Colour accuracy is a cornerstone of great photography. However, when capturing images, the lighting conditions can sometimes throw off the white balance, making your photos look too warm (yellow/orange) or too cool (blue).
This can detract from the realism and emotional impact of your image.
Fortunately, tools like the White Balance Selector in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop’s Camera RAW make correcting white balance both quick and precise.
Here’s everything you need to know about why and how to use this tool effectively.
What Is White Balance and Why Is It Important?
White balance adjusts the colours in an image to ensure that whites appear neutral and other colours are true to life.
Different light sources—such as sunlight, incandescent bulbs, or fluorescent lighting—have varying colour temperatures, which can shift the appearance of colours in your photo.
For example:
- Too Warm: Images may appear overly yellow or orange when shot under incandescent lighting.
- Too Cool: Photos might look bluish when taken in shaded areas or under overcast skies.
Using the White Balance Selector ensures that your colours are rendered naturally, enhancing the overall quality and appeal of your photos.
When to Use the White Balance Selector
You might want to use the White Balance Selector tool when:
- The Colour Temperature is Off: If your image looks unnatural or doesn’t accurately represent the scene’s colours.
- Shooting in Mixed Lighting: When your image has multiple light sources with different colour temperatures.
- Improving Skin Tones: To make portraits look more natural and flattering.
- Editing RAW Images: RAW files retain more colour information, giving you greater flexibility to adjust white balance without quality loss.
How the White Balance Selector Tool Works
The White Balance Selector tool (often called the “eyedropper”) is designed to neutralise colour casts by selecting a neutral reference point in the image—typically something that should be a pure white or neutral grey.
The software adjusts the image’s overall colour balance based on this reference point.
Using the White Balance Selector Tool in Lightroom
Open the image in Lightroom’s Develop Module, select your image in the Library Module and switch to the Develop Module.
Find the White Balance panel on the right-hand panel, and locate the Basic Panel, where you’ll see options for Temperature and Tint.
Activate the White Balance Selector tool and click the eyedropper icon next to the white balance settings.
Select a neutral area by hovering the eyedropper over an area in the image that should be neutral white or grey.
For example:
- A white shirt
- Gray pavement
- Cloudy skies
Click to set the white balance. Lightroom will adjust the Temperature and Tint sliders automatically to correct the colour balance.
Fine-tune if necessary after applying the adjustment, you can manually tweak the Temperature and Tint sliders to achieve your desired look.
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Using the White Balance Selector Tool in Photoshop Camera RAW
Open the RAW file in Photoshop, which will automatically launch Camera RAW.
Locate the White Balance panel in the Basic tab of Camera RAW, and find the White Balance settings, including Temperature, Tint, and the White Balance Selector Tool (eyedropper icon).
Activate the White Balance Selector tool click the eyedropper icon in the toolbar or press the shortcut I to activate the tool.
Select a neutral reference point just like in Lightroom, and click on an area of the image that should be neutral white or grey. Camera RAW will automatically adjust the Temperature and Tint sliders.
Use the sliders to make any additional tweaks to achieve the perfect colour balance.
Tips for Choosing a Neutral Reference
Avoid highlighted or shadowed Areas. These can skew the colour balance, as they may not be truly neutral.
Zoom in as this allows for a more precise selection of small neutral areas. Using a Grey Card when shooting makes finding a neutral point in post-processing much easier.
While correcting white balance ensures accurate colours, don’t be afraid to adjust the settings creatively for artistic effect.
For example:
- Warm up an image slightly to enhance sunset tones.
- Cool down an image for a frosty, wintery feel.
Conclusion
The White Balance Selector tool in Lightroom and Photoshop Camera RAW is an essential feature for every photographer. It not only corrects inaccurate colour temperatures but also enhances the overall quality and emotional impact of your images.
With just a few clicks, you can transform an overly warm or cool photo into a masterpiece that reflects the true beauty of the scene.
Whether you’re editing travel photos, portraits, or landscapes, mastering this tool will elevate your photography and bring your images to life with stunning, true-to-life colours.
