Custom White Balance (Photography in 90 Seconds)

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Custom White Balance is the process of setting the neutral gray reference point manually, rather than relying on your camera's Auto White balance (which typically only approximates neutral grey.) Custom WB is an important step for anyone who is serious about achieving accurate colours in their images. If you are shooting RAW single images, then you can just take a picture of a spectrally neutral grey card and set the WB in post-processing. However, if you are shooting JPEG or Video, it is important that you set the custom WB in your camera before shooting. How you do this is dependent on your particular camera, but it will involve taking a picture of the gray card (fill the frame as much as you can) and then telling the camera (via its menu system) to use that image as the neutral reference point. You will have to read your camera's instruction manual for the particular details of those simple steps. Now, once you have the Custom WB set, you will likely have to manually rotate the WB dial or indicator from AutoWB to Custom WB. (Again, the specifics will vary for each camera manufacturer. Once you have that stuff set, you are good to go shoot your videos without having to worry about trying to do onerous colour correction in post-processing. Good luck!

Category:

Education

Tags:

• custom white balance
• dSLR
• digital
• color correction
• tutorial
• photography
• photo
• grey card
• accurate color
• educational

[vyruzdatabass]

some videos say you need to shoot with white paper/card? and you use 18% gray, im confused..

[ulufilms]

@vyruzdatabass You should use a spectrally neutral 18% grey card for proper exposure and custom white balance. Some people, myself included, have used a white sheet of paper if nothing else is available. The problem with this solution is that white paper is rarely spectrally neutral, and it may throw off your exposure setting it manually from the white paper. For most non-colour-critical applications, you might be able to get away with using a white piece of paper, but a grey-card is preferable.

[4leafphoto]

You don't need to worry about white balance setting you are in when shooting the grey card image. When you tell your camera which image is neutral it will then set the white balance accordingly for you.

[Anhslaught]

What's the difference between white cards and grey cards? Does it matter what we use?

[jgknicks5]

Thanks. Real simple!!

[khashy87]

from which of the automatic white balance should you take the costume white balance from a gray card?

[JimmyNZC]

Hi what white balance do you use when shooting a white object to set the white balance?

[vyruzdatabass]

thank you! i think i have a lot of gray colors in my lowepro bag hehe, im gonna use that...

[2007omi]

I liked how you showed the different tones for a correct WB. I noticed you have a gray background when using the gray card. Do we look to your skin tone or back ground for the color change?