Hello, .
When we study and practice white balance, we understand how the color of a transmitting/illuminating light source translates into our photograph.
This understanding isn't
theoretical; it's highly practical for any photographer.
What I mean by transmitting light sources is light that illuminates the stuff we see (reflective light sources).
The transmitting or illuminating light sources usually represented on our digital cameras are shade, cloudy, flash, direct sunlight, fluorescent, and tungsten, also known as incandescent.
If we're working with color film, our choices for color balance (color balance is film's version of white balance) are daylight, tungsten, and photofloods.
You'll probably see those light descriptions on your digital camera's white balance choices and an automatic white balance setting.
When we pay attention to the white balance of
a picture we create, we look at something white in our photograph as a reference because we assume that if white looks white, everything else in our photograph will look "color balanced."
Many photographers limit their use of white balance
to achieve "color balance," which is usually easily accomplished by setting their camera's white balance to "automatic."
However, if we grasp the creative potential of white balance, we can introduce intentional color shifts into our work,
adding a psychological effect of color to our compositions.
Utilizing the creative potential of white balance opens up a whole new realm of artistic expression in photography.
Remember, we don't only see color; we feel the color we see.
For example, seasonal affective disorder, which occurs during the winter because of decreased sunlight, is treated with a transmitting light source that mimics the color of a bright sunny blue sky kind of day.
Understanding how to use white balance to create intentional color shifts enables us to incorporate the additional compositional depth and complexity of color psychology into our work.
We've got a couple of ways to
do this.
We can include or exclude reflective light sources with specific colors and play with the white balance setting on our camera.
During the final class of the Introduction to Photography course, we introduce white balance and its cause and effect.
However, it's important to note that white balance is just one aspect of the Introduction to Photography course's comprehensiveness.
The class covers a wide range of topics, ensuring you have a solid foundation in photography.
The Introduction To Photography course teaches the participants to use their cameras thoughtfully, in manual exposure mode, to create the best pictures possible.
There are Introduction To Photography courses starting soon.
I've gotta catch up on scheduling other classes but we can always do a private lesson.
I hope you've been studying and practicing your photography.
The ways to study and practice photography with me are below.
Call me if you need help determining the best course for you.
I'll help you be a better photographer—study and practice photography with me.
Currently scheduled classes are below.
Smaller classes mean better learning, so class sizes are
limited to 5 participants plus me.
But smaller classes also mean spots fill up quicker, so sign up soon.
And what if the timing doesn't work for you in any of my scheduled group classes? Private in-person or online lessons suited to your schedule are always an option.
And remember, we learn and improve by doing, so practice making at least one picture daily.
That's all for now; thanks for reading!
Sam
