White Balance

Reef Pets · Nov 4, 2015

I use a Canon T3i and for years I've never made a custom white balance. I've tried and it's never worked out the way I would like therefore always used auto white balance.
All of my shots are taken too down. I've tried a white card with little success by placing it under the water where frags are photographed. I've been told to try using a grey card. Is there a certain grey tone that's best? If so which color?

BNUTTHEHUT · Nov 4, 2015

Reef Pets said:
I use a Canon T3i and for years I've never made a custom white balance. I've tried and it's never worked out the way I would like therefore always used auto white balance.
All of my shots are taken too down. I've tried a white card with little success by placing it under the water where frags are photographed. I've been told to try using a grey card. Is there a certain grey tone that's best? If so which color?

You need to go to a camera shop or buy the cards online. They are specifically made for this. The color is neutral grey. For white cards it has to be a specific type of white too.

Reef Pets · Nov 9, 2015

I stopped by a camera shop on saturday and picked up a neutral grey. I will attempt getting things tuned in. Thanks

BNUTTHEHUT · Nov 9, 2015

Good deal

Clayalaleona · Nov 14, 2015

Neutral gray bloowsss you can use white PVC. Worked just fine for me.
I shoot mostly with my T3i and at home I'll use the 70D(70D is the best camera for shooting almost anything but the t3i takes saltwater everywhere like a champ)

Reef Pets · Nov 15, 2015

Clayalaleona said:
Neutral gray bloowsss you can use white PVC. Worked just fine for me.
I shoot mostly with my T3i and at home I'll use the 70D(70D is the best camera for shooting almost anything but the t3i takes saltwater everywhere like a champ)

I follow you on Instagram, you take some awesome photos. I haven't played around with the grey yet. I wasn't able to get the white dialed in. I need to spend some time comparing the two for best results.

Triggreef · Nov 15, 2015

Reef Pets said:
I use a Canon T3i and for years I've never made a custom white balance. I've tried and it's never worked out the way I would like therefore always used auto white balance.
All of my shots are taken too down. I've tried a white card with little success by placing it under the water where frags are photographed. I've been told to try using a grey card. Is there a certain grey tone that's best? If so which color?

I use a large white top from a container of rock rubble. Comes in a container like a large gallon container of carbon. You need to make sure that the photo you take shows nothing but the white. If the photo shows other colors around the edges this will affect it. This has worked for me but I still have trouble getting the blue glow to show up on acros. I really don't see how people are doing this.

Clayalaleona · Nov 15, 2015

Reef Pets said:
I follow you on Instagram, you take some awesome photos. I haven't played around with the grey yet. I wasn't able to get the white dialed in. I need to spend some time comparing the two for best results.

Thank you!
I used a grey card once(I think Richard from afishionado brought it with him or HobeSound frags did) and I just didn't like the color. It was kind of just meh and not really accurate. Because gray and blue are so close to each other the sensor on the camera will remove blues of all sorts and it'll mess with purples as well. I like white better(we have ample amounts of PVC at the shop) it just tends to give you a better balance. Ocassionally I'll layer white balances as well(recent trick I've learned) but as a last resort you can always fix it in Lightroom(I'm just way too lazy for this)

Reef Pets · Nov 20, 2015

I've now tried neutral grey and white and still getting poor results. The photos come out so bland that it would take me forever to attempt getting the coral to look as they do in person. I'm not shooting through glass, always top down. Maybe I need to try black eggcrate..

Tegridy Reef · Nov 20, 2015

I just bought some gel filters for iPhone and I got a custom box that helps me with pics the box is tinted idk I've had same problem

Reef Pets · Nov 20, 2015

I believe I got it figured out today.. I plan to try some gel filters for my phone as well, just for messing around.
Post some pictures once you get your filters in.

Bunnee911 · Nov 20, 2015

That guy said:
I just bought some gel filters for iPhone and I got a custom box that helps me with pics the box is tinted idk I've had same problem

Where did you find the filters?

Clayalaleona · Nov 20, 2015

Reef Pets said:
I've now tried neutral grey and white and still getting poor results. The photos come out so bland that it would take me forever to attempt getting the coral to look as they do in person. I'm not shooting through glass, always top down. Maybe I need to try black eggcrate..

If you wanna know the real secret, I use something that has red and green on it lol
As for the gel filters, I was once in such desperate need of some that I made one with two pieces of tape and orange marker, worked like a charm

Reef Pets · Nov 20, 2015

Clayalaleona said:
If you wanna know the real secret, I use something that has red and green on it lol
As for the gel filters, I was once in such desperate need of some that I made one with two pieces of tape and orange marker, worked like a charm

I've never tried filters. I may get a couple to play around with on my phone.