Scott,

Thanks.  I did perform a white balance using the gray card for this shot, but wasn't sure the colour was right so I put in the gray card so I could correct further when I got home.  The problem I have found with Elements 5 is that sure I can adjust the current  phot that I have placed the gray card in but how can I save those settings so that I can use them in the other photo.  When going in to adjust the levels Elements 5 doesn't give you the option of saving the correction as I am told that CS2 or 3 will allow you to do.  I am looking for a work around for my dilemia for future reference.

I have two problems 1/ I can only shoot in JPEG ans 2/ I don't have CS2 or CS3.  I wish I had the luxury of shooting Camera Raw but at this point in time it is not an option.

Steve

Steve: If you are using a digital camera some camera mfg. recommend that you use the middle gray card to perform a custom white balance first in the camera.

1. As you have done put the gray card in the photo. 2. Adjust the lens to FILL THE VIEW.It is recommended the gray card should be 8-10 inches in front of the lens and then zoom in or out until the card fills the frame. Then according to your camera manual select custom white balance in the menu, and colour balance the camera.

After performing this custom white balance procedure, shoot as many shots of your subject as you need, under the SAME lighting conditions. Then upload all the photographs into your software and then open the original reference image.

Use the marquee tool to "select" a portion of the middle gray section of the gray card to balance the colour in Photoshop. This balance then can be applied to all other shots from that subject. If lighting changes you need to return to setting a new white balance in the camera.

 As I have read recently most "pro" photographers are not doing this custom balance any longer since they are shooting in Raw. Since they can choose the white balance after the fact either in Photoshop's Camera Raw or in the camera model's raw processing software that comes with the camera. Another big advantage of shooting in Raw format.

 Hope this helps!

Scott Gregory 

In the following picture I set my white balance using a grey card, but clicked the shutter with the grey card in the picture so that I could adjust it further if required.

In order to adjust this picture I have made a new adjustment layer and picked my grey card as the grey point.  Is this the correct process or is there more that I need to do?  How would I be able to use that information to adjust the second picture without the grey card in it?  I am using Elements 5.

Thanks, Steve