White balance changes how colours are rendered so that a neutral object can look neutral under different light sources. Daylight, shade and many indoor lamps have different colour characteristics. Mixed lighting can be especially difficult.
Kelvin is only part of the story
The Kelvin control adjusts the blue-to-amber balance; a tint control deals with green and magenta. Auto white balance is useful, but it may shift between frames. A fixed preset or measured custom balance can help keep a series consistent.
Try it
Photograph the same neutral object under one light source using Auto, Daylight and Cloudy white balance. Compare the colour shift. If you shoot RAW, test the adjustments in your editor too. Use a known neutral reference when colour accuracy matters.
By Joseph Hubbard, photographer and artist at Hubbard.ART.
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