White Balance

The White Balance setting I choose to change the colour balance in my pictures, making it warmer or cooler depending on how the sort of light you're shooting in affects things. 

Using Auto White Balance is the simple option, but my camera's White Balance presets give me more control over colour.

The colour of the light will affect the colours in my photographs. 

The camera records colours exactly as they are. That's why pictures taken under household lighting have an orange colour cast, and pictures taken at dusk or dawn have a cold, blue look.

Digital cameras have 'White Balance' controls to correct these colour shifts. This adjustment happens when the camera processes and saves my pictures.

For example, if you take a picture under incandescent lighting, the camera can reduce the amount of orange in the colours and boost the blue to produce more neutral colours.

How To Set A White Balance

Part 1

1.On most DSLRs you'll find this on the Shooting menu. Select White Balance, then scroll down to PRE. Now press the right button on the multi-selector.

2. You can measure the White Balance from a shot you've already taken, or use the Measure option to photograph a special test target like ours, or even just a sheet of white paper. The camera will warn you if there's not enough light.

3. If your test shot is successful and the camera has captured the data it needs, it will display a 'Data acquired' message. The camera will now work out a White Balance setting that renders your test target as a neutral grey.

4. This new White Balance preset is saved by the camera, and you can use it at any time by picking 'PRE' from the list of presets. If you need to measure the White Balance again, repeat the process - this replaces the existing preset.

Part 2

1 Select a preset 
To modify one of the existing White Balance presets, first select it from the list of presets on the Shooting menu. Now instead of pressing the OK button, press the right button on the multi-selector to open the fine-tuning screen.

2 Fine-tuning 
You can adjust the White Balance along two axes. Left to right adjusts the amber-blue component of the White Balance (equivalent to the colour temperature value). Up-down adjusts the green-magenta balance (tint).

3 Your adjusted preset
When you confirm your adjustments and return to the White Balance presets on the menu, you'll see that the preset now has an asterisk (*) symbol next to its icon. This alerts you to the fact the preset has been modified

4 Bracketing options
This is not the only way to try different White Balance tuning adjustments. Most D-SLRs offer a 'bracketing' function which is normally used for exposure bracketing.

5 White Balance bracketing
If you press right on the multi-selector you'll find other bracketing options, including White Balance bracketing. This time, the camera will take a single shot, but process it with three White Balance settings.

6 Choose the increment
The WB1, WB2 and WB3 settings control the degree of adjustment applied for the bracketed shots. The change is made along the amber-blue axis and is equivalent to trying new color temperature settings.