Understanding White Balance | Mark Wallace

Comments · 272

• ST

  @stephenpezzulich1108 · 4 years ago

  By far the best explanation of white balance I've seen yet! Thank you!

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• BT

  @btwells72 · 3 years ago

  Former print reporter here. I remember going to sometimes remote crime scenes in AZ in the early 2000s, and if there were solo video journalists at the scene (ie, without a crew)  I remember them frequently asking me to hold a blank, white page of my reporter's notebook on camera to check white balance before shooting. I vaguely understood then but now I get it even more thanks to this vid. :)

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• AU

  @augustinechavez4158 · 1 year ago

  I learned photography at the University, but I have always set my camera to AWB because I did not understand it in class, but you explained it so well and it made a lot of sense. Thank you.

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• PY

  @pygmalionsrobot1896 · 3 years ago (edited)

  White balance is very simple and you need to start explaining it in this way. Firstly, your eye automatically adjusts for light intensity. This happens by the action of your pupils opening and closing, it happens automatically. Ok, well ... your brain does the SAME EXACT THING (inside your mind) when processing color that you perceive. In other words, your brain is automatically adjusting for white balance all the time. This is part of your biology and your mind, just like your pupils opening and closing. Ok, so you can be in an environment where the light has a strong color, and when you look at a white piece of paper you will see white, i.e. you will 'experience" white, because your brain interpreted it to be white. In fact, it may be green, red, blue, whatever. But your brain is set to Auto-WhiteBalance (you cannot turn it off). So, what you THINK you are seeing does actually appear white, when in fact it is an ILLUSION. That is what your BRAIN is doing, but a camera is not a brain, it's an dumb instrument, and it can see what is really genuinely there. So when you see a picture and the colors look wacky, your eyes may have been tricked to think that the light appeared to be ok ... but the camera will see the actual light as it really is. This difference proves that your mind is making this auto-adjustment. Ok ... now that you know WHY this thing exists, you can follow this guy's advice on how to adjust the cam to set white bal properly. You're welcome. By the way, the brain does this kind of weird auto-adjust for all 5 senses. Hope that helps.

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• MC

  @mctarpha · 4 years ago

  So far this is the simplest and must comprehendible video I've seen about white balance

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• JN

  @JNR-7.7.7 · 4 years ago (edited)

  Mark is probably THE most understandable online tutor i have seen in a long time. Always great to see Mark!

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• PA

  @paulshelbourne1690 · 1 year ago

  Finally, a video in WB that’s simple and comprehensive. Thank you.

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• EN

  @entrigueall2661 · 4 years ago

  Peace be with you. Thanks for the video.

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• SA

  @samsalueng · 4 years ago

  Well for a long time I could never grasp how to use White Balance,, that is until now!. Your teaching is right on point and I can say now that I actually have got the concept and feel with confidence I can apply this to my Photography. Thank you.

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• HU

  @hurleygreen927 · 2 years ago

  APPRECIATE THIS VIDEO...great tips for COLOR BALANCE!

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• KA

  @kathraeber5790 · 4 years ago

  Mark your a great teacher. Thanks so much for sharing.

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• ST

  @steveduffield1 · 3 years ago

  Thank you for explaining white balance in a language that I understand.