White balance is a phenomenon that occurs during the photography process and has to do with the proper adjustment of the lighting contrast in order to get the best use of natural and artificial light sources. It is possible to ensure that the color content of the developed photograph will be exactly as the photographer intended by creating a situation where optimal lighting, or a white balance, is created.
The implementation of correct color cast is the foundation for achieving white balance. In essence, color casts are created by taking into account the amount of light available at the time of the photo shoot. The idea is to increase or decrease the amount of light in the photograph so that the balance of colors and shades creates an image that meets the photographer’s expectations. When professional photographers perform white balance, they may use only natural or artificial light, or a combination of both.
The WB, or white balance, that is achieved is affected by different levels of light. The white balance at noon on a sunny day, for example, is such that photographic reproduction of true colors and shades is possible. In effect, the white light present in those circumstances is ideal for precise reproduction. When a desire to emphasize red and yellow coloring in the subject is desired, artificial light, such as incandescent sources, may be used. The presence of fluorescent light tends to emphasize the presence of green shades. All of these methods for adjusting the white balance are used to create photographic works that are considered art.
Today’s digital cameras tend to adjust automatically based on the lighting conditions. This means that the camera adjusts the use of a flash and, in some cases, the flash’s light level, automatically. The white balance is more or less equal to that of noontime on a sunny day as a result of the automated adjustment, resulting in true color capture with no color enhancements. However, because the quality of digital photographic equipment varies, the amount of adjustment required to achieve the desired look may or may not be sufficient. In these situations, it may still be necessary to manually use artificial means to increase the amount of light cast in the subject’s area.