Everything you need to know about Temperature
Temperature adjusts the overall warmth or coolness of your image by shifting the color balance between orange/yellow (warm) and blue (cool). This simulates changes in lighting color temperature and is essential for white balance correction or creative color styling.
Parameters
- Temperature
Controls the warm/cool balance (-1 to +1). Positive values add warmth by boosting red and reducing blue – mimicking golden hour sunlight or incandescent lighting. Negative values add coolness by reducing red and boosting blue – mimicking shade, overcast skies, or fluorescent lighting. At 0, no change is applied.
How It Works
The filter adjusts the red and blue channels in opposite directions. Warming increases red while decreasing blue; cooling does the reverse. The green channel remains unchanged, acting as a neutral anchor. This simple approach effectively simulates color temperature shifts.
Temperature Values
- -1.0 – Maximum cooling (strong blue cast)
- -0.3 to -0.5 – Cool tones (shade, overcast)
- 0 – No change (neutral)
- +0.3 to +0.5 – Warm tones (golden hour, sunset)
- +1.0 – Maximum warming (strong orange cast)
Tips
- Use small adjustments (±0.1 to ±0.3) for natural white balance correction
- Warm up portraits slightly (+0.1 to +0.2) for flattering skin tones
- Cool down images for a modern, clinical, or melancholic mood
- Combine with Tint for complete white balance control (temperature + green/magenta)