A question of balance

Sometimes, notwithstanding the fact that I’m a self-confessed “Idiot” (photography-wise at least) I almost manage to impress myself.

And this is one of those occasions!

Its the matter of White Balance. Generally, I don’t have much of a problem with it. Most of the stuff I shoot is outdoors and one of the camera’s own white balance presets (auto, daylight, shade, cloudy, etc) does the business admirably.
(Although even here I sometimes run into problems, such as when I recently visited a friend and the pics I shot of his closest town were, so he gleefully informed me, all exhibiting a somewhat cyan hue. Well, I fiddled around with them for a while but, on repeatedly getting feedback from friend to the effect that “that’s not quite right” I eventually said “Sod it” and just went with “as shot”. But that was about the time I was also colour-calibrating my monitor, so there may have been other variables in play.)

So to recap, shooting out of doors doesn’t generally present a problem… but indoors! Ah, that’s another matter entirely. Despite trying all the various camera presets (fluorescent, tungsten, etc) somehow I always seemed to end up with shots that simply didn’t look right colour-wise.

Of course I’m fully aware of that “Manual White Balance” option on the camera, but have studiously avoided it so far on the basis that its one of those weird “real photographer” type settings, despite the fact that its kept niggling away in the back of my mind.

But so p****d off have I become with the dismal failure (again colour-wise) of my indoor shots, necessitating significant post-processing to get them looking even half-way right, that I decided I’d have to firmly grasp the nettle, and venture into the mysterious realm of manual white balance.

First step then, read what the manual has to say (arghhh!).

So this afternoon found me in my local pub (although in point of fact its not strictly such, but that’s another story entirely), manual in one hand, camera in the other, specs perched on end of nose. (My “local” is actually the ideal place for such an exercise, simply because the lighting in there is so… um… challenging!)
Recite all the instructions (involving the use of a white card and various obscure camera settings) aloud to my mate (who happens to be the bar manager there). Not that he has any intention of helping me (awkward sod) but I find that doing such helps to “fix” the various steps in that mire which is my excuse for a mind.

Step myself through the process “for real”, and then take a few test shots.

Lo and behold… it works! Amazing! I’m really chuffed! What I end up with are a series of shots that (again colour-wise… boringly) are the closest I’ve come so far to the original (i.e., “real life”). Wow!
I’m especially pleased because my own particular “take” on photography is that generally pics should emulate, as closely as possible, the original scene.
If they fail to do that, then why bother with all the technical gadgetry of cameras and suchlike, and not simply (!) draw/paint a picture in the first place?

Ok, the resulting shots are pretty defective regarding exposure etc, but in terms of colour they’re definitely the biz!

So unlike yesterday’s photo session, today’s has definitely ended on something of a high note.