Using grey cards and colour charts for outdoors

nightwolf75 · 13th November 2004

i was reading up on "The Photoshop CS Book for Digital Photographers" by Scott Kelby. came across the section on colour correct. he recommended using a grey card and colour chart in a studio setting, b4 taking the shot, so dat u can use the colour and grey charts to set ur colour corrections later in CS's curves.

my question is, does this also work for outdoors? i know outdoors more troublesome, becos everytime i change location or change shooting position, i might have to use the charts to get the right colour mix later in PS.

newbie questions... still much to learn abt PS...

nickmak · 13th November 2004

Hey Sam!

I just read up from the National Geographic Field Guide and they say that the gray card works anywhere... The colour chart I presume should also work?

Aiyah bro... Shoot in RAW!

That way you only have to worry about exposure right? Somebody correct me...

Regards,
Nick

canturn · 13th November 2004

Yes, grey cards will work outdoor.

And yes, u need to shoot another grey card before starting another series from a different location.

What u could do is create folders for each series taken under the same control setting. Load up curves in PS, click on the grey dropper (center one) and click on the grey card. Save that curve and apply it to all the rest of the files in the folder. You could use the actions to automate the process.

I've used this method to batch like 500+ photos. Nowadays, I shoot almost exclusively in RAW format. Nickmak is right, you can adjust the colours later, but I would still prefer to get the exposure and WB right from the start to cut down on post-processing time.

nightwolf75 · 13th November 2004

Originally Posted by canturn

Yes, grey cards will work outdoor.

And yes, u need to shoot another grey card before starting another series from a different location.

What u could do is create folders for each series taken under the same control setting. Load up curves in PS, click on the grey dropper (center one) and click on the grey card. Save that curve and apply it to all the rest of the files in the folder. You could use the actions to automate the process.

I've used this method to batch like 500+ photos. Nowadays, I shoot almost exclusively in RAW format. Nickmak is right, you can adjust the colours later, but I would still prefer to get the exposure and WB right from the start to cut down on post-processing time.

yeah. i shoot RAW all the time. just dat i'm getting quite sick of PSing all the time to correct the colours. besides, i suck at color corrections...

the photoshop books comes with a grey card attached. think i'll go and test it out tomorrow at a studio.

canturn - sorry, but can u explain a bit more abt "create folders for each series taken under the same control setting"? u mean in the computer? TIA!

Parchiao · 13th November 2004

Eh, how much does a grey card cost and where can I get one? Looking for something easy to carry around and have come across ones from Kodak?

ericp · 14th November 2004

Grey cards are $25 a set from CP (the professional side, look for where they have all the tripods, studio lights, etc).

13th November 2004	#1
nightwolf75 Moderator Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: in bet MORE diaper changes... Posts: 14,584	Using grey cards and colour charts for outdoors i was reading up on "The Photoshop CS Book for Digital Photographers" by Scott Kelby. came across the section on colour correct. he recommended using a grey card and colour chart in a studio setting, b4 taking the shot, so dat u can use the colour and grey charts to set ur colour corrections later in CS's curves. my question is, does this also work for outdoors? i know outdoors more troublesome, becos everytime i change location or change shooting position, i might have to use the charts to get the right colour mix later in PS. newbie questions... still much to learn abt PS... __________________ When did ignorance become a point of view? - Dilbert budget AD/ROM shooter, anyone?

13th November 2004	#2
nickmak Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: London, UK Posts: 2,366	Hey Sam! I just read up from the National Geographic Field Guide and they say that the gray card works anywhere... The colour chart I presume should also work? Aiyah bro... Shoot in RAW! That way you only have to worry about exposure right? Somebody correct me... Regards, Nick __________________ *The equipment can only bring you so far - the rest of the photographic journey is done by you.*

13th November 2004	#3
canturn Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: East, SG Posts: 2,706	Yes, grey cards will work outdoor. And yes, u need to shoot another grey card before starting another series from a different location. What u could do is create folders for each series taken under the same control setting. Load up curves in PS, click on the grey dropper (center one) and click on the grey card. Save that curve and apply it to all the rest of the files in the folder. You could use the actions to automate the process. I've used this method to batch like 500+ photos. Nowadays, I shoot almost exclusively in RAW format. Nickmak is right, you can adjust the colours later, but I would still prefer to get the exposure and WB right from the start to cut down on post-processing time.

13th November 2004	#5
Parchiao Deregistered Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 1,937	Eh, how much does a grey card cost and where can I get one? Looking for something easy to carry around and have come across ones from Kodak?

14th November 2004	#6
ericp Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 577	Grey cards are $25 a set from CP (the professional side, look for where they have all the tripods, studio lights, etc).