White Balance
Understanding White Balance in Digital
Photography
Photography
White balance (WB) is considered as one of the most
important settings of a digital camera. Let’s consider a
scenario where you want to capture the beauty of sea
waves hitting the shore with an overcast sky at the
background. Sounds interesting? Well, if you don’t use
the correct white balance setting of your digital camera,
you may get a picture with colors different from the actual
ones. Therefore, in order to produce a beautifully exposed
image with true to life colors, you must learn to effectively
use the white balance setting of your digital camera.
important settings of a digital camera. Let’s consider a
scenario where you want to capture the beauty of sea
waves hitting the shore with an overcast sky at the
background. Sounds interesting? Well, if you don’t use
the correct white balance setting of your digital camera,
you may get a picture with colors different from the actual
ones. Therefore, in order to produce a beautifully exposed
image with true to life colors, you must learn to effectively
use the white balance setting of your digital camera.
1
Color Temperature
To understand the concept of White Balance, you need to first
understand the concept of color temperature. Color
temperature is a characteristic of visible light. It provides a
method of describing these characteristics and is measured
in Kelvin (K). A light having higher color temperature will
have more blue light or larger Kelvin value as compared to
lower light, which has a smaller Kelvin value. The following
table shows the color temperature of various sources of light.
understand the concept of color temperature. Color
temperature is a characteristic of visible light. It provides a
method of describing these characteristics and is measured
in Kelvin (K). A light having higher color temperature will
have more blue light or larger Kelvin value as compared to
lower light, which has a smaller Kelvin value. The following
table shows the color temperature of various sources of light.
2
The Light Affect the Color
You must have noticed some photos turn out with an orange/yellow
cast if shot under tungsten lighting or a bluish cast if shot under
fluorescent lights.This occurs because each source of light possesses
a different color temperature. A digital camera can measure the colors
in the red, green, andblue light of the spectrum, as reflected to its
sensors. In a photo taken under the midday sun there is the whole
spectrum of light (which makes up “white”sunlight). Under these
conditions, the colors in an image appear nearest to the “true” colors.
An image taken under tungsten bulb (a normal household
incandescent bulb) without adjusting the digital camera for white
balanceproduces the dull orange shade as it spreads the biased light.
Similarly, an image taken under the fluorescent lighting produces a
brighter bluish cast. However, it is possible to shift the color in the
desirable direction, provided you have a good understanding of
your digital camera and its settings.
cast if shot under tungsten lighting or a bluish cast if shot under
fluorescent lights.This occurs because each source of light possesses
a different color temperature. A digital camera can measure the colors
in the red, green, andblue light of the spectrum, as reflected to its
sensors. In a photo taken under the midday sun there is the whole
spectrum of light (which makes up “white”sunlight). Under these
conditions, the colors in an image appear nearest to the “true” colors.
An image taken under tungsten bulb (a normal household
incandescent bulb) without adjusting the digital camera for white
balanceproduces the dull orange shade as it spreads the biased light.
Similarly, an image taken under the fluorescent lighting produces a
brighter bluish cast. However, it is possible to shift the color in the
desirable direction, provided you have a good understanding of
your digital camera and its settings.
3
Adjust the White Balance
Since different sources of light have different color hues, a picture
taken witha normal white balance under artificial lighting conditions
transmits the lowheat to the camera’s sensor. This light touches the
red bits of the spectrum,which results into dull yellow or orange
shades in the picture. Though the human eyes can automatically
adjust to different lights and color temperatures to sense right color,
a camera needs to be adjusted to different lights for accurate color
reproduction. By adjusting the white balance setting of your
digital camera, you can alter the required light or temperature to
produce the most accurate colors in a digital image.
taken witha normal white balance under artificial lighting conditions
transmits the lowheat to the camera’s sensor. This light touches the
red bits of the spectrum,which results into dull yellow or orange
shades in the picture. Though the human eyes can automatically
adjust to different lights and color temperatures to sense right color,
a camera needs to be adjusted to different lights for accurate color
reproduction. By adjusting the white balance setting of your
digital camera, you can alter the required light or temperature to
produce the most accurate colors in a digital image.
4
Preset White Balance Settings
Auto – The Auto setting helps in adjusting the white balance
automatically according to the different lighting conditions, but
you can try other modes to get better results.
automatically according to the different lighting conditions, but
you can try other modes to get better results.
Tungsten – This mode is used for light under a little bulb like
tungsten, and it is often used while shooting indoors. The
tungsten setting of the digital camera cools down the color
temperature in photos.
tungsten, and it is often used while shooting indoors. The
tungsten setting of the digital camera cools down the color
temperature in photos.
Fluorescent – This mode is used for getting brighter and
warmer shots while compensating for cool shade of fluorescent
light.
warmer shots while compensating for cool shade of fluorescent
light.
Daylight – This mode is for the normal day light setting, while
shooting outdoors. Many cameras do not have the Daylight
mode.
shooting outdoors. Many cameras do not have the Daylight
mode.
Cloudy – This mode is ideal for while shooting on a cloudy
day. This is because it warms up the subject and surroundings
and allows you to capture better shots.
day. This is because it warms up the subject and surroundings
and allows you to capture better shots.
Flash – The flash mode is required when there is inadequate
lighting available. This mode helps pick the right White Balance
under low light conditions.
lighting available. This mode helps pick the right White Balance
under low light conditions.
Shade – A shaded location generally produces cooler or bluer
pictures,hence you need to warm up the surroundings while
shooting shaded objects.
pictures,hence you need to warm up the surroundings while
shooting shaded objects.
5
Manual White Balance
You can also adjust your digital camera manually by setting a
white object as the reference point. This is done to guide the
camera how white the object would look in a particular shot.
It is advisable to manually adjust the white balance when taking
a picture to compensate for the changing lighting conditions. As
the daylight changes during early morning and late evening
hours, the varied light intensity is easily perceived by the camera.
Therefore, you need to correct the white balance regularly while
shooting during these times of the day. To manually set the white
balance in your image, you first point your camera at a pure white
object, set the exposure and focus. Now,activate the white
balance on the object by pressing the button. It may take few
seconds for the camera to perceive the shot, but it will this color
settinguntil the next white balance is performed.
white object as the reference point. This is done to guide the
camera how white the object would look in a particular shot.
It is advisable to manually adjust the white balance when taking
a picture to compensate for the changing lighting conditions. As
the daylight changes during early morning and late evening
hours, the varied light intensity is easily perceived by the camera.
Therefore, you need to correct the white balance regularly while
shooting during these times of the day. To manually set the white
balance in your image, you first point your camera at a pure white
object, set the exposure and focus. Now,activate the white
balance on the object by pressing the button. It may take few
seconds for the camera to perceive the shot, but it will this color
settinguntil the next white balance is performed.
C
Conclusion
Some people consider it amateurish to use pre determined settings,
when in fact there may be times when we are in a rush and cannot
adjust everything manually. Also remember that using these modes
will teach you about photography and ideal settings for different
conditions. If in doubt, you can use Auto mode, then adjust the
settings manually. Auto settings are there to be used so try them
all, and become familiar with what each one does.
sumber by: Exposure Guide
when in fact there may be times when we are in a rush and cannot
adjust everything manually. Also remember that using these modes
will teach you about photography and ideal settings for different
conditions. If in doubt, you can use Auto mode, then adjust the
settings manually. Auto settings are there to be used so try them
all, and become familiar with what each one does.
sumber by: Exposure Guide
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