need some help taking pics

[Eminem]

I want to take some better pics than I get with my half broken point and shoot Kodak.

I have a Canon 50D with 2 lenses. I am still learning how to use it and want to get some shots in the flower room with lights on. The smallest lens I have is the EFS 18-55 lens.

Is there an automatic setting that will work with all the HPS (14KW) I have running? If not, what adjustments do I need to make? I am not trying to do macros, just a good clear shot of all the plants in the room (18x20).


TIA for any help.

 

[Payaso]

Howdy man, I am using a digital Sony for my pix, and have to adjust the white balance to get nice shots under the HPS lamps...Metal halide comes out mostly ok without adjustment, just a little blue.

I actually use fill flash when doing bud close ups, and have the flash set to it's lowest output setting...seems to make the backgrounds disappear to black which is nice. For overall room shots I do not use flash, just the existing lights... unless I am sneaking into a darkened room and shooting wiht flash only. That's when you can get some great stuff...but do your shoots quick and get out swiftly, you don't want to mess with the plant's light rhythms....!

Happy growing, and shooting...

Try ALL the different settings and pick the best result. Remember which settings got that result for you, and use them consistently.

 

[DoobieDuck]

Eminem.. Payaso has some good advice, I'd like to add there are a lot of different opinions of which is the best way to do this, before capturing your image with the white balance adjustment on your camera, your Canon has these settings, and post processing with Photoshop. I use both, I prefer natural light and when I have to shoot in my grow room I turn off my HPS and shoot with a couple daylight bulbs along with flash. Here is a thread here at IC for adjusting your images after you have captured them, post processing: http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=117744
and this further explains the white balance: http://photocritic.org/white-balance/

Your 50D should get you some great shots and the 18-55 lens should work well too. Happy shooting..looking forward to your images..DD

 

[B. Self Reliant]

One problem with shooting under HPS lights is that some post-processing programs (photoshop, lightroom, aperture) won't let you adjust the White Balance far enough to correct for HPS lights. Owning a great camera will not fix that problem. You can buy photography gels that will tape over your HPS fixtures (www.bhphotovideo.com) and turn the HPS spectrum into a more photo-friendly spectrum, but if you have a 14k grow, it sounds like that may not be all that practical for taking a few shots now and again.

Your best bet is to listen to Doobieduck and turn off the HPS's before you shoot. If you want really killer shots, try using multiple flashes. If you bounce your brightest light (a.k.a. your key light) off the ceiling (if it's white), you should be able to easily mimic the overhead light the grow room usually has. If you bounce another flash off a different wall or the ceiling at a different angle, you should be able to fill in the shadows and get a killer shot.

Good luck! You have the right gear, so a little experimentation is all it should take.