Photo How To

Yesterday we brought you an eye-opening tutorial from a professional wildlife photographer who insists that a camera's histogram may not be telling you the truth, and thereby compromising the quality of images you shoot. Unfortunately, there's another harmful camera untruth, as you'll see in today's video from the f/64 Academy YouTube channel.

This episode begins with photographer Blake Rudis scolding his camera, and it goes something like this: "For as much as you lie to me I still can't help but love you, so let's go take some pictures." The source of his disdain is unreliable Color Balance settings, and Rudis presents several examples to prove his point."

Unlike your camera Rudis is a straight shooter, and he describes the dilemma like this: No matter how hard a camera tries it can't give you perfect Color Balance because it doesn't perceive color like our eyes do." In other words, even the best cameras are just not capable of true color accuracy.

There are many variables responsible for this problem, and Rudis begins with a surprising example of his new eyeglasses that have blue-blocker lenses with a yellowish tint to offset the blue light emanating from his computer monitor. While evaluating his images he realized "there's a lot about White Balance that we just haven't talked about."

He illustrates several more common concerns before jumping into Photoshop to demonstrate his methods for assuring that you get accurate colors almost every time. You may be thinking that none this doesn't apply to you because there's a color checker in your bag that enables you to capture photos with very precise tones.

Well, don't fool yourself, because Rudis restates his claim more emphatically: "Your camera cannot, I repeat CANNOT, and never will give you the most accurate representation of color in any given scene—even if you're using a color checker."

Rudis provides a comprehensive discussion of the specific effects of light on both color and photographic prints. The then turns to Photoshop and demonstrates a basic White Balance fix, followed by more advanced techniques. He even explains what to do when your scene includes a rainbow that deserves a realistic appearance.

So watch the lesson and don't get too angry at your camera because, "it's not lying to you to be mean. It's more like a child who doesn't know what it's doing." Feel better? Be sure to visit the f/64 Academy YouTube channel where there are many more helpful episodes, though not as provocative, as this one.

Then check out the tutorial mentioned at the onset that demonstrates why your camera's histogram may not be telling the truth and spoiling the quality of your photographs.