Which white balance for floodlights?

[kendoddsdadsdog]

Hi all,
Going to take the camera to some local footie and wondered what to set white balance to regarding the floodlights?
I could shoot raw but wondered what to use just trying using jpg etc etc..
Regards
Steve

 

[swanseamale47]

Try using live view and scroll through the WB options, you'll be able to see which one looks best.

 

[KIPAX]

auto wb

 

[Oggy]

Floodlights are many different colours so there is no definate answer. As above, if auto will handle it, otherwise experiment (or correct in PP).

 

[lexie]

Try using live view and scroll through the WB options, you'll be able to see which one looks best.

this is what i did this evening. the sun was setting and i knew i would have to change from daylight to tungsten as the street lights became more pronounced. i've found that liveview is very good for these conditions.

a couple of test shots will show you which setting is best for the conditions

 

[magicaxeman]

Shoot raw and correct in PP.

 

[KIPAX]

Shoot raw and correct in PP.

correct what? auto WB works under floodlights and shooting in raw isnt really appropriate for a football match given the amount of shots usualy taken...

auto wb works... and its nothing like street lights...I am at a loss as to why people who havent shot under floodlights are offering advice on how to shoot under floodlights?

 

[Photodiva]

Shoot raw and correct in PP.

[S1]+1 on that[/S1]
I see Kipax got in first. I'd elaborate on the above, looking at my workflow I rarely do change the white balance from auto, but I do shoot raw and adjust the shadows, fill and brightness. I've learned that there are only parts of the pitch where the light is really good enough to shoot anyway, the corners are pretty useless, even though to the eye there seems enough light.

 

[chip]

I'm no sports photographer but I fancied having 'a go' for my own personal folio. When I contacted my local club about taking photos at a night game the guy actually told me the temperature of their lights was 3000K.

Obviously not all lights are the same but I tested 3000k as my white balance but to my eye was slightly cold, so I adjusted accordingly.

I hardly ever use auto white balance but this was probably one occassion I could have.

 

[theMusicMan]

I can't see anything wrong in either (1) shooting in RAW then applying an auto w/b preset when importing into Lightroom or (2) shooting with a setting of auto w/b. The only difference will be the cameras rendition of what the 'auto w/b' setting should be, and Lightrooms rendition of 'auto w/b'.

They should be very similar if not the same. The difference is in the way they work out what the correct w/b should be.

Using an Auto w/b calculation in-camera uses a white balance setting based on the actual light present when the shutter opens, whereas the auto w/b in Lightroom relies on its [i.e. Lightrooms] interpretation of the colours, tones and data contained in an actual jpg or RAW image file. Without doubt though, you 100% WILL get better interpretation of Lightroom w/b if you shoot in RAW as compared with if you shoot only in jpg.

So... even though the auto w/b settings should be the same [in-camera and/or Lightroom], and are very likely to be... the fact that they are each calculated using different criteria means there is a chance they will be different.

OK, that's some detail, but I consider this part of the OP's consideration in their original question.

 

[leftcurl]

correct what? auto WB works under floodlights and shooting in raw isnt really appropriate for a football match given the amount of shots usualy taken...

auto wb works... and its nothing like street lights...I am at a loss as to why people who havent shot under floodlights are offering advice on how to shoot under floodlights?

he da man!

i think the footy togs are the best qualified to answer the OP and always give straight forward and sound advice. they always shoot jpeg.. auto WB.. and as high ISO as possible in order to gain the fastest SS. they're the basics i've read on here time and time again.

 

[kendoddsdadsdog]

Thanks for all the imput!..what a top place this is!
I used AWB,jpg and up to iso 1600 and have attached a couple of shots from the game.
I gather by further reading you should get low down etc etc..maybe I may ask to try and go pitch side?

Thanks again all
Steve