I'm going to be lighting mostly metal prints at an outdoor show that runs mainly in the day, but some after dark as well.
I'm having a hard time finding info on what LED color temperature is best for lighting photography, specifically metal prints. Most of the light setups I was looking at run bulbs around 5500k - 6500k, but I've seen others mention using temps down in the 2500k - 3000k range.
What color temp are you photographers out there running?
Replies
Ryan, I realize now that my first reply was more of a response to the earlier responses, and really doesn't answer your question. I don't currently use LED's so I don't have a direct answer to your question.
A big issue with addressing this question is that everyone's eyes see color differently. Even though we can identify the color temp., there is still the unknown variable of how it *looks* to your eyes, or mine, or the customers' eyes. We're all different.
That said, here's a basic explanation coming from someone with years of professional photography behind him. 5500-6500K is considered to be "daylight". As such it will appear very bright but at the same time, cool in color. Psychologically, a cooler temp of light will not, to many people, invoke feelings of homeyness or being "inviting"...warm, if you will. As you move down the scale to a lower number, that sense increases. "Warm" light, or a lower color temp., will not only look warmer in color (yellower or more toward orange) it will also be a bit more pleasing emotionally, at least to many people. How "accurate" the color is rendered under certain lighting might be a different issue from how that color of light makes someone "feel".
Thus, a happy middle ground could be the answer. If you forced me to pick a number not knowing anything else, I'd say roughly 4300-4500K might be a safe bet. It won't look perfect to everyone, but that range might be the least offensive to most people.
But there are so many factors, there can be no one, single right answer given here. Even the color of your panel walls will absolutely be picked up by your artwork.
Personal preference is the best way to go. The reason I say this is because you'll be all geared up with someone else's suggestion and then you might not like the result. I also don't know many folks who light their homes with daylight kelvin temp bulbs. So I steer away from using daylight kelvin to light my work. Granted, it isn't photography, but I don't think that fact matters.
I prefer 3500K. My wife prefers a warmer 2700K. We use individual picture lights attached to the back of the frames when lighting is necessary at a show.
You might consider thinking about what your customers will like. And that might lead you to install two different lighting schemes in your booth so that you can switch from one color temp to the other depending upon your customer's preference. Some folks might like your suggestions and knowledge about lighting, too. They may come in to the booth without a clue and be thankful that you've given them some options to consider for their home or wherever.
I am using 3500k, slightly on the warm side of neutral. I would have preferred 4000k but the bulbs I liked best didn't come in a 4000 option. Here's a visual comparison of some commonly available LED temps, though of course depending on monitor calibration it is not going to be exact: http://consumers.satco.com/customer/en/portal/articles/2284224-colo...