White balance, or WB, is a measurement of color correctness in your photographs. When you shoot with a proper white balance, your images will have warmth, life and vivid, accurate color. When white balance is incorrect, colors will appear muted, washed out or distorted.
White balance is based on the concept of “color temperature,” the relative warmth or coolness of the light conditions under which you are shooting. Color temperature is measured in degrees Kelvin (°K) and varies widely depending on the context of your shot.
Understanding color temperature can be a bit confusing at first, because blue, what would typically be called the “coolest” color, actually has the highest color temperature, 8000 °K and up. Orange, red and yellow light, the “warm” colors, have the lowest color temperatures, around 1500 to 3200 °K. Internalizing this principle is the first step toward taking properly balanced photographs.
Different light sources have different color temperatures and cast according colors on the subjects of your photographs. White rose petals will have an orangey cast under the cool light of a tungsten light bulb and a blue cast under the warm light of an overcast sky.
Understanding your light source and adjusting your camera’s white balance ensures that you take accurate, color-correct photographs, capturing images as you see them by compensating for the color temperature.
White balance is based on the concept of “color temperature,” the relative warmth or coolness of the light conditions under which you are shooting. Color temperature is measured in degrees Kelvin (°K) and varies widely depending on the context of your shot.
Understanding color temperature can be a bit confusing at first, because blue, what would typically be called the “coolest” color, actually has the highest color temperature, 8000 °K and up. Orange, red and yellow light, the “warm” colors, have the lowest color temperatures, around 1500 to 3200 °K. Internalizing this principle is the first step toward taking properly balanced photographs.
Different light sources have different color temperatures and cast according colors on the subjects of your photographs. White rose petals will have an orangey cast under the cool light of a tungsten light bulb and a blue cast under the warm light of an overcast sky.
Understanding your light source and adjusting your camera’s white balance ensures that you take accurate, color-correct photographs, capturing images as you see them by compensating for the color temperature.
A properly “white balanced” photograph will have clean, clear whites (and other colors) that perfectly match the subject.
Digital SLRs all have preset, auto and custom white balance settings. Refer to your camera’s instruction manual to learn more about how to change and control them. Presets allow you to set your camera’s white balance for generalized light sources like daylight, fluorescent, tungsten, flash, etc. The auto setting tells the camera to adjust the light setting for you based on its own reading. The custom setting allows you to set the white balance yourself by taking a reference shot. While these settings can be helpful, they have a fundamental flaw. They’re inaccurate and approximate, which leads to frustrating, distorted photographs and extra time spent in post-shot editing programs.
With your camera set to custom white balance and the baLens Lens Cap installed, you will be able to achieve an accurate color temperature reading in seconds. The conventional method of setting a custom white balance involves taking a reading of reflected light from a gray card or white piece of paper. Not only is this cumbersome, but it may still be inaccurate if the card or paper is held at the wrong angle. The baLens Lens Cap allows you to take a reference reading directly from the light source, avoiding the guesswork. Your photos will be clearer and beautiful, with much less need for post-shot color correction.
Digital SLRs all have preset, auto and custom white balance settings. Refer to your camera’s instruction manual to learn more about how to change and control them. Presets allow you to set your camera’s white balance for generalized light sources like daylight, fluorescent, tungsten, flash, etc. The auto setting tells the camera to adjust the light setting for you based on its own reading. The custom setting allows you to set the white balance yourself by taking a reference shot. While these settings can be helpful, they have a fundamental flaw. They’re inaccurate and approximate, which leads to frustrating, distorted photographs and extra time spent in post-shot editing programs.
With your camera set to custom white balance and the baLens Lens Cap installed, you will be able to achieve an accurate color temperature reading in seconds. The conventional method of setting a custom white balance involves taking a reading of reflected light from a gray card or white piece of paper. Not only is this cumbersome, but it may still be inaccurate if the card or paper is held at the wrong angle. The baLens Lens Cap allows you to take a reference reading directly from the light source, avoiding the guesswork. Your photos will be clearer and beautiful, with much less need for post-shot color correction.
