Photography for Beginners: Pt 7: White Balance & getting the Perfect Colors for your Photos
- Blue Jay
- Oct 23, 2023
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 8, 2023
In the last post, we talked about the exposure triangle and how important it is to get the perfect exposure level in your photos. Now let's talk about white balance. When it comes to photography, achieving accurate and vibrant colors can make or break your images. One of the essential tools in your photographic arsenal for achieving this is "white balance." In this guide, we'll delve into everything you need to know about white balance, including how it affects your photos, why it's crucial, and how to master it.
Sections: Understanding White Balance, Why White Balance Matters, Tools for Adjusting White Balance, How to Adjust White Balance, Creative White Balance
Understanding White Balance
White balance is like a magic wand for photographers, helping you capture lifelike colors under different lighting conditions. It's all about getting the colors in your photos to look as they do in real life. But how does it work?
The Color Temperature Scale:
Picture a spectrum of light temperatures, ranging from warm, reddish hues to cooler, bluish tones. This is the color temperature scale, measured in Kelvins (K). For instance, a cozy indoor setting might have a low temperature of around 2000K, resulting in warm, yellowish light, while midday sunlight can reach 5500-6500K, giving off a cooler, bluish light.
Yes you read that correctly- Higher Kelvins produce a "cooler" looking light. Lower Kelvins produce a "warmer" light.
Why White Balance Matters
White balance matters because it ensures your images faithfully represent the colors you see with your own eyes. An accurate white balance creates harmony and realism, while incorrect settings can distort colors, making them appear too warm (orange) or too cool (blue).
Tools for Adjusting White Balance
Auto White Balance (AWB): Your camera's AWB mode automatically adjusts white balance based on the lighting conditions. It's a great starting point but not always perfect.
Presets: Cameras offer preset white balance options like Daylight, Tungsten, and Cloudy, which are handy for quick adjustments.
What each preset is for:
Daylight: For outdoor shots under natural daylight.
Cloudy or Shade: Used when shooting in overcast or shaded conditions.
Incandescent or Tungsten: For indoor shots with tungsten lighting (common in homes, artificial light is usually a "warm" reddish color)
Fluorescent: Suitable for indoor shots under fluorescent (bright white) lighting.
Custom White Balance: For ultimate accuracy, you can set a custom white balance by photographing a white or neutral gray reference card under the same lighting conditions as your subject.
Kelvin Setting: More advanced cameras allow precise white balance adjustments using the Kelvin temperature scale.
Post-Processing: You can fine-tune white balance during post-processing using software like Lightroom.
How to Adjust White Balance
Smartphones: Open the camera app on your smartphone. Depending on your smartphone's make and model, you may have a dedicated white balance setting or an auto mode that adjusts it automatically. If there's a dedicated white balance setting, you can typically access it by tapping an icon or going into the camera settings. In the white balance menu, you'll often find presets like "Daylight," "Cloudy," "Incandescent," and "Fluorescent." Select the one that matches the lighting conditions, or use the auto white balance option.
Point and Shoots: Look for a "WB" or "White Balance" button or option on your camera. It might be labeled as such, or it may have icons representing different lighting conditions. Choose the appropriate white balance preset for your current lighting conditions or use the custom white balance option if available. Follow the camera's instructions to set the white balance.
DSLR and Mirrorless: Depending on the model, you may have a dedicated WB button or a WB setting in the camera menu. Access the white balance menu and select the desired white balance preset or use the custom white balance option. For custom white balance, you'll typically need to take a reference photo of a neutral gray or white surface (like a white sheet of paper) under the same lighting conditions as your subject. Follow the camera's instructions to set the custom white balance using the reference photo.
Creative White Balance
Don't be afraid to get creative! Experimenting with white balance can yield artistic effects. For instance, using a tungsten white balance in daylight conditions can give photos a cool, blue cast.
Examples of creative lighting in photos to convey certain emotions:
 |  |
By learning the basics of white balance, you'll unlock the potential to create stunning photos that accurately reflect the colors and moods of the scenes you capture. So, grab your camera and explore different lighting scenarios!
Your Homework
Take the same photo 3 different times, using different lighting settings. Try to take a warm photo, a cool photo, and a neutral photo.
What Lighting Is Your Favorite?
Bright fluorescent
Warm, cozy tones
Blue, chilly tones
Black and white or grayscale
In the final part of this beginner's series, we're going to learn about composition.
Komentarze