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Setting white balance when shooting snow

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B.Snow
Posts: 1859 - Karma: 92
This may be a stupid question but I just want to know what the deal is. I was wondering, when shooting skiing and activities on snow, if you're supposed to custom set the white balance on the snow or if its better to just stick with the in camera presets.


Nov 16 2010 11:47PM
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eheath
Posts: 61110 - Karma: 118,329
white shirt, white snow, whatever is white.
Nov 16 2010 11:50PM
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nutsnbolts
Posts: 1110 - Karma: 16
use white piece of paper...
Nov 16 2010 11:53PM
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1337
Posts: 31038 - Karma: 29,003
or the white stuff all over the ground
Nov 17 2010 12:07AM
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nutsnbolts
Posts: 1110 - Karma: 16
Yeah but only in perfect sunlight will snow be white. Don't white balance using the snow in a low light situation. The white will look blue. Also, dirty snow is no good either.
Nov 17 2010 12:34AM
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
if you white balance to snow it will make the snow white....

if you white balance to snow it's not going to turn the snow blue. that happens when you forget to change your white balance after you've white balanced to well lit snow
Nov 17 2010 12:45AM
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PeterWojnar
Posts: 3937 - Karma: 678
He means, if there is golden sunlight and you white balance for the snow, the snow will be white instead of golden, and everything else will have a blue tint.


If the snow is white, white balance with the snow, sure. But if the situation is different, use a grey or white piece of paper. If you're really want to get it perfect, carry a gray card.

OR if you're shooting at night with flashes as primarly lights, just put it on the flash preset. If the flashes are there for backlight or accents, try to balance for the main light, be it ambient or an incandescent bulb or anything, and then gel your flashes to match that color so it looks good in the photo.
Nov 17 2010 12:55AM
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WillStart
Posts: 3955 - Karma: 3,192
he said the white (in this case the snow) will be blue. i know that if you white balance when the snow is something other than white, all the other colors will have a warm/cool tint depending on the light, i was just pointing out that white balancing to snow will turn it white to avoid any confusion
Nov 17 2010 2:49AM
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RileySnyderPhoto
Posts: 688 - Karma: 1,451
Try this:
Shoot in RAW and care about the shot more than the WB when shooting
Nov 18 2010 1:05PM
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MANDER
Posts: 4017 - Karma: 2,038
When Im shooting on my 7D I dont even use the custom white balance very often. I like to use the Dial in Temperature white balance because I can make it so that the white is white or I can slightly tweak it a few kelvan (I think thats what the unit is) either way if I think it looks better.
Nov 18 2010 1:11PM
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ILoveOhio
Posts: 1793 - Karma: 253
Not everyone has that luxury (although camera manufacturers should get their head's out of their asses and include this feature in every camera).

I filmed handrails all winter long under shitty, halogen work lights. They give off a NASTY yellow/orange look to the human eye. All I had to do what wait until the sun is all the way dark outside (or else the sky/area not under artificial light is a nasty blue), white balance off of the lit up snow, and everything looked proper.

The worst shooting situation is when there are various temperatures of light everywhere and you have to balance to one of them. This results in terrible tints all in the other ranges of temperature.

White balancing can suck.
Nov 18 2010 1:25PM
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[~_~]
Posts: 20239 - Karma: 1,273
When I'm in a tight squeeze I just white balance off of a shadow in the snow. Shadows are neutral, illuminated areas keep their golden/purple/blue/whatever tint.
Nov 18 2010 1:39PM
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