White balance/flash question...

[fiveoboy01]

I have set up a crude studio, mainly because I'm taking photos of a lot of RC car stuff to sell, just to give the photos an uncluttered background.

I went and bought 3 clamp lights and 3 23W fluoursescent bulbs. Grabbed some posterboard(I know about the seams, they did not have a large size).

Here is a picture:

The yellow balance looks way off, if I use the flash, it looks better.

Here are two examples.... I'm holding the 3rd light at 10-o'clock just above the camera lens pointing down at the subject.

Manual mode, 1/60, f/5.6, WB flourescent, ISO 100, kit 18-55 lens @ 55mm focal length.

No flash:

With flash:

The picture just seems yellow to me without the flash. But I think the no-flash picture looks better as far as contrast....

I know I can use the flash to make it look ok, but I want to learn what's causing the problem so I can correct it.

I assume the bulbs are the cause of this? Do I need a "special" bulb for these types of photos?

 

[Big Mike]

They key is to use the correct WB setting for your lights. If your clamp lights are all the same, it should be pretty easy. Just set a custom WB and use that (check your manual for how to do that).

When in introduce flash into the equasion, it gets complicated because the flash will be a different color temp than the lights...so there won't be any one correct settings. So I would leave the flash off.

If you are using a DSLR or other camera that allows you to shoot in RAW...then I'd do that. Then you can adjust the WB on the computer after.

Even so, it should be a rather simple fix with software like Photohop etc.

 

[fiveoboy01]

Thank you for the suggestions.

I suppose it would have helped if I'd said the camera was a D60:lmao:

Setting custom WB is where you hold a white card in front of the camera right?

I'm not shooting in RAW for these pics, as they're just for classified ads, and I'm not interested in any PP work... but I will take your advice for shooting some "real" pictures.

Thanks again

 

[Big Mike]

Setting custom WB is where you hold a white card in front of the camera right?

You could use the white background that you already have...no need to hold it up in front of the camera...just take out the object.

That should help you get the WB correct...but shooting in RAW, you could open one image, sample the white background to get the correct WB setting, then apply that setting to all of the image. Nice and easy.

 

[fiveoboy01]

Excuse my ignorance here...

You could use the white background that you already have...no need to hold it up in front of the camera...just take out the object.

Ok, I assume I leave the lights on? Or no?

That should help you get the WB correct...but shooting in RAW, you could open one image, sample the white background to get the correct WB setting, then apply that setting to all of the image. Nice and easy.

I assume this is done with photoshop correct? I only have PSE7, not sure if it can do that.

 

[Big Mike]

Ok, I assume I leave the lights on? Or no?

Yes, leave the lights on...everything just like you would shoot it.

I assume this is done with photoshop correct? I only have PSE7, not sure if it can do that.

It depends on the RAW conversion software you have. I'm not sure if PSE uses Adobe Camera RAW or not. You could probably do it with the Nikon software that came with the camera.

 

[fiveoboy01]

Hey Big Mike, just wanted to say thanks, I did the custom/manual WB setting procedure and I ended up with yellow-free photos:

Thanks again!

 

[Samanax]

Hey Big Mike, just wanted to say thanks, I did the custom/manual WB setting procedure and I ended up with yellow-free photos:

Good job.