Fotog Tip: Warm Up those Tones

Have you ever noticed that your shots sometimes have a cool, clammy
feel to them? If so, you're not alone. The default white balance
setting for digital cameras is auto, which is fine for most snapshots, but tends to be a bit on the "cool" side.

When shooting outdoor portraits and sunny landscapes, try changing your white balance setting from auto to cloudy.
That's right, cloudy. Why? This adjustment is like putting a mild
warming filter on your camera. It increases the reds and yellows
resulting in richer, warmer pictures.

Figure1a

Figure 1a is shot outdoors in a mountain
environment with the white balance set to auto. Figure 1b shows warmer
tones thanks to using the "cloudy" setting and a pair of Costa Del Mar
sunglasses over the front lens. (Canon PowerShot S200, Program mode)

Figure 1b

If you don't believe me, then do a test. Take a few outdoor shots with the white balance on auto, then take the same picture again with the setting on cloudy. Upload the images to your computer and look at them side by side. My guess is that you'll like the warmer image better.