Overcome the challenges of scenes featuring both warm and cool light sources

NATURAL CONTRAST By adjusting the colour balance and blending files, both the cool blue-hour sky and warm street lights are accurately shown

x2 © Peter Fenech

When asked to define mixedsource lighting, many of us may W instantly think of stage lighting, where a variety of different-coloured gelled bulbs placed around the central stage cast a strong, multi-coloured theatrical illumination. However, mixed lighting almost always applies to a much wider spectrum of shooting conditions than expected, many of which can be fairly subtle.

In fact, we tend to encounter mixed light sources every day. If you go outside into the landscape then you will experience some form of mixedcolour lighting structure. Similarly, if you shoot an indoor portrait near a window, with natural light streaming in from one direction, then mixed lighting will impact the colour balance of your photos. Capture a product shot in a restaurant using only ambient lighting and you will still find more than one source impacting your subject.