not on automatic III

This week's lesson at A Familiar Path was about using the white balance options on your camera. I didn't know that adjusting the white balance can help you take better indoor photos, because there are some times when you just can't go outside. I chose to take some pictures in my den, which has windows along one side, but the light is hard to capture. I wanted to show how my crazy short haircut has grown out nicely, and I didn't have anyone else to photograph, so I also used the automatic timer on these.

This first picture is just on automatic. I am out of focus and the flash popped on. Ick.

My camera has several settings for white balance: incandescent, fluorescent, direct sun, flash, cloudy and shade. You can set each of these from the range of -3 to +3. Curious, I tried the shade setting first. See below.

I like the expression on my face, but I am quite yellow. Then I tried the fluorescent, even thought I didn't have any fluorescent lights on. Below, I am blue. The star streaks of light to the left are fun, though.


It seemed to me that since I had incandescent light behind me, I should try that. I didn't know what the numbers really mean, so I tried it to +3. Better, since I'm not blue, but not quite right.

Curious, I tried setting it to -3. I like the one below the best. It's still not completely wonderful, but I enjoyed the experiment and the fact that there are so many options when taking pictures indoors. It takes a cooperative model, though, to let you play with all of it. I don't know how Chickadee does it with a baby!



Well, the other point to this was to show that my haircut is really nice at this length. It only took me a month to get it to a stage where it is a good look. I have received many compliments on my new hair recently, and we all like compliments, right?!