Forget The Source, It Is The Temperature: The Shades Of Light
Lighting is a fine art. It can be seen in the pictures of Ansel Adams, the cinematography of Haskell Wexler, and the paintings of Caravaggio. Take away illumination and there is no color, no shadow, no contrast and no art, no science, no plant life, no anything. Light splits the darkness and is the foundation of life and culture. Light is a huge invention. Yet tons of folks treat light like a forgotten mistress. The giant solar orb rises and they can see just fine. The sun goes down and the streetlights come on. The house lights could be candles, incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lights, moon light or the glow of a computer screen. The natural lighting of the sun, fluorescent lighting, and the glare of a bulb all illuminate, but they are not the same. Light has a degree of tonal color. Artists, cinematographers and designers are very aware of the color temperature of lights. Proffesionals use them to great affect. Understanding color temperature is a key tool for any artist or designer.
Color temperature is discussed in terms of hot and cold. The warmest temperatures run in the reddish hues, the coolest in the bluish hue. Average person on the street associate heat with color, thinking the hottest light source would produce the warmest colors. The opposite is occurs. Solar light has blue tones and a candle has red tones. A candle is perhaps the easiest way to understand this range of tones. The section of the flame that is hottest is the part closet to the burning surface. This part of the flame is usually blue. The edge of the flame is yellow, orange and sometimes even a bit red. This can also be illustrated in the passing of the sun. In the cooler hours of the day, the rising or setting sun is red, while the noon day sun beats down hot and blue. Our eyes see the daylight as white and therein exists the challenge in photography, cinematography and design.
The human eye operates like one of the best filters ever created. In any given situation, the eye and the brain work together to produce the interpretation of color tone. A room with white walls lit by tungsten lightbulbs will appear white. During the day the same wall still seems to be white. The human eye and the brain adjust. This is demonstrated when taking a photograph with the camera white balanced incorrectly. If it is white balanced for sunlight and the room is illuminated by tungsten light it will appear very yellow. If it is white balanced for tungsten bulbs and shot under sunlit conditions the picture will appear very blue.
Cinematographers, artists and designers all take into account color temperature. The paint on the wall whatever color it is, will change tone with various lights. A good designer will always check a color of paint in tandem with the source of light. Different chromatic shades help set a tone and a mood. Even when a person believes they are looking at white, the body reacts to the warm and cool tones.
Knowing color temperature is a helpful tool for anyone interested in art or home design.
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