Skip to Content

Newbie Chronicles: White Balance Revisited: Using the Expodisc

Sooooo.

I’ve talked about White Balance before in this post.

I’ve admitted that White Balance has always been my nemesis. But I had figured that I could just fix it in post using Lightroom.  My photos would be nice…but something STILL wasn’t right..

Enter the ExpoDisc

exposdisc

And cue the angels singing.

This thing has become invaluable.  Now that my white balance is right, I find myself spending much less time in post because my photos look great straight out of camera (SOOC)!

This is my SOOC NOT using the ExpoDisc. ( Don’t judge and PLEASE excuse the clutter!)

I used the auto white balance setting on my camera. It’s OK, but it’s a little cool. Notice the blue undertones?

exposdisc auto
(Settings: SS: 1/125 f/2.5 ISO 800)

This is another shot a few seconds later, same settings, using the ExpoDisc .

expodisc
(Settings : SS 1/125 f 2.5 ISO 800)

Yessssss…….

And this is the photo after I have taken it into Lightroom and done a clean edit.

cleanedit2expodisc

What used to take me FOREVER  fiddling with the first photo to make it right and still not being satisfied because I couldn’t figure out what was wrong, now only takes a few clicks to:

  • up exposure just a little because that’s what I like, .
  • add a little vibrance and contrast to pop the colors,
  • take away a little orange on the Saturation slider to fix skin tones for Pookah’s skin, after the color pop.
  • add a little sharpening and
  • export to my hard drive.

In fact, I made my own preset for just this purpose! But more on that in another post….

Soooo, get one folks.

It changed my life.

It can change yours.

This was not a paid review, all the opinions here are my own.  I just love the Expodisc so much that I had to share!

signiture

Holiday Gift Guide for the The Photographer - LaShawn Wiltz

Thursday 21st of November 2013

[…] run don’t walk to get yourself an Expodisc. I love this so much that I reviewed on myself on this post.  It makes getting your images just right in camera the easiest thing ever.  Get […]

Nellie

Thursday 7th of March 2013

Thank you LaShawn, you know I salivate over these newbie chronicles posts!

Um. Pookah...can he get any cuter?!

Okay so I need this expo disc. I am adding it to my wish list. I can totally see the difference. I can't believe I actually understand what you are talking about LOL

LaShawn

Thursday 7th of March 2013

YAY!!!! Get one!!!!!

Nicole P.

Tuesday 5th of March 2013

Pookah is ADORABLE, blue undertones or not :)

Wow, I totally notice the difference though. Do you just slap the disc on and set your camera WB to auto? Hm, I usually set mine in Kelvin and that's challenging to get just right.

LaShawn

Tuesday 5th of March 2013

This is the one quirk that you have to get used to: you stand where your subject is and point the camera in the direction where YOU will be standing. That way, you get the light that is falling on your subject. But even though it sounds complicated, it takes like two seconds. I put on the disc. take the photo, then set the custom white balance to use that photo. My camera doesn't have Kelvin. I would be ALL over that!

LaShawn

Tuesday 5th of March 2013

Yes, I have a T3. I've heard that some people get cooler photos with the expodisc, but I find that I sometimes get warmer photos that I expect. But when I do get a cool photo using the expodisc, it's because I haven't used the correct light for my white balance.

Quiana

Tuesday 5th of March 2013

I'm back and catching up on all my fave blogs! What a big difference - WOW! I need to get back on the photography kick. My DSLR stayed behind cause I was too scared to take it along on the trip, but I think I'll get an ExpoDisc and practice some close-ups on Nia! TFS!

LaShawn

Tuesday 5th of March 2013

Yes get one! I would have HAD to take my camera on the trip! just the idea of the beaches....