when attempting portraits in my basement

neastguy

granted I'm only using 3 x 60watt bulbs and a flash on the camera.. d40 .. I'm getting a ton of reds (color) I'm guessing its my bulbs.. is there a way to correct this.. I can dial it out post production.. but just wondering how to fix it... thanks..:scratch

ChatKat

Post an image
Post an image to get an accurate response, but, my guess is that it's the tungsten lighting. Flash light would be brighter/whiter but standard lightbulbs give a reddish cast. To correct for it, get the bulb light behind you and overpower it with more flash or strobes and less lightbulbs.

neastguy wrote:

granted I'm only using 3 x 60watt bulbs and a flash on the camera.. d40 .. I'm getting a ton of reds (color) I'm guessing its my bulbs.. is there a way to correct this.. I can dial it out post production.. but just wondering how to fix it... thanks..

divamum

Welcome to my newest learning curve! I'm sure the more experienced members can chime in with numbers and specifics, but short answer (as I understand it) is: mixed lighting, colour temperature and white balance. If these are incandescant bulbs they're a different colour than flash (balanced to daylight) and usually have a slightly orange tint. Fluorescents produce yet another colour (greenish) and halogen different yet again.

I've been trying to deal with mixed lighting in my own studio attempts (similar equipment to you, namely lightbulbs and white cardboard reflectors!) by setting a custom white balance in my camera - while it helps, even that isn't entirely solving the problem and if I get one light source right in post, any others are slightly out.

~steps back to let experts explain better than I can~

Art Scott

you can do a couple of things....power up the flash to over ride the light from the incandescents or purchase some color correcting gels....color correcting gels is theeasiest way to go......from any theatrical supply or BH.....theatrical supplys will be a bit cheaper than orderiing from BH

eL eSs Vee

The least expensive way to correct it is to choose one type of lighting and then set your white balance to it.

Also, what color are the walls in your basement? If they're a warm color such as red or yellow (or wood paneling), those will contribute to the yellow/red cast in your images.

achambers

You also might try 'color corrected' or 'daylight corrected' bulbs like the GE Reveal bulbs. I've had fairly good luck when using these bulbs with a flash (and an 18% grey card). There are also daylight corrected flourescent bulbs that you can find at the home centers.