Photo Coloring Temperature is a standard method of describing colors for use in a range of situations and with different equipment. In photography coloring techniques, photo coloring temperature is measured in Kelvin scale which is the quantity of color temperature. Light color temperature has range variety between 2.000 Kelvin degrees (warmth) and 9.500 Kelvin degrees (cool). When the object is heated; it will release the light which the spectrum changes when the temperature is increased.
Photo coloring temperature relates to digital camera white balance. The object with low temperature will be warmth (more red or yellow), while the object with high temperature changes to cool (more blue). The white balance in digital camera is adjusted according to this change. You can select auto white balance or adjust it manually according to the current existing conditions. For high end DSLR camera; white balance is expressed with Kelvin degrees, but mostly use the settings according to certain conditions such as ‘daylight’; ‘cloudy’ or ‘shade’ and so on.
2400K Sun rise and sunset
The sun light changes quickly when the sunrise and the sunset. When the position of the sun is very low in the horizon, the sun light or color temperature can be as low as 2.400 degrees Kelvin, so that the color tone becomes specific yellowish, and reddish. You can produce fascinating landscape photography with the sunset or the sunrise.
3.200K Tungsten indoor
Photo coloring temperature for the indoor tungsten illumination has strong yellow and orange, because the color spectrum moves to a stronger wave length. Its color temperature can be as low as 3.200 degrees Kelvin depends on the lamp type used. Household lamps may vary slightly from this color temperature, especially if they are old. If a lamp is emitting light at 2800 degrees, a subject thus illuminated would be slightly yellowish. A bit higher temperature is photography tungsten.
3.400K photography tungsten
Photo coloring temperature for photography tungsten light is cooler and more neutral compared to indoor tungsten, but warmer than ‘daylight’. If you don’t adjust the camera white balance the color produced is yellow. Color temperature for this type of tungsten is around 3.400 degrees Kelvin.
4.000K morning or afternoon sun
The light temperature increases slowly in the morning and decreases down in the afternoon. When the sun is above horizon the sun light becomes warmth and is very good for landscape photography. When you want to capture landscape view; the best time is under 9AM and above 3PM or late afternoon. Photo coloring temperature can be around 4.000 degrees Kelvin.
5.500K Mid-day sun or flash
The light temperature in the day time is neutral. The color temperature is similar to photography flash light, flash light usually a bit colder. Sometimes day time is not an ideal time for landscape photography. Photo Coloring temperature in day time is around 5.500 degrees Kelvin.
6.000K cloudy
The lighting from a cloudy sky is a bit cooler compared to direct sun light. Probably you need a warmth filter or select suitable white balance to make it warmth; ‘Cloudy’ white balance can be used. Basically it’s not a good color for landscape photography but you will find it beautiful on models photography. Color temperature for cloudy is around 6.000 degrees Kelvin. See also photo lighting – how to increase the quality.
6.500K Strong Shade
A strong shade can produce a cooler light. Sometimes the white balance setting on the camera fails to make any suitable correction for this kind of shade, even tends to be excessive cold. Color temperature for this strong shade is around 6.500K
7.500K shades in the day time
The worse thing to create a cool like photograph is the open shade when the sun in the sky is very clear, since the blue sky that will provide the whole lighting. Make sure you select a ‘shade’ white balance as compensation for this color temperature. Avoid photographing in direct sunlight, or in mixed light and shade, especially faces. Optimal lighting results from a slightly overcast sky. When photographing in shade, use fill-flash.
The following figure shows color temperature in Kelvin Scale (courtesy of www.mediacollege.com)
Understanding the photo coloring temperature you should also be familiar with warm and cool color particularly soft / harmonious color and contrast color relating to the color wheel theory.
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