Adjusting Your Digital Camera's Color

What is "white balance", and how does it affect my digital camera's picture?

White balance is one of the cool new features on digital cameras that allows you to adjust the color of the picture. In the film days we used to buy different films for shooting under different light; bright light, sunny light, cloudy light, indoor light. On a digital camera we have a setting - white balance. White balance is generally set to automatic on the camera. You can also set it manually for tungsten light, fluorescent light; sun light, cloudy light, flash light and thereby adjust the color to get the color of the picture exactly the way that you wanted.

What can I do if I shoot a digital picture on the wrong white balance setting?

Well, my real answer to you is make sure you've got it set right, because you're in a world of hurt if you're not. So the basic rule is start with auto white balance, and if you're not happy with the picture, then adjust. You can try tungsten white balance for shooting indoors under tungsten light, or fluorescent white balance for shooting indoors under fluorescent light. Make sure, though, that you always check your white balance when you set manually, to make sure you're onto the right setting. If you make a mistake, you can, in Photoshop, adjust; but I'll tell you, I have a hard time adjusting to get the color looking right. So, bottom line, shoot auto unless you're comfortable manually setting the white balance.

What does my digital camera's "foliage mode" do?

The "foliage" mode, or "green setting" mode on your digital camera, tells the camera you want to bias the exposure toward green. So if you're doing a forest scene, or something like that, you would set it to the "foliage," or "green scene," mode.

What does my digital camera's "sunset mode" do?

The sunset mode on your digital camera adds more warmth or more orange to the picture. It brightens up a sunset. So even if it's not the most brilliant of sunsets, try that sunset mode and see what happens to the picture. I think you're going to like it.

What does my digital camera's "fall foliage" mode do?

The fall foliage mode is kinda like the green seen in regular foliage mode but you're biasing towards the oranges and yellows now. So for foliage in the fall, use that and you gonna see your pictures get a little bit spunkier oranges and yellows and reds. I think you're gonna like it for all those kinds of pictures.