A strong orange cast can be completely normal in a sunrise photo. White balance is relative: natural light changes color, and our eyes automatically adapt, while a camera recording may look warmer or cooler depending on settings and presentation.

There usually isn’t one single “correct” white balance. What matters is whether the color supports the intent of the image. If the goal is to convey the warmth and mood of sunrise, an overall orange tone may be appropriate. In an expressive or impressionistic image, warmer color is often intentional rather than a mistake.

White balance is more likely to be “wrong” only if it works against what the photo is trying to show—for example, if you wanted a neutral, documentary rendering but the scene looks unnaturally tinted. Also, color can look different depending on surrounding images, page background, or framing, so perception is easily influenced.

So yes: for a sunrise scene, warm orange tones are normal, and they are not necessarily a white-balance problem.