Camerahand Loc: Huntsville, Tennessee

I like the histograms in the first two photos. How did you do that? :thumbup:

Burton

BUDDY36 Loc: Tennessee

And if you should get hair on the picture it is time to get out of Dodge! LOL
Buddy 36

Old Redeye Loc: San Mateo, CA

Looks to me like more of a contrast issue. Try adjusting the ev on the camera. If the shot is too bright, move the ev to the negative side. Also, you can use the spot meter to get the correct exposure for what you think is most important.

One Jughead Loc: Greene County, OH

I looked up 18% grey card on Wikopedia and they didn't list anything. Looking further I found a link that addresses the grey card - called Medium Grey.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_gray

One thing they note is that modern cameras generally treat Middle Grey as 12-13%. That might be why we have to PP photos to get the whites white in them.

docrob Loc: Durango, Colorado

Couple of things since most of your concerns seem to have been addressed. 1) If you are practicing making exposure adjustments (a great idea) I have to ask why make it so complex? For example in shot #1 your settings were F22 800 ASA 160 SS. In # 2 you opened the Fstops by 2, doubled the ASA (1stop) and changed your SS by roughly 4.5 stops. So, in effect you changed the exposure from #1 to #2 by roughly 1.5 stops......How in the world would you ever remember all that?

2) Just an opinion here so take it as such. If you are shooting for the histogram....meaning that the histogram becomes your final guide for whether the image is "properly" exposed or not - I think you will end up missing a lot of stuff.

photogrl57 Loc: Tennessee

I normally don't adjust to those extremes .. but mother nature threw me a curve ball .... grey overcast skies ... I was attempting to compensate for that ... and failed miserably

photocat Loc: Atlanta, Ga

That is how we learn !

tkhphotography Loc: Gresham, Or, not Seattle

]

2) Just an opinion here so take it as such. If you are shooting for the histogram....meaning that the histogram becomes your final guide for whether the image is "properly" exposed or not - I think you will end up missing a lot of stuff.[/quote]

Could you explain what those might be, please?
Don't underestimate a histogram; I would think after shooting a shot you would want to see how much 'tonal value' you captured with your camera settings at specific settings, and a histogram is the only 'report card' that will do that.

If a scene has a broad tonal value from 0-256 in greyscale, and your histogram shows you clipped the whites or black, or bunched your info at either end, then it is the best way to adjust your next shot. (Though as some have suggested, it is not the vehicle to determine WB).

treadwl Loc: South Florida

First the histogram is not about white balance. It simple shows the the distribution of tones in the picture. A shot with a white ibis against a dark mangrove swamp would show a very dark (to the left) histogram even when properly exposed. This would be the same in reverse (black glossey ibis against a grey sky). That said there is no such things as a correct histogram---you are the creator of the image and you can make it look anyway you want.

However if you are looking to get the correct "color" of light then if you don't like what your camera does try using expodisk. Look it up on line at http://www.expoimaging.com/product-overview.php?cat_id=1

This is the trick (gimmick) I use if I am shooting product (say a COKE red can and want to get the right red, or if I'm shooting college basketball indoors and want the right color uniforms under whatever lights the arena is using because every arena has different lights and they all yield different colors) Remember those orange shots you used to take indoors under tungsten lighting??

Expodisk make a huge difference I use it almost every time I shoot. Check it out.

Larry

chapjohn Loc: Tigard, Oregon

As to your original question--I would have started with Bryan Peterson's practice of keeping ISO at 200 and WB on cloudy (yes, even on sunny days). Then adjust aperture and shutter speed from there. This is practice for 99% or his outdoor shooting and I have found those settings to my liking as well. WB on cloudy will give that slight golden hue that most people find acceptable.

photogrl57 Loc: Tennessee

That's exactly what I have done but the iso is at 100. It's a work in progress but I sure understand more than I did on that gloomy day

Rich Loc: Titusville, Fl

I have the same problem and I agree that it seems that the exposures in your photos were a problem. I have a canon xti and I can bracket my photos. I put them on a tripod, bracket the photos (2 stops either side of what I think it should be) and then use a remote to shoot. I may retake the photos changing the WB or other settings but I still bracket the photos. Now if I can put together the data that I collected and learn from it, I, too, can become a better photographer. Some newer camera have a HDR setting that will bracket you photos.

tkhphotography Loc: Gresham, Or, not Seattle

[/quote]

I have the same problem and I agree that it seems that the exposures in your photos were a problem. I have a canon xti and I can bracket my photos. I put them on a tripod, bracket the photos (2 stops either side of what I think it should be) and then use a remote to shoot. I may retake the photos changing the WB or other settings but I still bracket the photos. Now if I can put together the data that I collected and learn from it, I, too, can become a better photographer. Some newer camera have a HDR setting that will bracket you photos.[/quote]

You sound as if you have a good workflow figured out to get the exposure you want; I would just like to remind you that if you shoot in raw, there is a lot of latitude not only concerning WB and exposure but other issues as well.