White balance: City at night

[funk1196]

What WB should be set for a city at nighttime? especially if i want the sky to be as black as possible?

[FlyingPhotog]

Depends on what light sources are dominant I guess.

Keeping the blacks, black is more a matter of exposure than white balance.

If there are buildings that have neon trim or are lit by large, white floodlights, I'd say those particular buildings should look "correct" to the eye. The rest can just fall where it falls.

[funk1196]

true.... lets say street lights, the ones that are always a calm yellow. .... tungsten?

what about car headlights?

[FlyingPhotog]

true.... lets say street lights, the ones that are always a calm yellow. .... tungsten?

what about car headlights?

I would want to see pretty neutral white headlights I think...

Of course, you get the occassional BMW or Mercedes with the brilliant blue/white headlights but in general, the color of headlights would probably be a pretty good benchmark.

[tony rage]

the times ive done it, ive used Daylight