If you have owned a digital camera for any length of time you have no doubt noticed that with nearly every photograph you need to adjust the white balance. This is even more common for indoor shots or shots where you have mixed lighting types.

There are many ways to go about this, but perhaps the quickest and easies way is to use a gray or white card or my personal favorite a color checker card. Of course you don't want to carry around something large, something that is going to be a pain to bring with you so you ultimately don't. You want something small and easy to take with you so that you can use it. You also want something that is easy to use.

I personally like the Munsell Mini ColorCheck from x-rite Product Shot. This small Munsell Color color checker measures a whopping 3-1/4 inches long and 2-1/4 inches wide. It comes with a small plastic carry pouch to help keep it clean and safe.

The reason I like this type of card is because it can help with more than just white balance. It can help with color balance as well as exposure adjustments. Because it has black, white, grays and colors it makes it very easy to use it to adjust your images. For example for white balance you can sample the white square or the mid-level gray square. For exposure you can set the black and white points using the black and white point squares. For color correction you can use the various color squares of which there are squares for such things as dark skin color, light skin color, blue sky, foliage, blue flower and more.

Also, included in the package is a small pamphlet that provides you with information on things to do before using the ColorChecker, tips for using the chart as well as a list of things to check that would indicate a color balance issue. For example check patch numbers 6 and 11. If there is a problem in the blues or the yellows those two patches will reverse.

Also, included in this little pamphlet is a chart of all of the colors on the ColorChecker and what their RGB and L*a*b* color numbers are. Using for example the RGB numbers for the yellow take your image with the Color Checker in it and adjust it so that that yellow on the ColorChecker in the image has the same RGB values. This brings up one last issue. How do you use this card?

Using the card is easy. Just place the card somewhere in the scene you are going to photograph and take a picture. Now remove the card and shoot away. As long as the lighting doesn't change or in the case of a different scene altogether you have what you need to adjust your images. If the lighting or scene changes simply take another picture of the ColorChecker in the scene. Once you are back at the computer you use the ColorChecker picture to adjust your image and then synchronize it to the rest of the images that match that lighting or scene.

For programs like Adobe Camera RAW or Adobe Photoshop Lightroom synchronizing the adjustments to other images is very easy. In the case of something like Adobe Photoshop or Adobe Photoshop Elements you simply make your adjustments using the tools you want and then save the adjustments as presets. For example if you used Levels to make your adjusts of white balance and exposure save that adjustment inside of the levels dialog box so that on the next image you simply have to load the settings. It is a little more work, but you could create an action and then batch adjust your images.

Just remember that if the scene or in the case of something like studio shoot the lighting changes you will need to shoot another shot of the ColorChecker so that you can adjust for the new scene white balance, exposure, etc.

If you happen to have an advanced camera you can use the ColorChecker to set a custom white balance right in the camera. Most advanced cameras will let you shoot a picture and use that picture to set the white balance. This can be a little tricky with the ColorChecker, but if you shoot with the white square centered in the frame it can work. In fact I have had good luck doing it this way.