Understanding the White Balance of the
Digital Camera
By: Jessie Robertson
 When
I was a new user of the digital camera I sailed
merrily along, not giving much thought to white
balance. My first digital camera, a point and shoot
Canon A-310, was excellent for color. An awkward
sort of change came when that camera was dropped in
the waters of a creek crossing. The camera was left
damaged, with only the memory card untouched. My
second digital, also a point and shoot model, was a
borrowed Sony cyber-shot. This camera was new to me
and I didn’t know it had no white balance mode. It
had most of the same mode settings otherwise. It
also had a snow mode, which I loved. Perhaps there
would be no more bluish overtones?
I discovered the difference of not having a white
balance mode the day I had a bad photo shoot. I took
off-white pictures! I took many poses of my cute
sisters dressed in their matching black and white
attire. Little did I know that when I clicked so
many times I disturbed the white balance, only the
first few pictures turned-out. Being very
disappointed, I wanted to learn how to take the best
color photos. I had to understand the white balance
of digital cameras, as this was the key to good
color photos.
The day I took the pictures of my sisters it was
sunny with overcast periods, the background was not
the best, either. To many times I had asked my
models to pose in different positions. The models
became impatient and smiles were fading. I had
assumed that changing between the cloudy mode and
the sunny mode, the images would be color balanced.
How can you tell if the image is off-white? When the
image is off-white it will be dull looking. I also
know because those peculiar shots were refused by an
online photo stock company as having an off-white
balance. This is harder to tell on your little
digital LCD screen, where it is easier to see on
your computer screen. This is why it is always best
to check your white balance before hand.
I also learned that different light sources have
varying color temperatures, including neutral. The
balance is a reference point in which your camera
determines the true color white. The camera has a
harder time judging true white, a harder time than
our eyes do. The camera will calculate what it is
told: you need to tell the camera how to handle the
lighting condition. Film photographers use filters
and lens, with digital cameras you use white
balancing.
One has to understand white balance if you want to
program your camera. Learn enough about balancing
when your camera has no white balance mode. I had
looked-up a Kelvin color chart spectrum chart. 5000
K (K for Kelvin) is neutral light. Our automatic
white balance mode is set-up using a neutral light
measurement. To set a balance you can take a picture
of a non-glossy white surface, but first place it
where it is not in shadow. I use a small to medium
piece of cut cardboard and I carry it with me. You
can also use a white T-shirt surface, or the
underside of a coffee container lid, if available.
It would be a good investment to buy the credit card
size white or grey card. They are professionally
made for this so there is more chance it is correct.
White color balance is so important for good color.
I check my white balance often now. It’s good thing
we can experiment with the digital camera. We can
shoot many frames as they can be deleted or saved at
no cost. The saved images can be further edited in a
photo editor computer program. In an editor program,
a color balancing tool can take away the wrong color
cast. For regular photography the automatic white
balance and other mode settings work-out just fine.
It is good to have an understanding of the white
balance so you can take the best color photographs.
I am a young grandma, keeping-up and keeping fit. A
self starter and entrepreneur.
Jessie Eldora Robertson - freelance photographer and
writer -
http://www.gotmydigital.com
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