Ask your stupid photography questions here.

Right I will go first!

I was just thinking about white balance.

When I was a kid we used to set white balance by using a white lens cap (essential in the snow)

Anyway one of the things I loved about my compact camera was the snow or beach setting.

How do you set white balance on a DSLR - why am i having a blonde moment on this???

I also think some other people may benefit from this.

on auto mode (p) use the exposure compensation button (+/-) and set it to +2.

or on manual, take a shot and check the histogram. adjust your exposure until the bars are nearly hitting the right.

ha!

Interestingly my next question was going to be on Histogram!! But then I was looking on Ken Rockwell site (thanks for suggesting this BTW! it is a great resource)

and i noticed he writes this

The best way to evaluate exposure is to look at the picture, not a histogram.

This is what puzzles me about histogram - I know what an over or under exposed photo looks like and with digital you get to preview it (bonus there LOL).

What other things make this histogram useful?

sorry, i forgot you asked about white balance and not exposing for snow.

for white balance you just put it on auto.

as for histograms:
http://www.google.co.jp/#hl=ja&source=hp&q=camera+histogram+explanation&oq=camera+histogram+explanation&aq=f&aqi;=&aql;=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=1075l14712l0l15008l46l41l6l18l1l2l374l2525l1.6.5.1l14l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=a0f6f461ad15df9e&biw=1110&bih=691

Okay (sorry again!!!!)

Here is something i have noticed on camera, SLR or compact digital. I don’t ever use auto. I prefer ‘P’

I am not sure what the settings differences are.

I wanted to check when you day auto do you mean auto or the P??

hmmma actually I think i have a theory!

Maybe i should tell you and show you i am not a blonde photography bimbo!! LOL

Oh and I am sure Spaz thanks you for answering all the question that have been in my head the last couple of days! I would have just bugged him at the shred and I am sure he would have said - “But we are here to ride girl!!”

ozgirl - 15 September 2011 04:58 AM

show you i am not a blonde photography bimbo!!

photos please!

difference between auto and p is afaik, auto is auto and you can’ t change anything. p is auto, but you can change the shutter speed and aperture. I forget what’s it’s called but you can change it as long as the ratio is still the same. for example, if the camera gives you 30 f8, you can move the dial to 60 f. 5.6.
with p you can choose to add flash or not

I posted one of my favs in the post anything photo thread.

I also have said my flickr acct - although a lot of pics there are from my phone so not my best work!

I always thought of auto as more like a old point and shoot - one that has no apeture or like a disposably camera!

P i always thought of as more sophisticated than auto (i didn’t realize about forcing the flash or turn it off was only in p) ie thought a bit more about apeture etc.

Can i suggest you take a photo on both settings and see your thoughts yourself (I am guessing you have never noticed the difference then?)

here

https://www.boardworld.com.au/forums/viewthread/192/P315/#92421

and flickr is http://www.flickr.com/photos/ozgirlkim/sets/72157621717586210/ (this is a set that was taken with my compact digital)

and no comment on my tilt shift faky!! :-( The second one composition is better but I think the first suits the tilt shift technique better.

ozgirl - 15 September 2011 02:57 AM

Right I will go first!

I was just thinking about white balance.

When I was a kid we used to set white balance by using a white lens cap (essential in the snow)

Anyway one of the things I loved about my compact camera was the snow or beach setting.

How do you set white balance on a DSLR - why am i having a blonde moment on this???

I also think some other people may benefit from this.

Gray cards can be used for in-camera white balance or post-processing white balance. Many digital cameras have a custom white balance feature. A photo of the gray card is taken and used to set white balace for a sequence of photos.

This is a fav image which is blown up and on my wall - this photo is scanned on a photo copier which is why it is blurry - it is the Liffy in Dublin

I would love to show you my album from Africa. I got some amazing shots!! Even though in the first week (of 6!) my 28 - 80 lens broke and so the rest of my album is overly cropped using the 70 - 300!

johnoT - 15 September 2011 05:41 AM

ozgirl - 15 September 2011 02:57 AM

Right I will go first!

I was just thinking about white balance.

When I was a kid we used to set white balance by using a white lens cap (essential in the snow)

Anyway one of the things I loved about my compact camera was the snow or beach setting.

How do you set white balance on a DSLR - why am i having a blonde moment on this???

I also think some other people may benefit from this.

Gray cards can be used for in-camera white balance or post-processing white balance. Many digital cameras have a custom white balance feature. A photo of the gray card is taken and used to set white balace for a sequence of photos.

Yeah funny I learnt about the grey card when i purchased a Scott Keilby book on photoshop. I haven’t played with it yet.

Taken with my compact - not photoshopped

Photoshopped - taken with compact

where are the photos of the blonde bimbos?