Blog | 70 - Shades of Grey
| Freelance Photographer in St Ives Cambridgeshire: Food & Drink Photography; Commercial Photography, Product Photography & Packshot Photography; Event Photography; Portrait Photography; Corporate Photography & PR Photography; Engagement Photography & Wedding Photography and Photography Training Courses in Cambridge, Huntingdon, Peterborough, Bedford, Ely, St Neots, St Ives and London. Professional Photography Services in St Ives, St Neots, Huntingdon, Bedford, Peterborough, Ely & Cambridge. | |||
 
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Alistair Grant Freelance Photographer Cambridge & London |
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bokeh photographic: Blog No: 70 → TIP: Click any image to view in LightBox |
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Shades of Grey There’s nothing better than rediscovering a bit of kit. I’m not talking about equipment that has been physically lost, although that’s surely a reason for celebration also, but more the realisation of what an item of kit can do after initial (perceived) disappointment in performance. I have my ExpoDisc White Balance (WB) Filter in mind whilst writing this post. After purchasing a 77mm ExpoDisc-2 years ago it gradually fell into disuse. After a lengthy period in an obscure interior pocket of the camera bag I have started using it again. Before I go any further I need to make it clear that this is not a testimonial, remunerated or otherwise, for the ExpoDisc. In fact, this post isn’t really about the ExpoDisc at all. Although this blog isn’t categorically about the ExpoDisc, or for that matter WB which the ExpoDisc is used to set, it’s probably useful to put things into context for those not familiar with this area of photography. What is WB and is it important? Taking the latter question first many of the problematic images that I am asked to diagnose, whether in general or whilst running Photography Training Courses, don’t look right because WB has not been correctly set. Intriguingly, whilst amateur photographers and it seems many professionals typically diagnose an exposure problem I believe incorrect WB to be a more common problem acknowledging of course that exposure in many photographs is also not quite right. The fact that images where WB is incorrect don’t look right corroborates that it is important. I’ll save the underlying science for another day - including why white balance is typically measured using something grey - but to summarise here’s what I tell training course participants: in a technically correct photograph ‘blacks should be black and whites should be white’ and not tinted blue, orange, green etc. Black-blacks and white-whites are achieved not just by dialling in the correct exposure but also by taking into account the colour temperature of the light source. Different light sources have different colour temperature characteristics and although human eyesight is very good at compensating for this (so whites always look white no matter what the light source is) cameras often struggle. When we look at a white object in bright sun it appears white. That object also appears white if we view it in deep shade, under cloudy conditions, under a kitchen light or under a desk lamp. This is the reason for camera WB presets: the idea being that once the predominant light source has been identified the relevant preset can be selected which modifies how the camera records colour temperature on a blue-yellow spectrum in conjunction with a green-magenta tint so that colours appear normal. If WB is incorrectly set images can appear too cool or too warm and may have a colour cast that renders white or neutral surfaces a different colour to how we see them – it's never good to have blue or orange skin tones! Whenever working commercially I always set WB manually (i.e. I don’t use presets but programme a custom WB using a calibration tool) as precise measurement of colour temperature is mandatory in commercial photography. Though I have started using my ExpoDisc again, unlike when I first purchased it, I now don’t use it all the time. There are other ways to address WB (e.g. using a Grey Card or an area of neutral tone) and the ExpoDisc doesn’t confer any advantage over these methods in the vast majority of situations. This nicely illustrates a trap that we all fall into from time to time. Indeed, some seem to be permanently stuck in the trap. When I first purchased the ExpoDisc I fell for the marketing hype that it was the solution for all WB problems. Don’t get me wrong, the ExpoDisc is relatively simple to use and it certainly works. However, so do the other methods and they tend not to have the small quirks that frustrate use of the ExpoDisc e.g. having to switch lens to manual focus in order to register an ‘incident’ image that can be used to set custom WB. These quirks along with the fact that the ExpoDisc doesn’t offer advantages over other methods explains why I stopped using it. I should reiterate that this trap applies to just about all photography equipment and not just the ExpoDisc. We are seduced by manufacturers’ performance claims and increasingly automated photographic kit which supposedly offers a short-cut to photographic excellence. Needless to say, this is rarely substantiated. All is not lost however. A couple of months ago I chanced upon the ExpoDisc in that obscure camera bag pocket. I tried it out in a mixed lighting scenario that was proving tricky to calibrate using a standard Grey Card. This is where the ExpoDisc established its superiority. It has subsequently become my ‘go-to’ WB tool in tricky lighting although I don’t use it in more straightforward scenarios. Now here’s the thing. If Expo Imaging Inc hadn’t made the arguably over-inflated claims about everyday use of the ExpoDisc (and if I hadn’t fallen into the trap) I reckon I wouldn’t have stopped using the product. I may even have recommended it as the WB tool for tricky lighting. Now there’s a thought for all the camera equipment manufacturers out there! |
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Call Alistair Grant on 07775 365507, Email [email protected] or click Booking Enquiries if you have any questions or would like to make a booking. |
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bokeh: "the aesthetic quality of the blur produced in the out-of-focus parts of an image produced by a lens" Freelance Photographer offering Food & Drink Photography Cambridge; Commercial Photography Cambridge, Product Photography Cambridge & Packshot Photography Cambridge; Event Photography Cambridge; Portrait Photography Cambridge; Corporate Photography Cambridge & PR Photography Cambridge; Engagement Photography Cambridge & Wedding Photography Cambridge and Photography Training Courses in Cambridge. Also covering: Huntingdon, St. Ives, Ramsey, St. Neots, Peterborough, Bedford, Stamford, Newmarket, Sawtry, Alconbury Weston, Brampton, Hartford, Warboys, Houghton, Wyton, Godmanchester, Hilton, Hemingford Grey, Hemingford Abbots, Fenstanton, Whittesley, Yaxley, Needingworth, Somersham, Chatteris, Ely, Bar Hill, Grafham and Buckden. |
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bokeh photographic - Alistair Grant | Freelance Photographer | Cambridge, London, UK - Creative Natural Photography And Outstanding Customer Service At Competitive Prices - Food & Drink Photography | Commercial Photography & Product Photography | Corporate Photography & PR Photography | Portrait Photography (inc. 'Active Portraiture', 'Naturally You' & 'Poptraits') | Event Photography | Engagement & Wedding Photography | Photography Training Courses & Camera Tuition | Videography & Film Production Tel: 07775 365507 | Email: [email protected] |
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