p.1 #1 · How to combat color cast from flash in closeup photography?
I am using a canon 6d + 100mm L Lens + Neewer NW-670 TTL. For some reason every now and then I get a orangish cast in my macro images when using flash as main light. I am using a pope shield like diffuser fwiw. I have noticed that I can counteract this if I use the flash ttl but this is not always convenient because it means I have to carry a tripod (something I like to do without when on a long hike and the subject cant be mobile). I have tried white balancing the Canon with the flash in use using a white diffuser (my camera does not seem to get certain colors true to life even if I use natural light and a gray card or some fancy light disc that goes over the lens, etc, maybe this is a limitation of my camera) but the color is never quite right. Is it the quality of the flash? I can sort of fix in post but its a pita and never quite looks right. Some scenes that triggered the color cast was a long-tailed salamander on a black rock (the salamander is yellow with black spots and camer out very orange). The other scene was a Greenish Moth (pandora sphinx if it matters) on a fallen log with thick moss and some of the original bark showing through.
p.1 #2 · How to combat color cast from flash in closeup photography?
Using auto-white balance and TTL with flash can be a problem and will cause variations. Try setting your WB to flash (lightening symbol when you use a flash) and see if you get more consistent results.
If you're using natural light, take a grey WB card with you and shoot that in the same light as your subject. I'm also assuming you are shooting raw and not jpeg. With a shot of the grey card, adjusting the correct color temperature and tint will be much easier in post.
p.1 #3 · How to combat color cast from flash in closeup photography?
This sounds like an issue with your White Balance (WB) setting. If this is not happening consistently it could mean that your WB is set to Auto White Balance (AWB) and the camera is being tricked and trying to correct the WB of the scene. If it is happening inconsistently try setting set your WB to something like Daylight, this will lock the WB and should give you a consistent color temperature from frame to frame. If you are shooting in RAW then you can change the color temperate setting in post if you do not like daylight.
p.1 #4 · How to combat color cast from flash in closeup photography?
I think the white balance is being tricked but setting it to daylight or flash results in the same color cast with the flash as main light. Flash ttl works perfectly. Its kinda perplexing. I guess I need some stronger color balancing tool to bring with me into the field maybe for these scenarios?
Ive noticed that the Canon 6d and canon cameras handle certain colors in a weird way. For instance I was photographing some bright orange mushrooms and the camera made them red like an apple. The mushrooms were in the shade on a black background with flash as main light. Is this just a limitation of Canon cameras in that they never quite get the color true to life? I know exposure and light play a huge part in it but it seems when everything is ideal it still does not get the color right.
p.1 #5 · How to combat color cast from flash in closeup photography?
dwaynedibbley wrote:
I think the white balance is being tricked but setting it to daylight or flash results in the same color cast with the flash as main light. Flash ttl works perfectly. Its kinda perplexing. I guess I need some stronger color balancing tool to bring with me into the field maybe for these scenarios?
p.1 #6 · How to combat color cast from flash in closeup photography?
dwaynedibbley wrote:
I think the white balance is being tricked but setting it to daylight or flash results in the same color cast with the flash as main light. Flash ttl works perfectly. Its kinda perplexing. I guess I need some stronger color balancing tool to bring with me into the field maybe for these scenarios?
Ive noticed that the Canon 6d and canon cameras handle certain colors in a weird way. For instance I was photographing some bright orange mushrooms and the camera made them red like an apple. The mushrooms were in the shade on a black background with flash as main light. Is this just a limitation of Canon cameras in that they never quite get the color true to life? I know exposure and light play a huge part in it but it seems when everything is ideal it still does not get the color right....Show more →
Make sure you turn off auto white balance and make profiles of the ambient lighting and flash lighing if necessary. If you are using fill flash and the ambient light is very cool (e.g., in the shade) you might need to filter the light a bit cooler. Likewise you may use a warmer filter on the flash for fill in later afternoon.
In some cases very short flash durations can shift the color balance, but I don't think that is what is happening here. I think you are using AWB and shouldn't be. If nothing else, try different color temperatures due RAW file processing.
p.1 #7 · How to combat color cast from flash in closeup photography?
Hey thanks for your advice. When you say make profiles are you referring to using an 18% gray card? So my procedure has been to take a foldable 18% gray disc with me into the field. I start by taking an image of this disc with the correct exposure under auto white balance. Then you go into custom white balance (this is for canon 6d) and select this image. Then back to white balance and select the custom white balance option. I do this with the flash in operation and it appears to do nothing for situations where flash is the main light.
Now fill flash is different its almost perfect, EXCEPT that you need a tripod, no wind, and even the flash introduces movement in the camera and image will get blurred. Not ideal. Maybe its this 18% gray disc and I should go for something with better quality. The thing I purchased was just a cheap thing off amazon for $20.
