Setting White Balance on camera

[ricwilli]

I'm trying to set the White Balance on my camera and I do not know if I'm doing it right. I ordered a WB card and put it in the tank and took pics of it. I followed the cameras instructions and below is what I got. Don't know why there is so much brown in the background. What do you think?

WB Card

The color that the camera picked up with Macro Lens. My tank looks nothing like it. No LEDs

Sample pic 1 with custom WB

Sample pic 2 with custom WB

 

[kidninja]

If you have sand in your tank use that to set your wb ( if your sand is white)

 

[jerl77]

I set mine to the sand works well but still don't get the real look of the coral let me know how you make out with the card

 

[ricwilli]

I have no sand. What would be the difference if the sand is white as well?

 

[Alex]

take a piece of white pvc and place that in your tank, under the lighting conditions you will most photograph.Then set your WB, this will give you correct balance under those lighting conditions. if your lights change throughout the day and you have a camera that has several custom settings then set the lighting you use most.

 

[wonderballz]

take a piece of white pvc and place that in your tank, under the lighting conditions you will most photograph.Then set your WB, this will give you correct balance under those lighting conditions. if your lights change throughout the day and you have a camera that has several custom settings then set the lighting you use most.

This is a great idea that I will be stealing soon. Great idea that is super simple. I have been trying to figure out how to get my grey card in the tank without ruining it!

 

[tentacles]

take a piece of white pvc and place that in your tank, under the lighting conditions you will most photograph.Then set your WB, this will give you correct balance under those lighting conditions. if your lights change throughout the day and you have a camera that has several custom settings then set the lighting you use most.

This is very good advice. Also, I don't know if you're doing this, but when setting the white balance, it's best to take a picture of only the card and not anything around it.

 

[bigyankfan]

This is very good advice. Also, I don't know if you're doing this, but when setting the white balance, it's best to take a picture of only the card and not anything around it.

+1 but not just best - imperative. The photo you use for your custom white balance MUST BE all white.

 

[Alex]

Sorry I typed that making the assumption that it was understood, Most responses are correct the frame in the camera must be filled with the pvc pipe that way the only thing being metered is the pvc. this will give you the best possible color under the lighting conditions in your tank.

 

[ricwilli]

According to my cameras manual, the only thing that needs to be white is the "spot metering circle" in the middle of the viewfinder. I tried this first and not everything was captured white. Than I took a picture of the wb card capturing everything white with the same results.

 

[jerl77]

alex is the man !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[russellbravo]

photoshop power lol

 

[ricwilli]

WHOLLY CRAP!!!! I guess I need to invest in Photoshop.