Using White Balance According to Different Conditions
White balance can make or break a perfect photo opportunity. White balance correlates with the lighting conditions. The camera is programmed with different white balances, mine has Sunny, shade, fluorescent light 1, 2, 3, and incandescent. Each one of them compensates for the lighting condition you are shooting in. There is also auto WB and Custom WB.
So earlier today, I was shooting pictures of my two budgies in my bedroom. It was fairly cloudy outside, so there was almost no sunlight entering my room, and I was using the cool white fluorescent lightbulbs, the ones that give off a white, almost blue looking light. Since I have three fluorescent white balance settings on my camera, I had to decide which one I needed to use. So, I put a piece of white paper in front of the camera lens, and I went through the three fluorescent white balances. The correct white balance was the one that made the paper look white, and not a tinge of other colours.
Now here's where many photographers make the mistake. They go to different lighting conditions and forget to change the white balance settings. It ends up making the photo look off. Want proof? Here:
This photo was taken without changing my previous white balance setting. I was using a fluorescent WB outside:
Sure, it's not a bad picture, but look closely. The house on the left is supposed to be a grey, almost beige colour, and what colour is it on here? Well, it's grey, but with a purple tinge. The sky, also, seems to not have the regular "sky blue" colour to it, rather, a purple colour.
Now, let's change the white balance to Sunny (also called "Fine")
Almost immediately, many differences can be spotted. The house on the left is in fact the grey, beige colour that it is supposed to be. And look at the sky, it's the regular sky blue colour.
So my point is, it is extremely important to adjust your white balance settings to suit the lighting conditions you are shooting in. And when you change lighting conditions,
do not forget to change your white balance setting!!