gen-define-white-balance-and-color-temperature-and-give-one-shor-845c

Define white balance and color temperature and give one short worked example.

# White Balance and Color Temperature ## Definitions **Color Temperature** is measured in Kelvin (K) and describes the color characteristics of a light source: - Lower values (2000-3000K) = warm, orange/reddish light (candles, incandescent bulbs) - Middle values (5000-5500K) = neutral, white light (daylight) - Higher values (7000-10000K) = cool, bluish light (overcast sky, shade) **White Balance** is a camera adjustment that compensates for different color temperatures to make white objects appear truly white (neutral) in your photos. It removes unwanted color casts. ## Worked Example **Scenario:** You're photographing indoors under tungsten light bulbs (2800K - warm orange light). **Problem:** Without adjustment, your white shirt appears orange in the photo. **Solution:** 1. The camera detects the 2800K light source 2. White balance adds **blue** (the opposite of orange on the color wheel) to counteract the warm cast 3. Result: The shirt now appears white/neutral **In practice:** Set your camera's white balance to "Tungsten/Incandescent" preset (~2800K), and the camera automatically adds the correct amount of blue compensation to neutralize the orange cast, making colors appear as they would in neutral daylight.