Hello all,
Lately I have been shooting portraits of people in a modest studio setting. I use a Canon 5D two photofloods, background hanger and colored backgrounds. The photofloods have 3200K bulbs in them, not the daylight balanced type.
A while ago I bought a set of WhiBal cards. I found out that I do not need to use them in my shoots as the auto white balance option on the camera produces excellent results. If I were shooting a commercial photo of a Kellogs corn flake box and the yellow box comes out slightly orange I could understand the customer not being very pleased. If in my work the flesh tones are pleasing but a yellow scarf gets a slight orange tint no one would even notice.
I was wondering who uses the Whibal cards. Do some of you wedding photographers, for instance use them on a shoot?
From those who use them I would like to hear for what purpose and under what circumstances.
Thanks
Robert
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
I have a couple of complete sets of WhiBal cards and I use them under a variety of different situations - as you point out its very situation dependant.
If I am out shooting sun rises - then I leave them at home as I want to interpret the scene in my own vision.
If I am shooting portraits I always use them - wether in the studio or environmental. Its just a safe guard for me more than anything else. Quite often I will just use the auto setting - but I always want a reference point if I need it. If I am doing any street shooting I dont use them as it removes the spontaneity element for me.
A few weeks ago I shot a catalogue for this company [a href=\"http://www.hartman.com.au]http://www.hartman.com.au[/url] and color was very critical given the images were to be used for their website, their product brochures, and the brochures of their retailers. Needless to say I shot all these with a WhiBal card and studio lighting.
I am shooting a wedding next week and I will probably take around 10 different WhiBal shots throughout the course of the event - I may use some, none or all of them for white balance correction. But.. I want them in case I need them.