Why do skin tones look too yellow or orange when I use flash?
Asked 8/8/2012
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2 answers
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When I photograph people with flash, their skin often looks more yellow/orange and sometimes shinier, especially on oily skin. This only happens with flash. How can I reduce or fix this? Could the camera’s orange autofocus assist light be causing it?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
3
Its unlikely to be the autofocus light, unless something is broken.
Its probably really white balance. If you shoot raw you can correct it in post-processing fairly easily, which can keep you from having to throw out shots that have good expressions.
You can try using a piece of white cardboard (say an index card) to redirect the flash up onto the ceiling, if its painted white. Do it as an experiment, just to isolate the cause. Of course, if the ceiling is purple, then expect a purple cast to the photos.
Originally by user8620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user8620
14y ago
0
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It’s probably not the autofocus assist light unless something is malfunctioning. More likely causes are flash color and white balance.
Many cameras handle white balance differently when flash is used, often assuming a certain flash color temperature. If the flash output is warmer than expected, skin can shift yellow/orange. A lower-quality flash can also produce less balanced light and odd color rendering.
What to try:
- Shoot RAW so you can correct white balance afterward.
- Test with a custom/manual white balance if your camera supports it with flash.
- Bounce the flash off a white ceiling or use a white card to soften and neutralize the light. Avoid colored ceilings/walls, which can add a color cast.
- If skin looks shiny, softer bounced light can also help reduce that harsh, oily look compared with direct flash.
A simple test is to compare direct flash vs bounced flash under the same conditions. If bounced flash looks better, the issue is likely the harsh direct flash and/or its color rather than the AF assist lamp.
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