What is color temperature and how do you adjust lighting to match a target color temperature?

• A. Color temperature is the warmth or coolness of light measured in Kelvin; adjust with white balance, gels, or by balancing different light sources to a target temperature.
• B. Color temperature determines the aperture setting.
• C. Color temperature is a property of lens focal length.
• D. Color temperature only matters for video.

Answer: (A)

Color temperature is the warmth or coolness of light, measured in Kelvin. Light from tungsten sources is warm (about 2700–3000K), while daylight is cooler (roughly 5000–6500K). To match a target color temperature, you adjust the scene and/or your camera so the colors look correct. You can set the camera’s white balance to the chosen temperature, so the sensor interprets colors properly. You can also change the lighting itself, using gels to shift a light toward warmer or cooler tones, or balance different light sources so they share a common temperature. When multiple lights are involved, balancing them prevents color casts and keeps whites and skin tones natural.

Knowing how color temperature works helps you control mood and color accuracy across stills and video. The other options don’t fit because color temperature isn’t about aperture, it isn’t tied to lens focal length, and it’s important for both photography and video, not only for video.