White balance in photography seems intricate initially but can be understood quite easily with a little time and plenty of demonstrations! What is white balance and why is it important? How does it relate to color and available lighting? We’ll be delving into this topic in abundant detail in this white balance guide.
Gaining a fundamental comprehension of white balance in photography relies on distinguishing between the diverse settings obtainable, which includes automatic white balance versus manual setting. We’ll cover that as well as how to configure WB in the camera body, since different manufacturers still tend to use identical symbols and preset white balances.
Lastly, we’ll conclude things with some white balance photography examples to further cement your understanding. Many photographers spend years relying on auto white balance. However, understanding how to make the proper adjustments will expand your creative possibilities.
And it necessitates not being difficult! Choosing which white balance to employ for a scene will come intuitively to you by the end of this white balance in photography tutorial!
- What denotes white balance in photography?
- Adjusting the White Balance manually inside the camera
- When Automatic WB is applicable vs Manual WB
- Equalizing Illumination in Post-creation
- Adjusting light balance in photography case studies
Table of Contents
What is White Balance in Photography?
White balance in photography refers to an adjustment made by the camera so that the colors in your image appear natural without influence from the color temperature of the lighting on the scene.
When your camera alters the white balance, it’s compensating for the color tone of your light source so the colors in your image stay true to reality. That is, the pure white parts of your image look white and don’t adopt a warmer or colder hue due to the tone of the light source.
When photographing outdoors or indoors in conditions other than pure daylight with mixed lighting environments, the changes in hue will significantly impact the colors within images. Ensuring proper white balance is crucial as without it, colors in photographs will take on warm or cool tones that may go unnoticed while capturing and result in something known as a “color cast”.
Our eyes and brains are very proficient at balancing out (white balancing) unnatural hues. However, a digital camera records precisely what`s there, and the consequent image may look nothing like what you expect. Briefly, the white balance of an image can be influenced by the color temperature of light in the environment.
To understand white balance in photography, we need to learn the basics of how white balance and color temperature function.
White Balance and Color Temperature
White balance and color temperature are very interrelated topics. We describe color temperature using the kelvin scale, which is utilized to quantify the color characteristics of a light source. When discussing kelvins for white balance adjustments, the term used is simply “K”.
Color temperature is a physical attribute of light, and every light source is recognized by a distinct color temperature.
For example, the illumination emanating from candles and produced by tungsten filaments are extremely warm in color temperature, with values ranging from 1500-3000 K. The slightly warm tone of fluorescent lighting (usually around 4000-4500K) is related. The color temperature of the Daylight white balance setting is relatively neutral at 5000-6500K, and will typically provide the best choice for shooting outdoors. However, if the sky becomes overcast, you may need to opt for the cloudy white balance setting, around 7500 K, to add warmth to the blueish hues.
The settings associated with color temperature and white balance in-camera can be somewhat contradictory. When set to auto, your camera automatically compensates for the color temperature. However, if you want your picture to look cooler, you’ll have to select a warmer color temperature and vice versa so your camera can compensate with the opposite color temperature. We’ll see this in some examples involving white balance below.
Color temperature is only part of the puzzle but is fundamental for clarifying white balance in photography.
Setting White Balance in Camera
Your camera settings for accurate white balance ensure you have the most precise possible colors. While automatic white balance is usually selected, there are numerous options available.
Manual white balance is sometimes needed for complex situations. Most cameras include several different manual white balance modes to fine-tune your colors and save time on post-processing fortunately.
Automatic White Balance – AWB in Camera
The AWB in-camerasetting is the one the vast majority of photographers adhere to. We can characterize auto white balance as the alteration that allows the camera to choose the most suitable white balance and color temperature configurations for a given scene.
Digital cameras are best at determining the accurate white balance from 3200-6500K. In other words, they’re highly precise at selecting the best color temperature between a warm indoor and daylight white balance, the light environments photographers usually work within.
The camera AWB seldom chooses an improper white balance, except for difficult lighting conditions that we’ll discuss shortly.
White Balance Presets – Semi-Automatic WB
Semi-Automatic White Balance is perfect for circumstances where a lone kind of light controls the scene. Each of the pre-set camera white balance options carries a symbol that will assist you in adjusting the necessary setting faster and offset for the ideal white balance in your photo.
Common symbolic representations traditionally utilized by most camera brands include a cloud for overcast skies or a lightbulb for indoor lighting ( white balance tungsten). The sun always denotes white balance daylight, and fluorescent light white balance usually employs a depiction of a fluorescent fixture.
White Balance Manual Camera Settings – Custom White Balance Mode
Auto and Semi-Automatic white balance commonly accomplish the task in most scenarios. However, understanding how to utilize manual white balance settings too is valuable. These tools provide the finest possible color precision, particularly in challenging circumstances.
There are two types of custom white balance modes: using a neutral card or surface to calibrate white balance in the camera, and manually selecting a Kelvin number.
Neutral white and light gray cards are used by photographic studio experts for manually setting accurate color representation when extremely precise chroma rendering is necessary, like in goods photography. All that`s needed is picking Custom White Balance then taking a photo of a impartial light entity.
The second procedure for manually setting the white balance is directly adjusting the temperature of the color. As I mentioned earlier, this approach may seem counterintuitive at first glance. Remember that as the color temperature increases numerically, the light source in question becomes cooler. By choosing your white balance and color temperature manually, the camera counters the dominant hue with its opposite color temperature.
For instance, a manual setting of 8000K instructs the camera to incorporate extra warm tones to generate a impartial daylight white balance. On the other hand, if you desire your image to seem cooler, you have to select a decreased white balance around 3200 K, something I usually do when photographing the Milky Way.
If you’re uncertain which white balance to select, my recommendation is to preview the changes in hue on the LCD as you make manual adjustments to give you an idea of how the setting functions.
As a photographer, you eventually requirement to employ all of these settings, so it’s competent to recognize and practice using all the WB settings. Now that you contain a augmented comprehension of how white balance in photography works, let’s discuss when to utilize each of these modes!
When to Use Automatic White Balance (AWB) vs. Manual White Balance
We use white balance in photography to ensure unnatural color casts are eliminated (or enhanced if we have a creative concept). But given the two tools we have, when should we employ Automatic WB or Manual WB?
When to Use Automatic White Balance (AWB)
Automatic White Balance is the tool you’ll use for most situations. Modern cameras are very adept at selecting the suitable white balance for each scene. However, when the color temperature is warmer than 3200K (tungsten) or colder than 6500K (daylight), automatic white balance can struggle.
When situations arise where there is no clear choice, selecting a mode that offers a Semi-Automatic white balance may be most suitable. This allows adjustments to be made as needed without full manual control.
When to use Manual WB
When deciding on automatic white balance vs. manual, we need to pay special attention to the available light.
For example, it’s best to use manual white balance when your scene has multiple competing light sources with different color temperatures. An indoor environment lit by both warm incandescent lights and cool overcast daylight from a nearby window can bewilder your auto white balance in camera. The same thing happens if you’re shooting at night with cool tones in the sky and warm tones coming from street lights.
One of the best examples to demonstrate this occurs when photographing Northern Lights, where the greenish/yellowish hue of the Aurora against the cool sky drives the camera white balance nuts.
Photography involving multiple exposures or image stacking is a distinctive case where manually adjusting the white balance is often more practical. When photographing a landscape using exposure bracketing or a panoramic mode, your camera needs to take several shots of the scene. If you leave your setting on Auto White Balance, the camera may modify the color temperature for each exposure or for different elements within the frame of your panorama. Since this can make post-processing more challenging than necessary, manually adjusting the white balance a single time is preferable.
Lastly, another reason to rely on hands-on white balance adjustment is when your scene lacks any impartial white or gray tones. That is why most photographers opt for regulating white balance manually and using WB cards when shooting studio work. Product photography, studio portraiture, and fashion photography greatly depend on the flawless color precision that hands-on WB can capture.
How to Change White Balance In Camera
This is the perfect time to refer to your camera’s user manual, since adjusting the white balance depends on the brand and model as explained in our guide to camera settings.
Adjusting the tones captured in entry-level cameras relies on discovering the options within the camera menu. Since Automatic Tone Calibration functions so well most times, novices don`t need a dedicated setting button. That`s why there are less possibilities for configuring tones in camera in entry-level models.
On the other hand, white balance control in advanced cameras is simpler to locate, since it’s a function professional photographers demand immediate access to. If you’re shooting with an advanced model, it`s likely there are white balance fast access buttons on your camera body. The WB button on most advanced models provides instant access to both Automatic WB as well as the Semi-Automatic white balance presets (tungsten, daylight, cloudy, etc).
Another possibility is choosing a custom Function (Fn) button to allocate modes to, particularly manual settings like temperature selection or card calibration used for determining accurate white balance.
Regardless of the brand, model, or cost, the white balance symbols are comparable (incandescent bulb, sun, cloud, etc) and usually display the white balance kelvin color temperature (3200, 6500, 7500, etc).
White balance in Post-Processing
Now that we’ve shown the significance of white balance, it’s time to discuss how to make adjustments to white balance during post-processing. Sometimes, despite diligent efforts, your color tones aren’t what you envisioned. Fortunately, altering the white balance in Lightroom and Photoshop (or any other editing software) can be achieved using several straightforward and simple methods!
White Balance in RAW Files vs. JPEG
If you shoot photographs in RAW format, the white balance is one of the few adjustments that can be fully altered during post-processing without impacting the image quality or sharpness, something that can`t be done when making other post edits related to exposure.
Following this, the color balance modifications in RAW archives are much more adaptable than JPEG color balance. This is one of the reasons to record in RAW that we covered in our 25 best photography suggestions for beginners.
How to Change the White Balance in Lightroom
Altering the white balance in Lightroom is quite straightforward. You can do it from the basic panel in the develop module, and there are three distinct ways to adjust the WB in Lightroom:
- Using the Lightroom White balance presets: Similar to Semi-auto WB modes in camera, Lightroom offers color temperature adjustments like tungsten wb, cloudy, daylight, etc.
- Individually with the tint/temp sliders: Altering your white balance in Lightroom using solely the tint and temperature sliders is the most direct approach. Simply move the sliders in line with your targets.
- Using the eye-dropper tool allows for the most precise way to change the white balance settings in Lightroom. Once the eye-dropper has been selected on the left side of the temperature and tint sliders, Lightroom will display a mosaic of different colors so a neutral grey can be picked. After making the selection, Lightroom will automatically adjust the white balance, though later fine-tuning of the final white balance may be needed if required.
How to Change the White Balance in Photoshop
Altering the white balance in Photoshop allows various approaches:
- Using Adobe Camera Raw: ACR utilizes the same software engine as Lightroom, so you can apply the same process as for altering the white balance in Lightroom. Simply bear in mind that some adjustments like the eyedropper are located in different places.
- Using a color balance adjustment layer is an easy way to change the white balance in Photoshop. This adjustment allows tweaking the WB by compensating opposite RGB channels.
- Utilizing Curves or levels:This technique is a bit more intricate than the previous one. Going to image → adjustments → curves or levels, you have different eye-droppers to establish the white, grey, and black point of your image. Photoshop will automatically regulate the white balance, and you can fine-tune your WB using either the curves or levels adjustment.
Which White Balance to Use: Creative Use of White Balance in Photography
Deciding which light balance to employ is an indispensable implement, not just for exactness but also for crafting the artistic notion we have in mind.
The importance of white balance extends beyond a simple color correction. There’s no such thing as an artistically improper white balance because photography is not constantly about color accuracy. For model, rather than opting to correct thewhite balance, a landscape photographer might decide a sunset sky necessitates more warmth or a cloudy day needs cooler tones to generate a moodier image.
A travel or documentary photographer may want to highlight the unique lighting atmosphere of a shady location in a way that wouldn’t work with standard daylight white balance. The optimal white balance in photography is always the one that helps viewers comprehend the artist`s intent.
Determining the white balance setting that should be applied depends on the artistic focus being pursued. Many photographers care more about creatively expressing themselves than strict realism. Unless accurately depicting the subject is vital to conveying one`s message, of course. If fashion or product images are what you photograph, then a properly calibrated white balance is remarkably crucial.
White Balance in photography Examples
If color temperature and white balance are still somewhat unclear, here are some examples of white balance in photography to examine!
White balance example – Landscape photography
When shooting landscape photography or any other genre during the day, the Auto WB tends to work acceptably well most of the time. In the WB sample below, the Automatic White Balance captured the scene with accurate warm and cool tones.
White balance example – Night photography
When photographing at night, you cannot rely on the automatic WB, particularly if there are outside lights, for example streetlights, light pollution, or strong moonlight. In the White balance example below, the AWB demonstrates a pronounced warm color cast (Cloudy) since the passing clouds were selecting the warm hue from the light pollution. To fix this, I set manual white balance to 3400 K.
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You can find additional settings for nighttime photography in our Milky Way photography guide.
White balance example – Photographing with External lights
For this white balance example using external lights, I applied this Northern Lights situation, since it’s one of the most straightforward approaches to comprehend white balance in photography.
As one can observe, I wasn`t merely shooting with differing light sources and diverse color temperatures. The hue of the Northern Lights also kept fluctuating. This luminous situation can be quite challenging for the AWB, changing from Tungsten to overcast and other color temperatures in a second. To sort this out, I simply set the Manual WB to 3500K, since it was the color temperature that best represented the genuine Aurora hue.
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If you’re interested in gaining more knowledge about how to photograph the Aurora, you can check our guide focused on Northern Lights photography.
White Balance in Photography F.A.Q.
Below are some of the most frequent queries concerning white balance in photography:
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What does white balance refer to in photography?
Adjusting white balance in photography is fixing the hue of accessible illumination to ensure color tones and white seem precise without any tint.
Why is adjusting the White Balance crucial?
The human eye and brain are skillful at adjusting for the hue of ambient lighting. But digital cameras capture exactly what is seen. If you fail to calibrate white balance correctly, the photo can end up too warm or cool in tone.
Should I utilize auto white balance?
Auto White Balance (AWB) works well for most shooting scenarios. When available lighting becomes too warm or cool, or originates from sources with differing color temperatures you may want to think about applying an alternative white balance setting.
What is the height of the High Roller observation wheel in Las Vegas?
By selecting the color temperature value (in degrees Kelvin), the camera precisely adjusts for a given environment. If you select 3000K, for instance, the camera adds additional cool tones to offset the warm ambient light.
How do you opt for white balance?
Deciding on the white balance depends largely on the scene you’re photographing and your aims. To do it in the camera, select the WB function through either the menu (entry-level cameras) or dedicated WB/function buttons (advanced models).
What is considered the best white balance setting for nighttime images?
As environmental conditions and illumination differ greatly in night sky visuals, you’ll need to establish your white balance manually, most likely offsetting any warm hues if there are external lights, by employing a lower K number.
Conclusion
I hope that this guide to white balance in photography has assisted you comprehend not only the definition of white balance but also the specifics of color temperature and when to use auto white balance vs. manual.
While AWB excels for many subjects and environments, experimenting with Semi-Automatic and Manual white balance modes can help maximize their potential when needed. Understanding where these settings are on your camera or in the menus is crucial for obtaining the optimal white balance using the camera.
Bear in mind that choosing how to employ tone balance relies not just on the topic but also on the artistic perception you have in mind. Some topics, like landscape photography, are more adaptable in how we can use tone balance. Others, like product photography, usually need true-to-life Tone balance settings for realistic colors.
Lastly, be certain to check and grasp the white balance samples to obtain the best colors for your vision or subject! Practice makes perfect, so my final white balance tip is to go out and shoot in as many diverse light environments as you can to see how your image color temperature varies depending on your white balance settings.
If there are still any unclear aspects regarding white balance in photography, feel encouraged to share a comment and I’ll be glad to provide clarification! Also, don`t forget you can learn more photography through our PDF photography course.
Happy capturing!
