CITY ESCAPES
Nature Photography, LLC
Newsletter
February, 2011
White Balance Basics
You finally gave in and bought a digital camera. Now you have discovered that you have quite a few more options on the camera, and you just might be daunted by the amount there is to learn. Fear not; you actually don’t need to know that much more about digital cameras than you do about film cameras to start taking wonderful photographs. If your new camera is a point-and-shoot, you probably have even less to learn. But if your new gear is a DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) camera, there are a few basic functions that are significantly different from film cameras. Understanding these differences will get you off to a good start in the new digital medium.
Perhaps the most basic of differences is what is known in the digital world as “white balance.” This refers to the temperature, or color, of light that the camera sees. In film, the adjustments were made with the type of film used: remember those photos taken indoors that always seemed to turn out kind of yellowish-orange? That was because they were taken with film rated for outdoor light. Here’s how it works, in a nutshell: various light sources, such as incandescent bulbs, fluorescent bulbs, direct sunlight, flash units, etc. all emit light at slightly different color wavelengths (temperatures). Our brains are very adept at translating these different wavelengths into a relatively constant color palette, meaning that we see colors in each of these lighting situations as more or less the same. Our cameras, however, cannot make that adjustment in the same way that our brains do. This results in various color casts in the images, depending upon the wavelength of the source light. Fluorescent lights, for example, will cause a green cast, while flash units can cause a yellow cast.
To fix this issue in a digital camera, you simply have to tell it what your light source is. The camera will then make the appropriate adjustments so that the resulting image looks normal -- without any color casts. Most camera manufacturers have very common-sense symbols to represent the various settings: a classic light bulb for incandescent lights, a cylindrical light bulb for fluorescent lights, a sun for full sunshine, a cloud for overcast light, a building casting a shadow for shade, and a lightning bolt for a flash unit. There will also be the letter A, which stands for “automatic,” and is a setting in which the camera reads the scene and makes its best guess as to the temperature of the light source. While the automatic setting certainly is not perfect, it can be helpful in many situations, including situations in which there are multiple light sources. For many photographers, it will become the default white balance setting.
Some cameras will also have a K setting, which stands for Kelvin, and is useful if you know the temperature in Kelvin of the light source. There may also be a
The adventurous photographer might want to intentionally shoot with a white balance that does not give the proper color balance, experimenting with the effects it can have on an image. Want to make an image look warmer? Use the cloudy or shade setting. Want to give it a cooler feeling? Try the incandescent bulb setting. Want to never think about white balance again? Set it on automatic and forget about it.
That’s it; that’s all there is to white balance. The most important thing to remember about white balance, though, is that it is merely a new tool in your digital toolbox. There is no “right” way to use it. However, the more you understand it, the more you will be able to use it to help you make the images you want to make.
Now get out there and have fun playing with the different color options!
February’s Fun Facts
‘Tis the season of love, at least according to Hallmark. To mark this month’s fun holiday, we take a look at -- what else? – lovebirds.
· Lovebirds are actually small parrots, averaging 1.5 to 2.5 oz. There are nine different species of them, eight of which are native to Africa, one to Madagascar.
· The average life expectancy of a lovebird is ten to fifteen years.
· When given proper attention, lovebirds can make very strong bonds with humans, and will often preen their human companions.
· Despite their small size, they are also aggressive and territorial birds. Fierce attacks on other birds, dogs, and even cats are not uncommon.
· Wild flocks of lovebirds can range in size from just a few individuals to over 800 birds.
· Avocados and mistletoe berries are toxic to lovebirds, while citrus seeds will intoxicate them.
If you have any questions, or suggestions for future newsletters, please email us at: relationships@cityescapesphotography.com
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CITY ESCAPES Nature Photography, LLC
www.cityescapesphotography.com
509-396-5154
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