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I find this scene "all" "Orangey". The trees are also looking a kind Orangey.
Is the colour balance wrong? Or it is normal for a sunrise scene?

http://1x.com/forum/bookmarked/32030/critique-on-photo-september#

Michael Cook
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Aquarius_Girl
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    I know this Q is not asking for image critique and although I like the image I think its lacking composition what is the subject? - is it the tree? is it the shack? is it the sky? If auto white balance has been used the camera has had to think about a lot to get the right setting and correct colours – Rob Apr 09 '12 at 17:46
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    @Rob, my 2p worth: It's a picture of a place with an asmosphere rather than a single thing. (But I see what you mean). – AJ Finch Apr 11 '12 at 11:56
  • Two years later, the link is broken. Do you think you could add it to this post directly? – mattdm Apr 15 '15 at 18:06
  • Not sure if you might know this but they have deleted their old content and replaced it by new forums. Even I don't have my old critiques and posts there anymore. @mattdm – Aquarius_Girl Apr 16 '15 at 00:23
  • Oh, that's too bad. Was it your photo in this case? – mattdm Apr 16 '15 at 00:30
  • @mattdm absolutely not. I live in an industrial area and therefore don't get opportunity to shoot landscapes. – Aquarius_Girl Apr 16 '15 at 00:46
  • Ah well. Do you have another comparable example? (Ideally, creative commons licensed already!) The question is kind of pointless without an example. – mattdm Apr 16 '15 at 00:48
  • @mattdm I understand what you are saying but I don't collect photos of other people and now I don't even remember well enough what the original photo looked like. Sorry. – Aquarius_Girl Apr 16 '15 at 00:54

1 Answers1

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White balance is all relative. Light (natural or artificial) varies in colour and your eyes are used to adjusting it. It's amazing how an image can seem fine until you see another image with a different white balance and it suddenly looks wrong. Even the background colour of the page holding the image or frame can influence how colour balance is perceived.

With this is mind there is no correct white balance. The only sense in which the white balance can be "wrong" is relative to the intent of the image. If you intend to create to invoke the feelings of a warm sunny day and your image has a strong blue cast then it is probable that a mistake has been made.

With reference to the image you posted, it is not a documentary photograph but an impressionistic depiction of the scene. In my opinion the colour balance is in keeping with the style and content of the image.

Matt Grum
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    +1! Couldn't have said it better myself. @Anisha: Think of white balance as an artistic tool, much like a painters paintbrush...use it to artistic effect. ;) – jrista Apr 09 '12 at 14:11
  • Try to keep the "chatty comments" down, Anisha. Comments should relate to the question or answer they are posted to. Chatty stuff should go to the chat rooms. – jrista Apr 10 '12 at 15:46
  • @jrista alright, sorry, won't bother again. – Aquarius_Girl Apr 10 '12 at 16:53
  • @AnishaKaul: No idea what jrista is talking about! Please don't stop thanking people for taking the time to answer your question; it is after all only polite. TBH I'm surprised he didn't jump in on Rob and AJ who talked about the picture as comments to your original question. – Paul Hadfield Apr 13 '12 at 14:58
  • @Paul Hadfield there was a long sequences of chatty comments following Anisha's thanks, that have been deleted! It doesn't make sense now so I think the other comments should be deleted also (including this one, but not until it's been read, ahhh the joys of moderation). – Matt Grum Apr 13 '12 at 15:51