{"id":23573,"date":"2014-08-22T05:48:09","date_gmt":"2014-08-22T09:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/?p=23573"},"modified":"2017-11-13T15:51:06","modified_gmt":"2017-11-13T19:51:06","slug":"available-light-white-balance-options","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neilvn.com\/tangents\/available-light-white-balance-options\/","title":{"rendered":"Using interesting available light & White Balance options"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Finding\u00a0interesting available light & White Balance options<\/h1>\n

It’s always a feel-good moment\u00a0to discover interesting available light while out on a photo shoot<\/a>. Something unusual\u00a0to add a new flavor to a different\u00a0sequence of\u00a0images.<\/p>\n

While photographing\u00a0a model\u00a0with Tilo Gockel and Mike Silberreis (both from Germany on a visit to NYC), we started off with off-camera flash to help with the strong sunlight. (You might remember Tilo\u00a0from a recent guest article on\u00a0product photography on a budget<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Then, while positioning\u00a0Olena<\/a>, I saw part of her dress had a patch of bright light on it. Turning around to see where this came from – I expected sun flare from nearby building window – I saw that it was actually the sun reflecting off a traffic sign right next to us. The light that was reflecting off this traffic sign was pretty hard, but had an interesting specularity,\u00a0yet appeared flattering. So we shot an entire long sequence here, ditching the off-camera flash.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I switched over from my 85mm f\/1.4 to the\u00a0\u00a0Sigma 50mm f\/1.4 DG Art \u00a0lens<\/a>\u00a0that I was testing out, to shoot portraits with more of an environmental flavor. (I also wanted to see how this Sigma performed at wide apertures.)<\/p>\n

The image at the top was shot at: 1\/1000 @ f\/1.6 @ ISO 64
\nYes, the\u00a0Nikon D810<\/a>\u00a0has 64\u00a0ISO as its native lowest ISO.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n

\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Direction<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Direction & Quality of Light<\/h2>\n

I wanted to distill the essence of what we, as photographers, work with – light! Before we can truly grasp on-camera flash and off-camera flash, and really, any kind of photography, we have to be aware of the direction and quality of light. We need to observe the light that we have, and then decide how best to use it, or enhance it.<\/p>\n

With this book, I try my best to share those \u201caha!\u201d moments with you, and I do believe this book can make a difference to your photography.<\/p>\n

The book is available on\u00a0Amazon USA<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Amazon UK<\/a><\/strong>, or can be ordered through Barnes & Nobles and other bookstores. The book\u00a0is also available on the Apple iBook Store, as well as Amazon Kindle.\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>

<\/div><\/p>\n
\n

 <\/p>\n

Choices in white balance\u00a0settings<\/h2>\n

The color balance here is quite warm, even though I had reduced the warm tones in post-processing the RAW file. With the Daylight WB that I shot at, the photo appeared with more red tones. Somehow the light reflecting off the stop sign was very warm.<\/p>\n