.017 s (1/60)
Aperture: f/0.0
ISO equiv: 400
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: program (Auto)

 

[nima]

thank you guys. But the flash was on and also the white balance was on "auto". .



I'm not sure why there is so much redness though

(and i should fix the date on my camera, lol)

 

[tsaraleksi]

thank you guys. But the flash was on and also the white balance was on "auto". .



I'm not sure why there is so much redness though

(and i should fix the date on my camera, lol)

You have so much red because the whitebalance was set on auto, and in low indoor light like that you really have to set a custom WB in order to avoid getting screwy color casts.

 

[Overread]

well I suspect that auto white balance simply got confused - as I said its good for what it does, but its far from perfect which is why many either set manual white balance or shoot in RAW.
As an aside you could try running an auto levels edit over the photo. Auto levels can correct a lot of hazes and colour casts over photos and I find it to be a very powerful and diverse tool - many times it can even remove a cast that you don't even know is there till its taken away
more info: http://www.ronbigelow.com/articles/levels/levels1/levels1.htm
note that is the first of a few articles on levels - it might appear complext to start with but its basic use is simple enough. And the auto setting on most editing software works surprisingly well

 

[nima]

thank you guys. I think i'll start shooting in RAW format and actually start reading articles on how to use my camera.

Thnks

 

[Flash Harry]

While I don't disagree with the advice about Understanding Exposure, from his image's exif :

Camera Make: Canon
Camera Model: Canon EOS 20D
Image Date: 2004:01:06 22:00:37
Flash Used: Yes (Auto, red eye reduction mode)
Focal Length: 50.0mm
CCD Width: 22.48mm
Exposure Time: 0.017 s (1/60)
Aperture: f/0.0
ISO equiv: 400
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: program (Auto)

He's still shooting into a bright light with a lot of light bouncing around in the lens, this has confused the metering system and the flash output causing underexposure, white balance on auto will be programmed to flash, as flash output would be less than desired then the spot/flood that is coming directly into the lens has overpowered the flash giving the orangey red cast. H