White Balance

[rp1600]

I recently did a shoot on location with my 30D and had white balance set to daylight, which would be 5500, correct? Yet when I pulled the files up Lightroom, it seems the color temp was around 5100. In some cases the "as shot" showed temps as low as 4600.

Any ideas on why this is happening?

I've been struggling with white balance and skin tones in particular. Seems everyone is too warm or too cool. Is there any "standard" by which we adjust to get desired skin tones.

I know i'm about as clear as mud with this question.

 

[Mike_E]

What time of day was it? The color temp of light drops the later it gets -as does the air temp. Actually the color temp follows a bell curve over the course of a day (discounting clouds).

If you were shooting in shade that will also skew your WB. If you were shooting in doors, try setting a custom WB and be aware of sunlight coming through the windows, that will alter the WB too.

mike

 

[Garbz]

Daylight on my D200 is 5100k. As far as I know 5500k is the flash setting on mine.

 

[gmarquez]

I've been struggling with white balance and skin tones in particular.

Would it be possible to set the WB from your camera by using a grey card (have the camera measure color temp for each set of shots)?

 

[rp1600]

Might be a stupid question, but in a nutshell could someone explain the "purpose" behind custom white balance.

 

[fmw]

Might be a stupid question, but in a nutshell could someone explain the "purpose" behind custom white balance.

The purpose is to put a white subject in the frame and set the white balance to that in whatever the ambient light is. I think white balance is better handled after the fact in Photoshop than trying to do it in the camera. Those of us who use RAW mode have to do that anyway. What we don't have to do is fool with any of those in camera settings.

 

[rp1600]

fmw, therein lies my "problem" .. i can adjust white balance lightroom, yet itt seems i'm still not getting good skin tones .. then again it could be my eyes. I realize there's no "standard" skin tone, so maybe my initial question is a bit out of whack.

Good tips and points made here though.