Why do white objects turn blue in photos taken in shade or window light?
Asked 9/19/2017
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Sometimes my smartphone photos show white objects or white backgrounds with a blue tint, especially indoors using natural light from a window when the sun isn’t directly visible. Under similar lighting, one photo may look normal and the next may look bluish. I’ve seen this on more than one phone, so I’m wondering: what is this effect called, why does it happen, and can it also happen with regular cameras?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
51
This is called a color cast.
As others have said, it is a result of an incorrect white-balance. Your camera is assuming that light is of a different color than it is and is compensating for that, resulting in a color cast.
It can happen with any camera. Some Automatic White-Balance systems are better than others. A long time ago, some cameras had dedicated WB sensors which make them less prone to this. Most cameras though allow the WB to be set or even read from the scene, which is called Custom WB, to get results without a color cast.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
8y ago
0
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This is usually a blue color cast caused by incorrect white balance (or color temperature) selection.
In shade or indirect window light, the light can be cooler/bluer than your camera expects. If the phone’s auto white balance guesses wrong, whites stop looking neutral and shift blue. Small changes from shot to shot can happen because auto white balance reevaluates the scene each time.
Yes, this can happen with any camera, including DSLRs and mirrorless cameras, not just phones. Some cameras handle automatic white balance better than others, but all can be fooled, especially in mixed light or dim diffuse light.
How to avoid or fix it:
- Set white balance manually if your camera app allows it.
- Use a custom white balance when possible.
- Edit later in any photo editor and warm the image / correct white balance.
- Be extra careful when shooting in shade, indirect daylight, or mixed lighting.
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