Better Photos - White Balance your Camera

[Twelve12]

Hi guys noticed there was some shots being published with that glow from a HPS a few simple steps to showing the true beauty of your ladies.

Before I shoot anything I take the time to white balance my camera so the subject is displaying true colors. Plants looks more attractive in white balance even when they are lid by hps lights or any kind of light really. Most common photos for cannabis community is taking pictures under HPS light, the yellow colors can often hide deficiencies in plants that we don't see, and too much of the yellow we have no idea the true colors of the buds.

For more appealing photos white balance your camera. It works for any light condition, and can also work for LED (purple cast) too.

Some basic (point-n-shoot/DSLR) and advanced (DSLR) tips for white balance.

HPS (left) - White Balance (right)

Basic:

- Configuration of digital camera white balance for tungsten light sources.

Good for High Pressure Sodium (HPS), any wattage. CFL (warm/softwhite)

- Adjustment of digital white balance for fluorescent lamp light sources.

Good for metal-halide, T5/T8/T12, CFL (daylight).

Advanced:

- (Canon) Custom white balance. Adjusts the presumed white point for digital cameras.

Good for any color temperature. Most accurate white balance. Great for LED.

For custom balance you need a DSLR, unless your camera point-n-shoot camera has custom white balance. What you need is a white printing paper. Before taking pictures of your plants under any lighting, use the paper as a tool to give you accurate colors in your pictures.

- Hold the white paper and fill the view finder with it, it does not have to be in focus. Meter the camera from the paper then take a shot. Go into your camera and select custom white balance and select the photo you just took of the white paper as your source.

- You are now free to shoot and will have color perfect in your photos.

- When you change location and the light is different color temperature, say you were in HPS room (flower) and now you're in MH room (veg), you will need to do this again.

There are fancy white balance tools for your camera (which can cost £10-20) but this is the most inexpensive and fast works the same.

Paper color under HPS

Paper color under MH

I don't have LED running but the steps is the same. Once the camera is set to the correct white balance the differences is rewarding. It gives life to your photos.

See the difference? Much pleasing to the eye.

HPS (top) - White Balance (bottom)

[OLaC]

Thanks for posting, I always forget how to white balance on these new fangled digital cameras, yet it was drummed into us in college to white balance every time we changed location. Makes such a difference

[Mr Mullen]

Nice one dude

Your sensor needs a clean

And if taking photos in RAW file format you can adjust white balance afterwards in a photo editing software.

Mrm

Edited December 27, 2011 by Mr Mullen

[Twelve12]

Thanks guys hope it helps someone, makes a massive diffrence.

I usaly use corel for after editing and works well just isnt friendly for new users, these steps can be achieved by anyone with a couple of clicks.

Edit: Mr Mullen what camera do you use, your pictures have impressive macro.

Edited December 27, 2011 by Twelve12

[Arnold Layne]

I tend to shoot only RAW images, and like Mr Mullen says, you can correct virtually everything post-shot. Love the power this gives me, its amazing how a tatty old shot can be tweaked up to become very reasonable in a very short time.

[Guest La Viva Sativa]

Just turn off hps and use flash if its dark get nicer pics.

[Budelaire]

is it ok to turn lights off midday though LVS? I don't like doing it for my updates.

I'd be much more comfortable snapping as the bulb dies down/starts up than dropping light intensity randomly during their photosynthesis time. I'm never that synchronised though and so use white-balance in RAW post-processing. Technically as effective as the white card set-up. Also on some cameras you can directly dial in the Kelvin/Colour temperature of your bulbs.

I'm loving Focus Stacking at the minute.

Edited December 27, 2011 by Budelaire

[Twelve12]

LVS ~ using the flash gives a washed out look to your ladies, not natural colours.

Balancing the white and post editing will give you best results and true colour images.

Budelaire ~ can you post your techniques to focus stacking here would make excellent addition to the thread, also your steps to white balance with photoshop.

Edited December 27, 2011 by Twelve12

[OLaC]

Just been playing with my Little Panasonic automatic and realised I CAN actually set the white balance

About to post some sexy bud shots n macros of the TGA stuff currently in my room, click diary in about 5 mins

[Twelve12]

Just been playing with my Little Panasonic automatic and realised I CAN actually set the white balance

About to post some sexy bud shots n macros of the TGA stuff currently in my room, click diary in about 5 mins

Pictures look incredible L.A.C.

[mendeleev]

Thanks Twelve12

i just need to try and get stuff in focus now.

Thanks again bro.

[Tontostyle]

Thanks for the post really useful