Adjusting the white balance of digital photographs is the process in which the color balance is corrected. In other words, it is responsible to make the colors as equal as possible to reality. This is done by removing any color bias resulted from the usage of a certain light source.
An incorrect white balance will result in a yellow or blue cast over the whole colors of the photo. These casts are related to the color temperatures of the available light sources. Incandescent light as well as the sun tend to produce a yellowish image due to their low color temperature, while clouds and fluorescent lights produce a blueish image due to their higher color temperatures.
Such is usually the problem of using automatic white balancing. While it may work well in the outdoors, the results are not as good when you get inside. Even when it works, it usually doesn’t give an optimum color balance. This is because the objects inside a photograph may confuse the guessing algorithm. Like when a photograph is full of blue elements, the automatic white balancer will make the photo more warm, which is not desired.
Obviously, the camera cannot automatically differentiate between different light sources. When using automatic white balance settings, all what the camera does is to guess the correct color balance based on the current one. That’s when preset white balance becomes handy. These preset settings correct the colors based on the color temperature of the specified light source. While automatic white balancing may still be useful, the ability to identify the light source yields better results.
Arranged by increasing color temperature, the most famous preset settings are Tungsten, Fluorescent, Daylight, Clouds, and Shade. Despite the names, these settings are far from giving an optimum color balance too, but still, they can be used to tune it. Preset white balance intended for light sources with hight temperatures can be used to make a photographer warmer. The same goes to the other way around with settings of low temperatures sources making the photos cooler..
Some cameras come with a custom white balance mode in which you point your camera to a neutral colored object (white or gray), and the camera will neutralize the color and calculate the desired balance accordingly. In advanced camera which support RAW formats, the white balance settings can be adjusted later using special software.
White balance can also be used creatively to distort the colors of your images on purpose. Doing so, you will be able to change the mood of your picture instantly. It all depends on your judgment.
Get more info and your free ebook at CanvasPrintsOnline.
Tags: Canvas Prints, Photography, white balance