Why can I not figure out appropriate white balance!?!?

[laurenivy]

I cannot get this for the life of me?? All of my photographs seem colored wrong. I am a semi beginner toying with photoshop. I shoot in RAW/ adjust the white balance and it still seems off to me. Then I toy with the color and it just becomes a mess. Any tips out there anyone can share. Let me try to post a pic so you can see what I mean..


DSC_223544-3 by libst9, on Flickr

 

[o hey tyler]

Not only have you posted this on flickr, but you've disabled EXIF information. JUST FYI.

 

[cgipson1]

It doesn't look bad at all, except for a little heavy on the saturation, maybe!

Post the original for comparison please. Also give a bit more detail as to what you think is wrong?

 

[480sparky]

Is your monitor calibrated?

 

[laurenivy]

Excuse my lack of knowledge, lol, but how do I post it with EXIF data? Do I post the one from out of my camera or the edited one saved on my computer?

The colors just don't seem right. Maybe it is too much saturation? I see a lot of people's photography and the color looks so perfect and similar to real life. I am having a hard time getting that effect. Maybe it's more advanced photoshop skills??

 

[Josh66]

Excuse my lack of knowledge, lol, but how do I post it with EXIF data?

Two things - one, make sure you aren't stripping the exif when you edit (check your settings on whatever program you use). Two, on Flickr, you have the option to hide exif data from the public - make sure that option is not turned on.

The WB seems close enough to me on this shot. It might be a little off, but it doesn't scream 'wrong WB'. To me, if it is off, it looks more like a 'creative decision' than an error.

 

[The_Traveler]

Convert the color profile to sRGB
then save as jpg

Saving for web does the conversion but strips out the EXIF.
The two steps above will give a picture in the proper color profile and with the exif intact.

I think the WB is fine, image just oversaturated.
Try not to shoot against the sky - it is difficult to expose correctly on the shadow side.

 

[Joel_W]

Honestly, your WB looks just about dead on. Skin tones look natural, and the watering can looks just like what a kids green water can would look like: Bright and colorful. The grass and the Daffodils each have greens in tones that look realistic as well. The blue sweatshirt looks a little faded as it should unless it's brand spanking new. So I'm not so sure that there is a color saturation issue either.

BTW, I really like the picture of your son.

 

[Frances69]

Post the original for comparison please

 

[JeremyDueckPhoto]

I noticed when I used a custom WB (setting the kelvin number manually, not with a card) the tint would often be off. That got me shooting with more presets or with a card.

In your photo you may have a tint level that is only 1 or 2 points off and it can throw your photo towards the green or red just slightly.

 

[adartsesirhc]

If you still feel like you're having problems, you can always try sticking a grey card in a picture to pre-set the WB.

 

[Mrgiggls]

I'm with Charlie on this. The wb looks good to me.:scratch:

 

[KmH]

What Raw conversion software are you using? What color space do you edit in?

The photo you posted looks over saturated to me, but as The_Traveler pointed out that can be caused by a color space conflict.

 

[MReid]

Click on the white part of the flower with the color check eyedropper. My guess it won't change much on this one.
Looks fine to me, maybe just the slightest of magenta casts, maybe not, this monitor is sketchy.

 

[DiskoJoe]

Convert the color profile to sRGB
then save as jpg

I use the RGB color setting in my camera a lot. This makes post very easy when adjusting. But the original did not look bad at all. Only difference between yours and the adjustment Lew posted was that your version had a bit more pink tint but not what I would say is too much. If you are having issues then push it past what you want and then bring it back. Then you will at least now what you consider to be pushing it too far.