Solution to no white for WB adjustment in your RAW non-strobe shot?

[Gilligan]

What if there is no white in your non-strobe RAW shot to adjust the white balance with in post-processing? How will you adjust the white balance?
You can use the adjustments from another photo in Canon DPP (or another program) but was that photo taken under the same conditions and at the same depth?

My solution:
1. Carry a white dive slate or white card or combination white/gray card on your dives.
2. Take the non-strobe shot and if there is no white in it immediately take a second shot holding your white card at arms length with a portion of it in the photo.

Using the "recipe" feature in Canon DPP, copy the adjustments from the photo with the white card in it to the keeper photo.

Remember to save the changes to the keeper RAW file if you are going to trash the RAW file with the white card in it.

I took a few photos today to experiment. For demo purposes pretend there is no white in the photos. I converted them to JPG's for general viewing.

Original RAW photo

Original RAW photo with white card

Adjusted RAW photo using the eyedropper tool inside the white card

Adjusted RAW photo copying the adjustments from the adjusted white card photo via the DPP "recipe" feature

I put a brief tutorial for the Canon DPP steps on MY WEBSITE

 

[drcolyn]

Hi Gilligan
WB used to concern me when my setup included a Sony P73 with the Inon Z240 strobe. Forever had green photo's.
Then I also got a G10 - now the WB is set to Underwater(fish) and I never had a green pic again. Is it neccessary/better to do manual WB or eye dropper correction if one has the luxury of this auto WB correction in a camera?

 

[Gilligan]

Hi Gilligan
WB used to concern me when my setup included a Sony P73 with the Inon Z240 strobe. Forever had green photo's.
Then I also got a G10 - now the WB is set to Underwater(fish) and I never had a green pic again. Is it neccessary/better to do manual WB or eye dropper correction if one has the luxury of this auto WB correction in a camera?

The luxury is having RAW not the "underwater" setting. The camera doesn't process the RAW photo, you do. The camera processes the JPG's according to your settings, not you.

1. Best results, especially for for non-strobe shots, is shooting in RAW mode. You have control over the white balance in post-processing that you don't have with a JPG. See this brief tutorial I put together on processing RAW photo WB in Canon DPP. I use the Canon DPP software for the WB adjustment then convert to JPG and finish my editing in PS just because I am use to PS and can do it faster there. I like the WB results better in DPP than PS. Just a personal preference. If you don't have PS or similar program you can do all your RAW editing in DPP before converting to a JPG.

2. Next best results for shooting non-strobe shots in JPG mode is "custom" white balance. This requires you to calibrate your white balance off a white card before taking the shot. You have to re-calibrate at varying depths and for varying ambient light conditions. You have to remember to switch back to "auto" for strobe shots or you get red photos.

3. Next best is the "underwater" WB setting. It is better than all the other pre-set camera choices. It can't accommodate all the different lighting conditions encountered underwater. It is a happy medium.

4. Last is the "auto" WB setting which yields "bluish" or "greenish" photos.

For your strobe shots either "auto", "daylight" or "cloudy" WB is okay. "Cloudy" usually yields softer colors. Best to shoot RAW and you can compare the colors when you adjust the WB.

Since you have to pick a setting I use "underwater" for the non-strobe shots and "auto" for the strobe shots. None of it matters with RAW since you will adjust the WB anyway.