Tip 3. White Balance
[These tips are ones I use every day. Feel free to send me feedback on them] I used to find the camera's preset white balance settings aren't suitable and 'Automatic' got it wrong 50% of the time. So I switched to taking a PRE-WB shot before shooting. At first it feels like a bit rigmaroll but you quickly get used to selecting something in the scene that is roughly neutral coloured (meaning mid-grey up to nearly-white), snapping a full-frame shot of it and then proceeding with your shots. I also find it gives me time to sanity check my camera's settings (did I really leave it on ISO 3200?!) and decide the best place to shoot. To take a PRE-WB shot I do this:-
- Switch to the PRE white balance setting. ON a D3 you do this by pressing and holding the WB button and then rotating the back dial until the rear LCD shows 'PRE' - I can't remember how to set it on other models but it will be similar.
- Press and hold the WB button until it flashes "PRE".
- Select something in the room/area that is grey (ideally mid-grey but anything up to white will do).
- Compose a well exposed shot of it such that it fiils the entire photo.
- Check the camera accpeted the shot (the D3 says "GOOD" on the top LCD screen.
- You are now clear to start shooting.