Hey everyone!
I recently had a few shoots where I struggled to find the proper WB in Photoshop. I believe the issue occurred because there were multiple different light sources involved and it was hard to find a good balance in camera.
In my photography class a while back, I was taught to use the WB dropper tool and if it makes the room look too cold or warm - instead of playing with the temperature slider - create a duplicate of the image, bring either the blues or yellows down in the duplicate, layer the original on top of the adjust image, and then brush it through.
It seemed like a good idea at the time but when you have light from a window and fluorescents mixing, it causes the problem that the white ceilings look ashy and weird when you take out the colors. Sometimes it even creates strange-looking rainbow colors on the whites.
Any advice on how to get a good, natural looking balance without taking out certain colors when you are dealing with multiple light sources?
Thanks!
S
Try a little flash to neutralize those clashing colors. It doesn't take much. Best to keep it off your camera, pointing if from the direction of an exterior light source if there is one.
I agree that a touch of flash can go a long way to help with colors. I recently photographed a bathroom with green fluorescent light in a walk-in closet, blue sunlight in a shower stall, and yellow incandescent over the toilet. Flash helped even it all out.
Of course, sometimes flash introduces problems of its own, such as reflections on shiny surfaces, but it's another tool in the toolbox.
Thank you Dave! You mean point it away from the window? My next shoot is a very large conference room with a large window front. Normally I would bounce it into a wall behind me or the ceiling, but I'm afraid it'll be hard to light without being in the shot myself.
There really isn't a good technique in post for these circumstances. There simply isn't a single correct white balance and you have to avoid shooting this way by controlling light.
Thanks everyone! How would you use the off camera flash if it's a very large conference room with a top to bottom window front and people in the shot? I feel like it wouldn't cover that much space very well or may cast shadows.