White balance in underwater photography
White balance is one of the adjustments that changes an underwater photograph the most. It is also one of the easiest ways to ruin it when it is used to compensate for colour information that is no longer there.
What happens to colour underwater
Red light is absorbed before orange and yellow. The more water there is between the surface, subject and camera, the less warm information reaches the sensor.
Use a neutral reference
Whenever possible, begin with the eyedropper on a neutral area. A real grey or a non-clipped white gives you a starting point adapted to that particular photograph.
Temperature and tint do different jobs
Temperature works on the cool–warm axis. Tint works on the green–magenta axis. Green water often needs some tint correction, while deeper scenes are usually more affected by the loss of warm wavelengths.
When white balance is not enough
At greater depth without artificial light, there may simply not be enough red information left. Forcing white balance creates noise and strange colours. A moderate correction combined with selective colour, contrast and local adjustments is usually better.
Open Abyssal, choose the preset closest to your scene and adjust its intensity before changing the manual controls.
Open free editorFrequently asked questions
Where should I click with the eyedropper?
Choose a surface that was grey, white or neutral in the real scene and is not overexposed.
Can I use one white balance for an entire dive?
Only as a starting point. Depth, orientation and subject distance change the light even during the same dive.
Why does my correction turn magenta?
It usually means the green compensation or warm-colour recovery has gone too far.