Strobe Lights White Balance and Surrounding lights

"stvlai" wrote in message
...
Hi

I just got a 2 sets of Strobe lights and the Boom Stand. Got a couple
question I hope someone can help answer

Q1) White Balance
I set the WB to the Gray Card shots that I took manually but the
photos comes out bluish. Normally I use Model lights and set the WB
per the Gray Card and it turns out fine. With strobes lights I am
having this bluish color problem.

Q2) Ceiling Lights turn off?
When I use Strobes lights, do I turn off all the surrounding lights
(e.g ceiling lights etc) and therefore leaving no lights except when
the Strobe lights flashes? Is this way to do it?

Any info would be very much appreciated. Thanks a bunch.

SLKW



I never use a grey card for white balance, because I find that the results
are un-natural. You could use manual white balance, guess to start with
(maybe start at about 6000K), take a few test shots and adjust accordingly.
If you shoot RAW, it's not such a problem as you can tweak the colour temp
later and batch process the shots.

As for ceiling lights, depends on how bright they are and what power you are
firing the flashes at. You can make daytime turn to night time if you stop
down, meter off the subject and crank up the power of the lights.
Generally, if you have modelling lights on, then you don't really need the
ceiling lights on anyway. With the ceiling lights off, it's also easier to
see the shadows from the modelling lights.

.....
"stvlai" wrote in message
...
Hi

I just got a 2 sets of Strobe lights and the Boom Stand. Got a couple
question I hope someone can help answer

Q1) White Balance
I set the WB to the Gray Card shots that I took manually but the
photos comes out bluish.


Normally I use Model lights and set the WB
per the Gray Card and it turns out fine. With strobes lights I am
having this bluish color problem.

Unless you are using the modeling lights as a light source or
if they are very close matches to the strobes you are using, I would
not expect good results.

The other problem would be ambient light. They are going to
have different influnces depending on a number of factors so your WB
may be off.

In the real world, if you are constantly getting the results
you want with the technique you are using, then keep it up. If not
try a few other ideas. Remember photography is both and art and a
science. Of the two ART is the more important in my book.

Pinch of Salt wrote:
"stvlai" wrote in message
...
Hi

I just got a 2 sets of Strobe lights and the Boom Stand. Got a couple
question I hope someone can help answer

Q1) White Balance
I set the WB to the Gray Card shots that I took manually but the
photos comes out bluish. Normally I use Model lights and set the WB
per the Gray Card and it turns out fine. With strobes lights I am
having this bluish color problem.

Q2) Ceiling Lights turn off?
When I use Strobes lights, do I turn off all the surrounding lights
(e.g ceiling lights etc) and therefore leaving no lights except when
the Strobe lights flashes? Is this way to do it?

Any info would be very much appreciated. Thanks a bunch.

SLKW



I never use a grey card for white balance, because I find that the
results are un-natural. You could use manual white balance, guess to
start with (maybe start at about 6000K), take a few test shots and
adjust accordingly.
[snip]

I thought strobe lights have listed what their Kelvin rating is? Or the
bulbs that came with them. Then set your camera's WB to that Kelvin
setting.


--
Len

"l v" wrote in message
...

I never use a grey card for white balance, because I find that the
results are un-natural. You could use manual white balance, guess to
start with (maybe start at about 6000K), take a few test shots and adjust
accordingly.
[snip]

I thought strobe lights have listed what their Kelvin rating is? Or the
bulbs that came with them. Then set your camera's WB to that Kelvin
setting.


--
Len


In theory, but quite often you may want a slight yellow/orange cast,
otherwise it will look too blue and un-natural.