White balance is a fundamental image property that can dramatically affect the mood and overall look of a shot. While achieving a technically neutral white balance is important for accurate color representation, many photographers also use white balance creatively to enhance the artistic impact of their images.
Coming to you from Christian Möhrle - The Phlog Photography, this informative video explores the creative use of white balance adjustments in Lightroom. Möhrle begins by emphasizing the importance of establishing a proper base exposure before diving into white balance adjustments. He demonstrates how adjusting the temperature and tint sliders can create a warmer or colder feel, ultimately influencing the overall mood of the image. He then goes on to show how masks can be used to make targeted adjustments to the white balance. For example, he uses a linear gradient mask to create a color contrast by making the top part of the sky colder while keeping the bottom part warm.
Möhrle also highlights the importance of considering the impact of white balance adjustments on other elements within the scene. For instance, significantly altering the white balance can affect the natural colors of elements like trees or foliage. He demonstrates how color range masks can be used to correct any unwanted color casts that may result from global white balance adjustments. By isolating specific areas, such as a blue color cast in a tree, Möhrle shows how to selectively adjust the temperature and saturation to restore natural colors.
This detailed approach to white balance adjustments allows for a high level of control and precision, making it easier to fine-tune the overall mood and aesthetic of their images. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Möhrle.
