Correct white balance for sunrise and sunsets?

9 years 10 months ago #384557 by Julie Staas
The internet can be so helpful, but when you are looking for a solid line on an answer can get tricky.  I'm seeing answers all over the place on this question.  Can anyone shed some light on what is the correct white balance when photographing a sunrise or sunset? 

Thank you

Country Girl out for a stroll
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9 years 10 months ago #384565 by william_cpa
Daylight: that little picture of the sun.
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9 years 10 months ago #384665 by Tim Dordeck
It really depends on what look you are after.  If you want warmer tones, I'd go with cloudy setting. 


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9 years 10 months ago #384680 by garyrhook
Most folks want to capture the golden light at those times, so the usual daylight number is likely what you're after.

And if you shoot raw, you can always tweak it in post.


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9 years 10 months ago #384747 by Alan Nunez
If I am shooting the sunrise/set and you want the warm tone I use Daylight. However if I am shooting skin tones or something that need to be colour correct then I would pull out a grey/white card and do a manual white balance. If you are shooting raw it is not really a major issue as you can adjust in it in post. I am a bit of a fan of trying to get it right in camera.


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9 years 10 months ago #384750 by william_cpa

Alan Nunez wrote: If I am shooting the sunrise/set and you want the warm tone I use Daylight. However if I am shooting skin tones or something that need to be colour correct then I would pull out a grey/white card and do a manual white balance. If you are shooting raw it is not really a major issue as you can adjust in it in post. I am a bit of a fan of trying to get it right in camera.

+1 on getting it right in the camera. One of the original 'benefits' of RAW was supposed to be that it was a setting applied after the photo was taken. That went out the window in order to reduce noise. If you don't get WB close at least in the camera, you are risking clipping one or more of the color channels.
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9 years 10 months ago #384894 by Joves
I am with the choir on this one in that standard daylight, or sunny is the setting. The thing with sunrises/sets is what effect you are going for. Also with your D300 under exposing for the bright areas will bring out more color. If you use a standard ND filter then you will get heavy foreground silhouetting, with a GND you can make the foreground visible, while exposing for the rise/set. 


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9 years 10 months ago #385018 by Uplander

garyrhook wrote: Most folks want to capture the golden light at those times, so the usual daylight number is likely what you're after.

And if you shoot raw, you can always tweak it in post.




:agree:    


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9 years 10 months ago #385070 by JaneK
Daylight or Cloudy, depends on what I'm after. 


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