white balance card

[Bob Peterson]

I use a large (probably 3 feet by 4 feet) ‘board’ that I bought at a local art supply store. There are more precise tools available, but I think the white board probably takes me 95% of the way to a perfect setting. I may also perform additional white balancing in Vegas especially when I attempt to adjust two cameras so that they will produce the same colors for the same subject.

[John Rofrano]

A white board or piece of paper is all you need. The key is to hold it under the light that your subject will be under, not necessarily the light the camera is under. 😉

~jr

http://www.johnrofrano.com
http://www.vasst.com

[Jeff Schroeder]

I use a 3 x 4 board from home depot and on the back I have a color card that has 20 or so colored squares on it, just in case I need to make any corrections.

Jeff

http://www.narrowroadmedia.com

[Gilles Gagnon]

Thanks to you both.

I’ll hop over to the art store and pick up something larger and more sturdy than what I currently have.

Thanks for the tips!

Gilles

[Gilles Gagnon]

Thanks Jeff,

what is your board made of?

Gilles

[Jeff Schroeder]

Foam-core, like art supply stuff. It’s light and usually does not warp like cardboard can. Actually I sent someone to get it, so I don’t know where they went. But I think it was home-depot.

http://www.narrowroadmedia.com

[Gilles Gagnon]

Got it!

Thanks!

Gilles

[Dave Johnson]

They cost more than foam core or poster board, but a set of Warm Cards is handy if you do mush fast shooting under uncontrollable lighting …

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/572332-REG/Vortex_Media_WCSLR_WCSLR_Complete_2_0_WarmCard.html

It’s kind of silly that the product photo doesn’t show this, but each of the colored cards in the set has matte white on the flip side.

As others have pointed out, just about any non-reflective surface that’s placed under the subject lighting will do in most cases.

[Gilles Gagnon]

Thanks for your input Dave.

Gilles

[Fred Robinson]

As a still photographer, I use an 18% grey card, not a white one. Works better IMHO and is the standard practice for photographers. Is there a reason why it would be different for ‘film’/video?