Why Photos Look Too Blue or Too Yellow
Ever taken a photo indoors and it looked orange? Or outside, and it looked too blue? That’s your white balance. It tells the camera what “true white” is so all other colours look natural. Here you’ll learn more about white balance in photography.
Key Takeaways
White balance corrects color tones.
Presets (daylight, shade, tungsten) make it simple.
You can always adjust later in editing.
Different light sources have different colors. Sunlight is cooler (blue), while indoor bulbs are warmer (yellow/orange). Your eyes adjust automatically, but cameras need guidance. White balance settings help your camera adapt.
Auto white balance usually does a good job, but in tricky lighting — like mixed indoor and window light — it can struggle. Switching to a preset, such as “tungsten” indoors or “shade” outdoors, often makes colors more accurate.
If you shoot in RAW, you can fix white balance easily when editing. JPEG files are less flexible, so it’s better to get it right in-camera.
In Summary
White balance keeps your colours true to life. Using presets or shooting in RAW makes it easy to avoid odd-looking tones.
FAQ
Why do my indoor photos look yellow?
Indoor bulbs cast warm light. Use the tungsten preset or adjust in editing to correct it.
Is auto white balance good enough?
Often, yes. But in tricky lighting situations, switching to a preset gives better results.
Do I need to buy special equipment for white balance?
No. Presets and RAW editing are usually good enough. Professionals sometimes use grey cards for perfect accuracy, but it’s not essential. Try switching between the different white balance options to calibrate your camera and then go back to auto and see if it helps.
Go try it
Try taking two shots of the same indoor subject.
- one with auto white balance
- one with the tungsten preset
Compare which looks more natural.
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