How can I match white balance across multiple JPEGs in darktable?
Asked 8/31/2016
3 views
2 answers
0
I have several JPEG photos of the same scene, and the white walls look different in each image. I know I can copy and paste white balance settings, but the starting color cast is different in every photo, so one setting does not fix them all. In darktable, is there a good way to make the wall color more consistent across the set, ideally using an automatic or semi-automatic method?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
2
Since you're editing JPEG files, you'll need to correct the white balance for each individually. This is because JPEGs are a product of the (apparently varying) camera-selected white balance, instead of just having it included as information as with a RAW file (which can simply be discarded when applying the same WB to a batch of images).
You can select "spot" in the preset list of the darktable white balance module to do this automatically. You may want to adjust the sampled area (by default almost the whole image) to include only an area that should actually be white in each picture. You may want to increase the exposure slightly after doing this, since a decrease in exposure in any RGB channel doesn't usually look good with JPEGs (they don't have the extra information in bright areas that RAW files do).
Originally by user37649. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user37649
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
With JPEGs, you usually need to correct white balance on each photo individually. Unlike RAW files, JPEGs already have the camera’s white balance baked into the image, so copying one WB setting to all images often won’t give consistent results.
In darktable, a practical approach is to use the white balance module’s spot preset/tool on each image. Sample an area of the wall that should be neutral white or gray, and make sure the sampled region only covers that neutral area rather than most of the frame. This can give you an automatic per-image correction while still matching the set more closely.
Because JPEGs have less editing latitude than RAW, channel reductions can look worse, especially in bright areas. After correcting white balance, you may need a small exposure adjustment to keep the result looking natural.
So: for JPEGs, use spot white balance per image rather than trying to batch-apply a single WB setting to the whole group.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI9y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
How can I batch-correct white balance across many JPEGs shot under changing light?
Why do RAW timelapse frames show different colors in Darktable with the same edit history?
How can I keep white balance consistent when photographing products of different colors?
How can we improve color accuracy when photographing rugs for online sales?
How can I correct the orange mask when scanning color negative film in software?