Jim Gollan @ OCA Art of Photography: Colour of Light - Judging Colour Temperature 2 (4.2b)

Requirement

9 images, 3 daylight conditions x 3 ISO settings

Purpose

To learn how actively to adjust White Balance to manage the recorded colour temperature of an image

Technical Learning

White Balance seeks to adjust any colour cast created in a (digital) camera by the light source(s) so that, for example, highlights appear as 'pure white'
Most cameras have several White Balance settings (e.g. daylight, cloudy, shade, tungsten, flourescent, custom)
In 'custom' mode, the camera allows the photographer to set the colour temperature of the light in Kelvin. At one end of the scale (2000k), lies 'blue', at the other 'yellow' (50000k)

White Balance set at Daylight (5000k)

Blue end of Spectrum (2000K)

Yellow end of spectrum (50000k)

Nevertheless, sunrises and sunsets do not require a white balance adjustment, since the colour cast reinforces their mood

On the other hand, the blue cast of shade often calls for a warmer white balance to make the subject appear more realistic, i.e how the eye sees it

Exercise Instructions

As in the previous project, pick a subject with a neutral colour and photograph it (i) sunlit at midday, (ii) in the shade at midday and (iii) sunlit at sunset
However, for each of these scenes use 3 different White Balance settings: (a) daylight, (b) shade and (c) auto.
Which White Balance setting do you prefer for each of (i) to (iii)?

Images and Review

Used a white plastic face mask against a dark background so that the colour cast from the White Balance settings are more easily seen

Shade at Midday