Color temperature is a crucial concept in photography and videography, influencing the mood and feel of your shots. It refers to the warmth or coolness of a light source. → Warm Light: Lower kelvin values (around 2000K to 3500K) produce a warm, orange or red hue, similar to the light from candles or sunset. → Neutral Light: Mid-range values (around 4000K to 5500K) offer a more balanced, white light, akin to daylight. → Cool Light: Higher values (6000K and above) result in a cool, blue light, reminiscent of a cloudy day or shade. Understanding and manipulating color temperature allows videographers to create specific atmospheres and ensure color accuracy in their work.

If you consider that sunshine is about 5400-5600k then variations on that number +/- 750 will give you natural looking variations on any sunlit scene. If you keep your variations within about a 1500k range from any starting point, things will look naturally correct. White balance exists because machines don't know what white is in any given scenario, we as humans have decided that white in shade vs white in sunshine vs white under any lighting, is still white, but a machine reads the numerical value of the light that's reflected including whatever color is reflected as a side effect.

Measuring color temperature is crucial. Here’s how you can do it: → Use a Color Meter: This device provides precise kelvin readings from light sources, ensuring color consistency. → White Balance Card: A budget-friendly alternative, it helps set your camera’s white balance manually or adjust colors during post-production. → Camera’s Auto White Balance: While convenient, it may not always be reliable, especially in mixed lighting conditions. → Software Solutions: There are apps and software tools available for estimating and adjusting color temperature. → Manual Adjustment: Learn to adjust color temperature settings in your camera for accurate color representation.

→ In-Camera White Balance: Adjust your camera’s white balance settings to align with the ambient light’s color temperature. → Use Filters: Apply blue filters to warm lights or orange filters to cool lights, achieving a balanced color temperature. → Post-Production Correction: Employ software tools for color grading and correction, refining the video’s color temperature. → White Balance Adjustment: In post-production, tweak the white balance for precise control over the color temperature. → Manual Kelvin Adjustment: Directly set the Kelvin value in your camera to accurately match the lighting conditions.

While guidelines can be helpful, keep in mind that creating video is a subjective experience and what's considered "best" will vary from person to person

Consider colour temp against your scene & it’s representation. Don’t be afraid to be creative & bound by “rules” but know when & particularly why to break them. Shooting in LOG or RAW really eliminates the worry of you have a mix-matched scene beyond control but always be as intentional as possible with your shots.

→ Indoor Warmth: Use 3200K for tungsten lights or 1800K for candlelight to create a cozy, inviting atmosphere. → Indoor Coolness: Opt for 4000K with fluorescent lights or 5000K with LED lights for a modern, cool ambiance. → Outdoor Natural: Set to 5600K during daylight to maintain natural colors and tones. → Golden Hour Glow: Adjust to 3500K during golden hour for a warm, soft light, enhancing the romantic or dramatic mood. → Sunset Drama: Use 2500K during sunset for a rich, dramatic effect. → Mixed Lighting: Utilize a color meter or white balance card to balance mixed light sources, ensuring color consistency. → Filters and Gels: Apply filters or gels to lights to match or contrast color temperatures, creating a harmonious scene.

Always calibrate with a white/grey scale card prior to your shoot. Cheap monitors or uncalibrated screens can really throw your perception, lens coatings, cheap filters, bad lights, cloud coverage & practical/environmental can all cause casting - look for colour rendition you see as natural or desire in the shot. Again, RAW or LOG shooting is a no brainer, if that isn’t an option flatten your picture profile to avoid destroying an image in post. It’s normally easier to bring things up than turn them down.

→ Calibrate Monitor: Ensure accurate color display through regular monitor calibration. → Check on Multiple Devices: View your video across different devices to ensure color consistency. → Maintain Color Consistency: Aim for a uniform color temperature, adjusting only for specific effects. → Use Post-Production Tools: Employ color grading and correction in post-production for any needed adjustments. → Mind Output Devices: Be aware of your output devices' color settings to match your video. → Align with Audience Expectations: Ensure your video’s color temperature meets viewer expectations. → Apply Filters/Gels: Use filters or gels for on-set color temperature adjustments if necessary.

The best temperature is what fits your style and brand. There's no right setting, as long as people can see and hear your message.

Don’t be bound by rules but know when & why to bend or break them. Your project will determine how creative you can get, practice play first before being reliant on a maybe. Avoid auto everything in your settings & dedicate time to learn & understand your art.

Unfortunately it's not always possible to dial in an accurate temperature (those of you who shoot events may be familiar). If you're shooting in a profile like Cine/Slog this can be a bit of a nightmare. That said, a fixed temperature is always going to be better than Auto-Temp if you're planning on colour grading in post. Try and get the temperature as close as possible if you're strapped for time and In post you can further correct. As a last resort, you could use something like a white balance range (Daylight, Fluorescent, Shady, etc) that will provide less fluctuation than auto.