Friday 22 May 2015

Does this sunrise photograph have a problem with white balance?


I find this scene "all" "Orangey". The trees are also looking a kind Orangey.
Is the colour balance wrong? Or it is normal for a sunrise scene?


http://1x.com/forum/bookmarked/32030/critique-on-photo-september#



Answer



White balance is all relative. Light (natural or artificial) varies in colour and your eyes are used to adjusting it. It's amazing how an image can seem fine until you see another image with a different white balance and it suddenly looks wrong. Even the background colour of the page holding the image or frame can influence how colour balance is perceived.


With this is mind there is no correct white balance. The only sense in which the white balance can be "wrong" is relative to the intent of the image. If you intend to create to invoke the feelings of a warm sunny day and your image has a strong blue cast then it is probable that a mistake has been made.


With reference to the image you posted, it is not a documentary photograph but an impressionistic depiction of the scene. In my opinion the colour balance is in keeping with the style and content of the image.


No comments:

Post a Comment

Why is the front element of a telephoto lens larger than a wide angle lens?

A wide angle lens has a wide angle of view, therefore it would make sense that the front of the lens would also be wide. A telephoto lens ha...