I need help on white balance

[vincentgarrucho]

photo 1:
Taken in TUNGSTEN white balance setting


photo 2:
Same photo; White balance corrected using Canon's Digital Photo Professional Software (CLICK White Balance feature).


EXIF
Camera Model Canon EOS 450D
Firmware Firmware Version 1.1.0
Shooting Date/Time 10.12.2009 22:08:05
Owner's Name Vincent Garrucho
Shooting Mode Manual Exposure
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/6
Av( Aperture Value ) 2.8
Metering Mode Center-Weighted Average Metering
ISO Speed 400
Lens 28-75mm
Focal Length 51.0mm
Image Size 4272x2848
Image Quality RAW
Flash Off
White Balance Mode Tungsten
AF Mode One-Shot AF
Sharpness 7
Contrast 1
Saturation 1
Color tone 0
Color Space sRGB
Long exposure noise reduction 1:Auto
High ISO speed noise reduction 1:On
Highlight tone priority 1:Enable

which is better or should be?

thanks

[jdepould]

Moved to technique.

The difference is pretty obvious, I mean, the second one matches what your eyes saw, no?

[zenali]

To be honest, sometimes I prefer to leave the white balance uncorrected. I think that the light in the first shot gives it a warm, fireside kind of atmosphere. The corrected version is much cooler, and even though it is more accurate it doesn't appeal to me as much.

(I realise this is a personal thing though!)

[vincentgarrucho]

Moved to technique.

The difference is pretty obvious, I mean, the second one matches what your eyes saw, no?

Actually what my eyes saw matches the 1st photo. the lights were just all yellowish. Oh, thanks for moving this thread by the way. I was a bit confused where to post it.

Moved to technique.To be honest, sometimes I prefer to leave the white balance uncorrected. I think that the light in the first shot gives it a warm, fireside kind of atmosphere. The corrected version is much cooler, and even though it is more accurate it doesn't appeal to me as much.

(I realise this is a personal thing though!)

I know what you mean. I like the 1st one too in the sense that it was as I saw it. It's just that I had a few feed backs saying that the skin tone and the white balance are off, etc.

So what's is "technically correct" is still something i'm learning.

thank you.

hoping for more feedback from others

[vincentgarrucho]

What's not accurate with the 2nd photo is the bokeh lights in the background. they're actually christmas lights in day light or yellowish in color and turned bluish-white after the correction.

I don't know how to do selective color correction or even selective sharpening... or anything about photoshop except to watermark photos.

[jdepould]

The first one is way yellow. I could see shifting the WB up a little bit, but not that much.

[Doug Pardee]

Originally Posted by vincentgarrucho

I had a few feed backs saying that the skin tone and the white balance are off, etc.

So what's is "technically correct" is still something i'm learning.

You can't please everyone. You're the photographer; it's your picture. Make it how you want it. (Unless you're taking the photo for someone else.)

I know I'm in the minority here, but I think that posting photos and asking for general comments is generally a mistake. What the rest of the world thinks of your photos shouldn't be allowed to affect your sense of your personal style and your personal tastes.

If someone makes a comment and you think, "Oh yeah!" then that's fine, but when they make a comment and you think, "oh, I don't know about that," then just ignore the comment. Follow who you are and what you like.