keep it on the low side at capture, because it is much eas-
ier to increase contrast after the shoot than to reduce it.
Black & White.Some digital cameras offer a black-
and-white shooting mode. Others do not. Most photog-
raphers find the mode convenient, since it allows them
to switch from color to black and white in an instant. Of
course, the conversion is easily done later in Photoshop.
White Balance.White balance is the camera’s ability
to produce correct color when shooting under a variety
of different light sources, including daylight, strobe,
tungsten, fluorescent, and mixed lighting. DSLRs have a
variety of white-balance presets, such as daylight, incan-
descent, and fluorescent. Some have the ability to dial in
specific color temperatures in Kelvin degrees. Most
DSLRs also have a provision for a custom white balance,
which is essential in mixed light conditions, most indoor
available-light situations, and with studio strobes.
Choosing an accurate white-balance setting is partic-
ularly important if you are shooting highest-quality JPEG
files (see pages 24–25 for more on file formats). It is not
as important if shooting in RAW file mode, since RAW
file processors include an extensive set of adjustments for
White Balance.
Color Space.Many DSLRs allow you to shoot in
Adobe RGB 1998 or sRGB color space. There is consid-
erable confusion over which is the “right” choice, as
Adobe RGB 1998 is a wider gamut color space than
sRGB. Photographers reason, “Why shouldn’t I include
the maximum range of color in the image at capture?”
Others reason that sRGB is the color space of inexpensive
point-and-shoot digital cameras and not suitable for pro-
fessional applications.
The answer is clearer after reading excerpts from a
white paper issued by Fujifilm, which recommends the
following:
Stay inside the sRGB color space by capturing
and working in the sRGB gamut. If the photog-
rapher’s camera allows the “tagging” of ICC
profiles [color profiles for devices, including cam-
eras, monitors, and printers] other than sRGB,
we recommend selecting the sRGB option for file
creation. The native color space of many pro-
fessional digital cameras is sRGB, and Fujifilm
recommends the sRGB option as the working
space for file manipulation when using AdobePhotoshop along with a fully calibrated monitor.
End users/photographers who alter the color
space of the original file by using a space other
than sRGB, without being fully ICC-aware, are
actually damaging the files that they submit to
their labs.There is also another school of thought. Many photog-
raphers who work in JPEG format use the Adobe 1998
RGB color space all the time—right up to the point when
files are sent to a printer or out to the lab for printing.
The reasoning is that, since the color gamut is wider with
Adobe 1998 RGB, more control is afforded. Claude
Jodoin is one such photographer who works in Adobe
1998 RGB, preferring to get the maximum amount of
color information in the original file, then edit the fileDIGITAL CONSIDERATIONS 19WALLACE EXPODISC
An accessory that digital pros swear by is the Wallace ExpoDisc
(www.expodisc.com). The ExpoDisc attaches to your lens like a
filter and provides perfect white balance and accurate exposures
whether you are shooting film or digitally. The company also makes
a Pro model that lets you create a warm white balance at capture.
Think of this accessory as a meter for determining accurate white
balance, crucial for digital imaging.The ExpoDisc attaches to your lens like a filter and provides accu-
rate white balance and exposure readings. It works for both film
and digital.