Digital booths
White balance is a camera adjustment, not a property of the light
A light source has a spectrum; white balance changes how the camera renders it.
A warm-looking strip may be caused by the booth light, automatic camera processing or both. Separating the illumination from white balance makes colour tests more repeatable.
Keep the terms distinct
Colour temperature is one description of a light source’s appearance; it does not capture every spectral characteristic. White balance is a camera or editing adjustment that aims to render a neutral reference as neutral under the captured light.
Evidence: Camera manufacturer guide
Use a neutral reference
Place a neutral grey or white reference at the subject position and capture it under the booth’s actual light. Set or sample white balance from that reference, then photograph skin and coloured clothing. A white wall in another room is not a substitute for the light falling on the subject.
Lock the sequence
If the phone chooses auto white balance for each frame, a changing background can make skin shift across a strip. Lock white balance where supported or keep the scene lighting fixed. Record the light and setting, and avoid correcting each frame by eye before comparing them.
Evidence: Imaging software documentation
Sources & further reading
Sources for the specific facts and product descriptions above. Our worked examples, interpretations and practical suggestions are original editorial guidance.
- Nikon, Flash Points: The Control of LightCamera manufacturer guide
- Adobe, Histogram and Clipping in Camera RawImaging software documentation