Correcting Color Balance in a Photo: Tips and Techniques
*This is a collaborative guest post
Color balance plays a key role in creating attractive and realistic photographs. The right color balance can turn a mediocre photo into a masterpiece, conveying the atmosphere of the moment and evoking the right emotions in the viewer. However, it is not always possible to achieve perfect color balance when shooting, especially in difficult lighting conditions. Fortunately, modern editing tools, such as the popular RetouchMe editor https://retouchme.com/service/color-photo-editor-app, offer extensive options for color correction after shooting.
What is white balance and color temperature
White balance is a parameter that indicates the hue or lack thereof in a photograph. You can tell if the white balance is wrong by looking at the blacks, whites, and grays in the photo. They are called neutral. This means they must be “clean”, without any admixture of foreign colors. But if the white balance is off, they can end up with yellow, blue, green or purple hues.
The white balance in the camera depends on its settings and the color of the light with which we are shooting. The color of light is also called color temperature. It is measured in degrees on the Kelvin scale or simply in kelvins.
High color temperature indicates a cool color, low color temperature indicates a warm color. A color with a temperature of 6,000 kelvins and above is already considered cold, and less than 4,700 kelvins is considered warm. For example, the color temperature of a candle is estimated to be approximately 1,000 degrees Kelvin, and an overcast sky is estimated to be 6,500 Kelvin. At the same time, the neutral temperature at which the light is white, daylight, is considered to be the range from 4,700 to 6,000 Kelvin.
That is, if you take a photograph of a person by candlelight, the skin in the photo and everything around it will be mixed with bright yellow. At the same time, in life the model will seem to be a completely normal shade.
How to adjust balance on your camera
White balance in the camera can be adjusted in three ways:
- select one of the automatic modes based on lighting conditions;
- configure “by eye” in manual mode;
- set manually using a neutral gray card or any white object.
Compact cards for adjusting white balance.
White balance modes
The camera itself corrects the frame, adding color based on lighting conditions. For example, at sunset, when the light is warm, the correctly selected mode will add “coldness” to the photo, balancing it. Because of this, the colors in the photo will become neutral, closer to reality.
Types of modes:
The camera itself finds the white color in the frame and tries to rid it of the stray tint. Works best in the color temperature range of 3,000 to 7,000 Kelvin.
Some cameras may have two submodes:
If there is no white color in the frame, there is a high probability that the camera will mistake any other light color for white – and then errors in color rendering cannot be avoided.
Suitable for reporting, where there is no time to change for each frame, and shooting conditions change quickly. Convenient and versatile, but be prepared—the footage will have to be edited in post-processing.
Automatic
- priority of external lighting. Maintains a yellowish tint to the lighting to convey a cozy atmosphere and the color of the light source;
- white priority. Completely removes the warm tint, bringing white to the standard.
Balance settings for natural light:
- Daylight. Color temperature is about 5200K. Can be used all day long when shooting outdoors. This mode works best in bright midday sun.
- Shadow. Temperature is about 7,000K. Suitable for shooting in lightly shaded conditions. For example, if during a photo shoot in the sun you move into the shade of trees.
- Cloudy. Temperature is about 6,000K. This corresponds to the very upper limit of neutral white lighting. Ideal for cloudy weather.
Balance settings for artificial light:
- Incandescent lamps. Temperature 3,200 Kelvin. If you select this mode, the camera will add a cool color to the photo to neutralize the warm color. In general, it is suitable for situations where the light has a warm, yellow tint.
- Fluorescent lighting. The temperature is about 4,000 Kelvin. Adds a purple tint to the photo.
- Shooting with fluorescent lamps is one of the most difficult to adjust white balance: lamps have different temperatures, there is no single standard. Additionally, the color temperature of the lamp may change over time.
Practice and constantly learning new techniques and approaches will help you improve your color skills. Over time, you will develop an intuitive understanding of color that will allow you to quickly and effectively adjust color balance, creating powerful and emotionally rich photographs.
