canon Color Temperature
When a perfect white balance is not desired, Canon off ers an interesting
option. One of the White Balance modes is Color Temperature,
designated in the white balance list (on the camera’s LCD), by the letter
K (for Kelvin). You will fi nd this function on prosumer and professional
cameras, but not on the Rebel.
We know, of course, that diff erent types of light have diff ering color
temperatures, measured in degrees Kelvin. Canon cameras, like those
of other manufacturers, will take a photograph of a neutral item like
a gray card or collapsible gray target and negate any odd color, rendering
any subsequent images neutral in color. Sometimes that’s just not good
enough. Many photographers routinely alter color temperature to add to
the mood of the images or to just to add some zip. Color Temperature is
one more tool that you can use to set your work apart from that of other
less informed or less creative shooters.
Canon uses 5200 K as its default daylight color temperature. When
the camera is balanced for daylight, but you’re shooting in color
temperatures lower than 5200 K, your images will be rendered warmer,
with more red and yellow; higher numbers will add more blue and cyan
and look cooler. Custom White Balance will neutralize any tested light
and add appropriate correction to bring the light to this temperature, but
Color Temperature tells the camera that whatever light you’re shooting in
is a particular color temperature, from 2800 to 10,000 K, and will interpret
any light to that selection.
It works like this: If you want a warmer look to your images, tell the
camera that the light you’re working with is cooler than it actually is. The
camera will add warm color to counteract what it thinks is cool light,
resulting in a warmer shot. The reverse is true if you want a cooler color;
just tell the camera that the light is warmer than it actually is and the
camera will add blue. The fi nal image will have a cooler feel.
Prosumer and professional cameras access Color Temperature diff erently,
but it’s quite easy. Just check your instruction manual for the correct
method for your camera.
The use of Color Temperature is practical for a number of circumstances.
Color infl uences and describes our emotions. If we’re having a bad day we
might say we’re “blue”, if we see something exciting we might describe it
as “hot” (FIGS 6.50–6.54).
If you know your studio strobes are consistent in color output, setting
a higher or lower color temperature will give your images a look that may
become a brand “signature” for your work.
Sometimes just adding a slight correction will produce a look that’s more
consistent with how we think a subject should look. For this example
I set the Color Temperature to 4800 K, slightly warmer than my strobes.
Because the camera added blue, the slightly cooler result of the key
light, coupled with the gelled accent lights, gives this image a genuine
nightclub appearance (FIG 6.55).
By the way, if you’re familiar with hand-held color meters, you can use
Color Temperature to dial in a correct temperature, too.
by
CANON DSLR
The Ultimate
Photographer’s Guide
Christopher Grey
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