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Thread: White balance

  1. #1
    Panarus biarmicus Moderator (Sports) SmartWombat's Avatar
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    White balance

    As shot, or optimised for snow?
    It makes a huge difference, taking out the harsh orange sodium light.
    But what is "right" and which is best?
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails White balance-_10400761.jpg   White balance-_10400762.jpg  
    PAul

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  2. #2
    Spamminator Grandpaw's Avatar
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    Re: White balance

    PAul, I took the top one and knocked down the saturation by 30 and think it is something you might look at. It needs some of the orange gone but it looks to me like something just isn't right in the second photo with that much taken out. I think it is more of toning down the orange more than removing it, Jeff
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  3. #3
    project forum co-moderator Frog's Avatar
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    Re: White balance

    Each has its own appeal. Which one depends on which appeals to you or do more editing as suggested by Jeff.
    Keep Shooting!

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  4. #4
    Senior Member Medley's Avatar
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    Re: White balance

    Paul, assuming you have Photoshop, try this: Open the original image, then go to Image> Duplicate to make a duplicate of the image. On the duplicate, go to Filter> Blur> Average (the only use I found for this particular filter to date). Switch back to the original image by clicking on it, then do a Levels command. Click on the middle eyedropper in the Levels dialog box (set greypoint), then click on the color in the duplicate image.

    The result is very similar to your second image, with a few minor differences. The orange in the streetlight is deeper at the light itself, but dissipates quickly as you get farther out. In particular, the play of orange light off the snow in the street is more noticeable, but the orange dissipates off the trees as you get into the foreground.

    Also, the blue haze around the car's headlights is more diminished, and the image as a whole is a bit more contrasty.

    I'll be happy to post the result if you'd like.

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  5. #5
    mod squad gahspidy's Avatar
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    Re: White balance

    Quote Originally Posted by Grandpaw
    PAul, I took the top one and knocked down the saturation by 30 and think it is something you might look at. It needs some of the orange gone but it looks to me like something just isn't right in the second photo with that much taken out. I think it is more of toning down the orange more than removing it, Jeff
    Paul, Jeff hit the nail on the head as i'm concerned. I agree that trying to remove the orange cast later just creates a sort of dilema in that you still have the orange emanating from the light but then its gone and nowhere to be seen. then, you have the cars headlights become a strong blue from the compensation.
    I would go about it, as i usually do anyway, by slightly cooling the original image and then reducing its overall vibrancy or saturation by about 20-30 as Jeff .
    I do like some warm glow there, but not so much and certainly not entirely removed as in the edit.
    please do not edit and repost my photos


    gary


  6. #6
    Panarus biarmicus Moderator (Sports) SmartWombat's Avatar
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    Re: White balance

    Thanks, Joe.
    You're taking me into new realms I've not tried in PS yet
    Gary, I'm going to try your idea and see how it looks.
    You've given me an idea I can try in Lightroom as well as in PS.
    PAul

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  7. #7
    Senior Shooter Greg McCary's Avatar
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    Re: White balance

    Being an electrician, I went to a lighting school several years ago and HP sodiums was once the trend. But most don't like the orange cast. Mostly places like Wal-Mart and other stores are going for the metal halides which are bright white. It makes their customers also feel safer with the brighter light. Put two stores together one with sodiums and one with metal halides more customers stop with the halide lighting. With all of that said I always adjust the orange cast out. Even though it is not true to life. If memory serves me the sodiums have a much longer life span. So the electrical companies prefer them.
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  8. #8
    Senior Member freygr's Avatar
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    Re: White balance

    You can't white balance with only HP or LP sodium lighting. There is not any other light to due a good white balance. You end up with the second image where the white light looks like arc lamps (too much blue).
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