When avid photographers hear the term “color temperature” most think of White Balance. When I was working in TV, white balance was a critical factor in daily shooting and is the reason you see some interview subjects holding up a white piece of paper in front of TV cameras prior to the start of a press conference or other major media event.
White Balance essentially measures the color temperature of a photo and on most digital cameras there is some function that allows you to control the White Balance in your shot. While most people simply employ the Auto White Balance there are other ways you can tweak your camera so it captures the color you want it to.
Take a look:
Auto White Balance. When in doubt let the camera set the white balance for you automatically. If the colors look off when you preview your shot then try another option.
For example, you could adjust the Tungsten setting (usually a light bulb icon) if you find that there is too much red or orange in your picture. This setting is often used indoors when photographing under incandescent lights.
If you are shooting in a hospital or other indoor space that employs fluorescent lights consider using your camera’s Fluorescent setting (usually a fluorescent bulb icon), which helps compensate for the green tint given off by most fluorescent light bulbs.
White Balance also comes into play when you are shooting in the shade or on a cloudy day. Most moderately priced cameras come with a shade setting that adds more orange to an image to help warm it up. Your camera will do the same when you use the CLOUDY setting (usually a cloud icon). It adds orange to compensate for the blue tint given off by the clouds. Typically, you wouldn’t need to employ this setting unless you were shooting outdoors in completely overcast conditions.
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