You know how there’s a hundred (or more) different whites in a paint store? That’s how I feel about working with whites in images! When I’m working on a session, I usually aim for a neutral white…which means what, exactly?! Well, to me, it means a white that is SLIGHTLY on the warm side, with minimal to no blue tones.
So I guess I aim for a warm white. Not a neutral one. LOL.
How do I achieve this? First, I try to set my white balance accurately. But if you’ve read any of my previous Before+After posts, you’ll know that I sometimes forget or my lights will occasionally shift temperature. Second, I’ll use my white balance tool in Adobe Lightroom (also available in Adobe Camera Raw and many other RAW processing programs). I will click on an area of the image that is supposed to be white, like a shirt or a blanket, and it will adjust the white (and the rest of the image) to be closer to a neutral white. From there, I’ll adjust a little further until the final temperature is where I like it.
What about you? How do you like your whites? Cool and slightly blue? Warm? Totally neutral if possible? Do you like working with whites at all?
Jessica Nip Photography specializes providing a full service experience that starts with booking your session through to the beautiful tangible heirloom products being displayed in your home. Her style of soft, natural and light-filled imagery can be seen in all her maternity, newborn, child and family portraits in Toronto, Canada. Her favourite images are highlighted on the blog, but if you’d like to see what a full gallery looks like, please send her a note and she’d be happy to show you!
To inquire about a session, please click here or email Jessica at info@jessicanip.com.
