As Shot vs Auto

[EchoingWhisper]

Would you choose the white balance As Shot/Auto in Adobe Lightroom?

 

[EchoingWhisper]

I don't know, but Auto seems to look nicer in almost every picture I see.

 

[Juice]

That's pretty vague. It completely depends on the picture. Most of the time I just tweak it manually until I get what I want.

 

[unpopular]

If the image is properly white balanced in the first place "as shot" is the choice you want to use. Otherwise, Auto might work better. "As shot" simply refers to the settings chosen in camera.

 

[EchoingWhisper]

I used auto white balance on my camera every time.

 

[EchoingWhisper]

In camera Auto White Balance

Lightroom Auto White Balance

 

[clanthar]

A night shot is not the ideal type of photo to use when considering white balance.

Joe

 

[EchoingWhisper]

Which one do you think look nicer though?

 

[Juice]

Not sure, I'm too distracted by the tilted horizon.

 

[EchoingWhisper]

Not sure, I'm too distracted by the tilted horizon.

I know I know, I put this on something, but def not a tripod. Can't take a 20 second picture hand held eh?

 

[KmH]

Night shots uaually have a variety of light source types making night shots the very best example of 'mixed lighting'.

White balance can ony completely correct for 1 light source color temperature at a time. In the case of mixed lighting white balance can only partially correct for each of the various light source color temperatures, so it's no surprise you find Auto WB working better than what you are able to estimate.

 

[bazooka]

Personally I never use auto simply because it never looks accurate to me. I do sometimes use the presets, or I start with a preset and make a slight change, or I use the dropper to set a custom WB. Of the images you posted, I prefer the LR version because it seems to make the small lights in the buildings pop more, but the monitor I'm on right now is not calibrated.

 

[g-fi]

I think "It Depends" is about the best answer that you can expect. I don't think there is a "right" there is only what looks best to you. You either trust your natural artistic impulses or you don't, if you don't, let Lightroom or PS or whatever choose it for you. I leave my camera on auto WB because I shoot Raw so I can change the WB later on to whatever I like the best. I find lately I prefer a warmer look for portraits, but it depends on what I'm shooting and what the mood is. Your taste will evolve as you grow as a photographer and as what you're shooting changes. I'm an advocate for shooting in Raw and then choosing your WB later on in post.


Edited to add: Actually, after I hit "Post" I realized that the "right" answer is probably to shoot a white/grey/black/skin tone card with every shoot and calibrate from there. You can still get artistic using the WB but at least you'll have a true baseline to go from. I'm mega lazy, so I don't do this.

 

[unpopular]

In this photograph, there is no specific white point. So there really isn't any objective reason to choose one white balance over another.

You do know what white balance is, right?

 

[jahcyber]

I would worry about WB if the client is someone who knows photography and would specifically say he'd want the exact white balance value which means I may have to use external meters or use gray cardboards or something. Otherwise, I'd put it on auto, then adjust in LR according to what looks best e.g. considering mood, or the warmth you want to express. Photography is an art after all.