White clothes in a photo shoot?

amp'd

I have one of my first photo shoots tomorrow. These are my "freebie" sessions as I build my portfolio and I am learning a TON of stuff in the process. Like...don't forget to ask clients NOT to dress their children in matching white outfits outdoors if they can help it.

I found out yesterday that my client bought special white outfits (4yo daughter and 7 yo son) just for the shoot. I can not very well tell her to buy new outfits, but I have not been very successfully with pale to white colored fabrics without them appearing blownout in order the get skin/eyes etc properly exposed.

Can anyone offer me any advice to help with this?

I'll list the gear I'll be lugging and time of shoot if it's helpful:

6pm, riverside, park with trails and trees (I prefer natural light and outdoors)
50mm f/1.8 and a 70-300mm VR lens
for editing I have Lightroom 2 and Elements 6

If there is something I can do in capture - I'd like to try that first. Editing is my last go-to (how to keep other details properly exposed but bringing detail into the white clothing so it doesn't look blownout-eek help!). So if you have tips for either, please, I'd appreciate them! Thanks in advance!

Oh and *little nervous wave* hello! I'm new around here. Been lurking for a while and figured it was time to jump in. =0)

ian408

Why would you not want your client to wear white?

If you were shooting at noon on a soccer pitch and one of the teams was dressed in white, what would you do? Simple; adjust exposure accordingly. Now if you have a very light color and a very dark color, you might have some difficulty with automatic exposure. That's what manual is for

Good luck

time2smile

First, Welcome

Try looking in the WEDDINGS forum for some exposure ideas
Its just like shooting a wedding dress.

good luck

aj986s

I'm no expert, but I believe the simple solution is to stay from AWB and use a manual setting, to keep the camera from trying to compensate for the white in the frame. Also shoot in RAW to give you the most flexibility in PP.

I still have to learn to get away from AWB. I've noticed how at car races, certain colored cars (usually red) can cause the white balance to skew in the whole image. Unfortunately, I don't notice this until later on the PC... I get concerned outdoors if the sun is moving in & out of clouds, and end up using AWB. But if lighting is constant, I try to remember to use one of the manual options.

Art Scott

amp'd wrote:

I have one of my first photo shoots tomorrow. These are my "freebie" sessions as I build my portfolio and I am learning a TON of stuff in the process. Like...don't forget to ask clients NOT to dress their children in matching white outfits outdoors if they can help it.

I found out yesterday that my client bought special white outfits (4yo daughter and 7 yo son) just for the shoot. I can not very well tell her to buy new outfits, but I have not been very successfully with pale to white colored fabrics without them appearing blownout in order the get skin/eyes etc properly exposed.

Can anyone offer me any advice to help with this?

I'll list the gear I'll be lugging and time of shoot if it's helpful:

6pm, riverside, park with trails and trees (I prefer natural light and outdoors)
50mm f/1.8 and a 70-300mm VR lens
for editing I have Lightroom 2 and Elements 6

If there is something I can do in capture - I'd like to try that first. Editing is my last go-to (how to keep other details properly exposed but bringing detail into the white clothing so it doesn't look blownout-eek help!). So if you have tips for either, please, I'd appreciate them! Thanks in advance!

Oh and *little nervous wave* hello! I'm new around here. Been lurking for a while and figured it was time to jump in. =0)

Rent, if you can, an incident ambient/ flash light meter.......better yet....buy one......it can save your butt many times as your metering off the subjects position and not from a postion that light is reflected too.

Shoot in open shade, not direct sunlight.....use fill flash........but for me I simply shoot in manual using hand held meter to get exposure and go with it......remember to watch for shadows on face and especially around eyes.......hopefully your shooting during the sweet light hours for your area................................

angevin1

I am another one who sees no reason not to wear white.

But, I also like to use fill flash too (as Art Scott mentioned).

I am certain there are folks out there that may ascribe to the no-white thing and to using natural light.

I have to depend on my light meter within the camera, otherwise I'd never get the types of shots I like...meaning...on the fly and ( light) changing constantly.

I recently did a family shoot that included all in white, and I think they worked out quite well as did the family.

amp'd

Angevin- that image looks GREAT!

Thank you everyone for the feedback!

It's insanely sunny here (summer is like high desert here- its hot dry super sunny and ick). Dappled light where there are trees and I will definitely be shooting in the shade or at least in all the places I can find that has indirect light outside. I guess if I keep those two things foremost- I shouldn't have too many issues. It's when the little ones venture out into the sun that it gets all messy for me with blowing out the highlights in white clothing or super blonde hair. Or it could be that I really need to work hard on metering better if no one else has problem in these areas (still learning!). It certainly doesn't help that I feel 'bad' for taking the time to meter diff light situations. Like the clients are going to get irritated (silly I know!). After exhausting my own family and friends - I have just ventured into taking pictures for people I do not know and there is some anxiety there when it takes me a few seconds to compose and then fire off a few test shots to check exposure etc. I know this anxiety about that will get better with practice and time.

I will take care with metering and shoot raw anyway- so definitely will be doing that. I will look in the wedding forum- never even crossed my mind to look there- so thank you!

And so another suggestion is to not use auto white balance correct (awb?)? I shoot full manual always but admit I leave the WB in auto all the time. But I can tinker with it out of auto if it will make a difference- thank you thank you!

If I can get white clothes kids perfectly exposed- I will feel ...accomplished! Definitely been a weakness of mine. And they look sooo classy when done right (example of Angevin's photo is perfect!).

Thank you for answering my noob question! I appreciate it!

angevin1

amp'd wrote:

Angevin- that image looks GREAT!

Thank you everyone for the feedback!

It's insanely sunny here (summer is like high desert here- its hot dry super sunny and ick). Dappled light where there are trees and I will definitely be shooting in the shade or at least in all the places I can find that has indirect light outside. I guess if I keep those two things foremost- I shouldn't have too many issues. It's when the little ones venture out into the sun that it gets all messy for me with blowing out the highlights in white clothing or super blonde hair. Or it could be that I really need to work hard on metering better if no one else has problem in these areas (still learning!). It certainly doesn't help that I feel 'bad' for taking the time to meter diff light situations. Like the clients are going to get irritated (silly I know!). After exhausting my own family and friends - I have just ventured into taking pictures for people I do not know and there is some anxiety there when it takes me a few seconds to compose and then fire off a few test shots to check exposure etc. I know this anxiety about that will get better with practice and time.

I will take care with metering and shoot raw anyway- so definitely will be doing that. I will look in the wedding forum- never even crossed my mind to look there- so thank you!

And so another suggestion is to not use auto white balance correct (awb?)? I shoot full manual always but admit I leave the WB in auto all the time. But I can tinker with it out of auto if it will make a difference- thank you thank you!

If I can get white clothes kids perfectly exposed- I will feel ...accomplished! Definitely been a weakness of mine. And they look sooo classy when done right (example of Angevin's photo is perfect!).

Thank you for answering my noob question! I appreciate it!

Thank you for the compliments!

I never read what camera you are using and that can make a difference when WB and color are concerned.

The shot I offered up was shot in late light, well shaded, SB800 TTL fill flash, AWB, ISO500, in camera neutral color adjustment, f3.5, 1/320 @80mm handheld tank of a lens: Nikon80-200 f2.8. I mostly shoot for metering the scene and allow the TTL flash to fill in the subtle shadows. On this photo I did meter the kids ( spot metering in cam) before firing.

Happy Shooting...bring some photos back!

amp'd

I have a Nikon D80. Not my dream camera, but we all have to start somewhere! =0D Thank you for offering up the specs on the shot. It was very helpful. I have an SB600 and will take that with (actually rarely leaves my camera). If I shoot in Raw though and import everything to Lightroom- I don't think it matters what my WB is right? It seems to ignore in camera settings on Raw (WB, color modes etc).

And I must add, I just got LR2 about 2 weeks ago and have never used it with shots of children/ppl in white clothing or people with super blonde hair (in sun). So my processing may be quite painless when I tweak exposure too (love LR!). I may be getting all anxious for nothing! =D

angevin1 wrote:

Thank you for the compliments!

I never read what camera you are using and that can make a difference when WB and color are concerned.

The shot I offered up was shot in late light, well shaded, SB800 TTL fill flash, AWB, ISO500, in camera neutral color adjustment, f3.5, 1/320 @80mm handheld tank of a lens: Nikon80-200 f2.8. I mostly shoot for metering the scene and allow the TTL flash to fill in the subtle shadows. On this photo I did meter the kids ( spot metering in cam) before firing.

Happy Shooting...bring some photos back!

Wil Davis

amp'd wrote:

I have one of my first photo shoots tomorrow
…snip
Can anyone offer me any advice to help with this?

…snip

Congratulations on jumping in (feet first! )! As Art suggested, beg, borrow or buy a hand-held meter and if possible get hold of a gray card and meter from that (or even use it to set the WB on the camera), and then shoot everything in manual where the light is consistent, and tweak where it is not, and bracket like hell! As has been said before, memory is the cheapest part of the equation, so shoot as many pics as you can.

This is the "shotgun" approach, and with the miracle of digital cameras, you can check as you go to see that you're heading in the right direction. Oh, and practice and practice with all your gear so that you can operate it without thinking (most important…)

er, that's it…

Good Luck!

- Wil

PS: Don't forget to post some of your results here…
PPS: Don't worry about the white clothes; if you meter correctly, your camera's not going to give a damn about the colour of the clothes.

amp'd

Wil Davis wrote:

Congratulations on jumping in (feet first! )! As Art suggested, beg, borrow or buy a hand-held meter and if possible get hold of a gray card and meter from that (or even use it to set the WB on the camera), and then shoot everything in manual where the light is consistent, and tweak where it is not, and bracket like hell! As has been said before, memory is the cheapest part of the equation, so shoot as many pics as you can.

This is the "shotgun" approach, and with the miracle of digital cameras, you can check as you go to see that you're heading in the right direction. Oh, and practice and practice with all your gear so that you can operate it without thinking (most important…)

er, that's it…

Good Luck!

- Wil

PS: Don't forget to post some of your results here…
PPS: Don't worry about the white clothes; if you meter correctly, your camera's not going to give a damn about the colour of the clothes.

Thanks! I Managed to get some ok shots. I had to tinker in Lightroom a bit tho. I have never used a handheld metter (Art's suggestion). I am definitely going to look into one now. I have also never used the bracket feature. So maybe I need to do all that. And yeah...in 90 minutes I shot 4GB worth of photos. It was insane!

I will post some of those images in here. =0) Thanks for the tips (to everyone for the tips!). The white was still hecka tricky because the sun and we were right next to the water. Light reflections of that too. haha Learning experience for sure!

angevin1

YAY! You did it!

Yes, make certain to post some photos!

cheers,

amp'd

Here are some photos from my 'white' session. I am pulling my faves as well as some of their Mom's faves. The C&C is killing me, but it's helping me learn- lol- so let me have it! =0D We went for different edits, Mom was really playful.

Set up was that mom wanted a couple face pictures and then fun pictures of them showing sibling love. =0)

#1


#2


#3


#4


#5


#6

time2smile

Nice Job

ian408

I think you did well on these. #1 has the most beautiful smile. The angle #2 presents is different and it's a nice portrait. These two are by far my favorites.

I'm happy that you didn't let the white wardrobe get you. As a result you have some shots the family will treasure for a long time

amp'd

Thanks Ted and Ian! I learned a lot from this session. And I mean a lot! And the kids were fun- so if they are having fun- it's hard not to have fun too. =0D The mom's 2 tops faves are the first too also. We like to see our kids' faces for sure!

angevin1

"I Managed to get some ok shots. I had to tinker in Lightroom a bit tho"

No. You managed to get some quite lovely shots! Good job! The composition is terrific and the PP is splendid! Cute kids!

DTownPistonsfan

Yeah, I'm no professional, but I think your shots look great. I'm impressed. You're apprehension had me concerned with how your shots were going to come out, but I think you may have been underestimating yourself.