Why do some color film photos come out too warm or too blue indoors?
Asked 6/27/2013
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A friend borrowed my Minolta X-570 and shot her first roll of Kodak 400 color film. After developing, a few photos look normal, but many indoor shots have strong color casts: some look very tan/orange, while others look blue/cold. A couple also seem grainy, and I suspect they may be underexposed. What typically causes these kinds of color shifts on color film indoors? Is it mainly the lighting, underexposure, film/developing issues, or a combination?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
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There are lots of factors that affect the white balance in film photography:
light present in the scene
exposure (time, ISO, filters)
temperature, time, solution conditions, etc. while developing film
temperature, time, solution conditions, etc. while developing prints
age of film
It looks like the first shot you posted was taken with tungsten lights -- the door is probably white, but looks yellow/orange. The second shot is in some sort of library, so probably fluorescent lighting. Fluorescent lights used to have a sort of green cast to them, but newer ones that are supposed to simulate daylight often look bluish. The shots are both pretty grainy due in part to the 400 speed film, but probably also due to being underexposed.
Originally by user4262. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4262
13y ago
0
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It’s usually a combination, but indoor lighting is the main reason for those strong color casts.
Color film is balanced for a certain light color. Tungsten/incandescent light often makes photos look warm yellow/orange, while some fluorescent lighting can shift greenish or bluish. So two indoor scenes lit by different bulbs can look very different even on the same roll.
Underexposure can make the problem look worse. With ISO 400 film, underexposed frames often appear grainier and can show less pleasing color. That matches what you’re seeing.
Other factors can also affect color on film: film age, and processing conditions during development or printing/scanning. But based on the examples, mixed indoor lighting plus some underexposure is the most likely explanation.
So yes: your theory is basically correct. The lighting is probably the primary cause, and underexposure may be contributing to the grainy, off-color look.
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