“Natural” warm candle light

Terence Morris · November 1st, 2022, 11:13 PM

Curious how members might approach this to achieve a warm looking low-light candle-lit scene. Should I balance accurately in camera then boost the color temp towards daylight in post to tilt towards orange, or balance for daylight in camera so that the warm orange shift is baked in? Using a C100MkII and candles motivated gently with LED light set to around 2700k. Thanks.

Christopher Young · November 2nd, 2022, 03:36 AM

For situations like that, I would normally dial in a WB setting while watching a good reference monitor I trust. Just dial up and down the K (Kelvin) range on the Joystick. From memory, that involves pressing the WB button and then using the joystick to change the mode to the" K", Kelvin setting. Then just adjusting your color temp to what looks good to suit the mood you are trying to create.

If I was doing in post, I use Resolve, I would, or often do use the Qualifier - HSL tool, to qualify skin tones as I might want an overall warming of the scene but maybe not as much warmth in the skin tones. Or vice a versa, maybe warmer skin tones than the rest of the scene warmth.

Chris Young

Terence Morris · November 2nd, 2022, 11:16 AM

Hi, Chris. I did a dry run, pretty much as you described in camera by eye. Had the camera WB around 5000k, probably too much and I need to experiment. Thanks for your input.

Christopher Young · November 4th, 2022, 03:24 AM

The art of art, experimentation. That's half the fun :)

Chris Young

Ryan Elder · March 8th, 2023, 08:53 PM

It seems that once you go below around 3200 kelvin there is not enough red left in the kelvin temperature and your subjects skin tone will become pale and desaturated at that point. So I would shoot at 3200 kelvin and either embrace the candelight being orange on the subjects, or I would shoot with 3200 kelvin lights, and use that as the motivating light for the candlelight in the scene, if that makes sense.

Brian Drysdale · March 12th, 2023, 06:22 AM

Having a range of CTO (1/4, 1/2, full) lighting gels allows you to experiment with changing the colour temperature of lights, combined with a range of CTB gels, it's easy to create natural effects. Using an on set monitor, you can see the effect in real time. Some LED lights have adjustable colour temperature settings.

Candles have a colour temperature of around 1,900 degrees K.

November 1st, 2022, 11:13 PM	#1
Terence Morris Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 131	“Natural” warm candle light - white balance? Curious how members might approach this to achieve a warm looking low-light candle-lit scene. Should I balance accurately in camera then boost the color temp towards daylight in post to tilt towards orange, or balance for daylight in camera so that the warm orange shift is baked in? Using a C100MkII and candles motivated gently with LED light set to around 2700k. Thanks.

November 2nd, 2022, 03:36 AM	#2
Christopher Young Trustee Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,570	Re: “Natural” warm candle light - white balance? For situations like that, I would normally dial in a WB setting while watching a good reference monitor I trust. Just dial up and down the K (Kelvin) range on the Joystick. From memory, that involves pressing the WB button and then using the joystick to change the mode to the" K", Kelvin setting. Then just adjusting your color temp to what looks good to suit the mood you are trying to create. If I was doing in post, I use Resolve, I would, or often do use the Qualifier - HSL tool, to qualify skin tones as I might want an overall warming of the scene but maybe not as much warmth in the skin tones. Or vice a versa, maybe warmer skin tones than the rest of the scene warmth. Chris Young

November 2nd, 2022, 11:16 AM	#3
Terence Morris Regular Crew Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 131	Re: “Natural” warm candle light - white balance? Hi, Chris. I did a dry run, pretty much as you described in camera by eye. Had the camera WB around 5000k, probably too much and I need to experiment. Thanks for your input.

November 4th, 2022, 03:24 AM	#4
Christopher Young Trustee Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 1,570	Re: “Natural” warm candle light - white balance? The art of art, experimentation. That's half the fun :) Chris Young

March 8th, 2023, 08:53 PM	#5
Ryan Elder also known as Ryan Wray Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Saskatoon, Canada Posts: 2,888	Re: “Natural” warm candle light - white balance? It seems that once you go below around 3200 kelvin there is not enough red left in the kelvin temperature and your subjects skin tone will become pale and desaturated at that point. So I would shoot at 3200 kelvin and either embrace the candelight being orange on the subjects, or I would shoot with 3200 kelvin lights, and use that as the motivating light for the candlelight in the scene, if that makes sense.

March 12th, 2023, 06:22 AM	#6
Brian Drysdale Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Belfast, UK Posts: 6,152	Re: “Natural” warm candle light - white balance? Having a range of CTO (1/4, 1/2, full) lighting gels allows you to experiment with changing the colour temperature of lights, combined with a range of CTB gels, it's easy to create natural effects. Using an on set monitor, you can see the effect in real time. Some LED lights have adjustable colour temperature settings. Candles have a colour temperature of around 1,900 degrees K.