Scrapping Tonight

I have been a really lazy photographer, always had my white balance (WB) setting on auto. I am sure the professionals out there will be shouting at their computer screens right now, I am now publicly apologising OK.
I am very much self taught, although a few years ago I did attend a hands on photographers workshop, but I only had a Fuji 5500 series, not a DSLR, so alot of what I had "learnt" didnt sink in. It was after this 2 day workshop though that I did go and buy my first DSLR, my Nikon D80, which I am now desperatly saving up to upgrade; long overdue.
Alot of what I had learnt all those years ago, had been forgotton, and I have played with settings myself, afraid of some, and approaching others with an open mind. I purchased Brian Peterson's "Understanding Exposure" and I suddenly had an AHA moment when I discovered my exposure compensation button; it was one of those buttons I shyed away from previously.
WB has had that same effect on me. I have turned the dial to correspond with the lighting I am in, ie: shade, cloudy, tungsten etc etc and my photos have been awful! Colour representation has been dire, too blue, too orange, over exposed, so I gave up, and settled with the trusty auto WB; well its there for a reason eh!

This is where my story takes a new turn. Karen Russells photographers workshop, has completly re enforced all that I have learnt over the years, taught me new things and just opened my world of photography to a new level. Her down to earth approach is fantastic, the bunch of ladies all on the course are very supportive and I have had so many aha moments! WB has been one of them.

Check this out:





Settings : Aperture Priority, ISO 250, F1.8, 1/250 unedited SOOC

Izzy was inside our dining room with the window light behind me. Our assignment was to use all WB settings with the same subject in the same place ie: my dining room and Izzy.
My favourite WB settings for true skin colour were :

1.Custom WB
2.Direct Sunlight

Flash, shady and cloudy were too warm, auto was overexposed, florescent was too pink, and tungsten was too blue.
Who would have thought that the direct sunlight setting indoors would have given such a true skin tone!

The aha moment was to try out all settings, and it will surprise you how the direct sunlight might just be perfect for that indoor setting! But my favourite setting of all, was the custom WB setting. So easy to put in place and what a diffference it makes to a photo! I have mislaid my greycard, so I used a white piece of A3 card to do my custom WB setting with.
If you too have WB issues like I do did, then go Google custom WB and have a play, and then try out all your WB settings and see what a difference it too can make to your photos! Maybe you will have an AHA moment like me.

Thanks for stopping by
Anna x