What color is your light?

All light has a color even if appears white.

The human brain and eyes work together as our built in computer whereby we adjust our perception of light instantly therefore, we rarely notice any change in our surrounding's color temperature. Typically, the warmer the light (or color) the higher the light's temperature, which is measured in Kelvin's.

However, digital sensors and film can often record color casts our eyes don't see. As example, the early morning and the golden light of sunset gives us a very warm cast where mid-day, or in open shade, will give us colder or a bluish tint to our shots.

A quick fix to warm up your digital shots in mid-day is to set the camera's white balance to shady or cloudy. You can experiment with this to get the desired effect; however, these settings will automatically raise the temperature of your shot for a nice warm look. This technique is particularly useful for landscapes and portraits.

Furthermore, if you are shooting with film the key is choosing the right film and using filters to compensate for the color temperatures. Normally I use a Tiffen 812 warming filter on my lens for portraits and weddings when I shoot color negative film. Color slide film can be purchased for specific tints or temperatures as well. The old Kodachrome, that is no longer in production by Kodak, was renowned for its rich, warm tones. Its sibling Ektachrome was famous for its bluish or cool tints.

Lastly, be aware that the temperature of light can be dynamic and often can change from moment to moment. Keep this in mind when out hunting shots and by all means, be cool and stay warm.