White balance decides whether whites look white. When it is wrong, a photo can look too blue in shade, too orange indoors, or too green under fluorescent light, even when exposure and composition are right. Photomator on iPhone lets you set a custom white balance, so you can correct the cast for the light you were actually in, rather than relying on an automatic guess.
This guide explains how to set custom white balance in Photomator on iPhone, how to judge it by eye, and how to keep it consistent across a set of photos. The goal is natural, believable colour, with skin tones that look healthy and whites that look clean.
Understand white balance and colour casts
Different light sources have different colour temperatures. Daylight is relatively neutral, shade is cooler and bluer, tungsten light is warm and orange, and some artificial lights add a green cast. The camera’s automatic white balance tries to neutralise these casts, but it can be fooled by a dominant colour in the scene, such as a large blue sky or a red wall.
A custom white balance lets you tell Photomator what should be neutral in the photo. In Photomator on iPhone, you can adjust temperature and tint until whites and greys look neutral, using a neutral reference in the photo where one is available, such as white clothing, a grey wall, or a white surface. Check skin tones and familiar colours as a sanity check after each adjustment.
Set a custom white balance in Photomator
Open the photo in Photomator and go to the white balance controls. Start with a preset that matches the light, such as daylight, shade, or tungsten, then refine it manually. Move the temperature slider until whites look neither too blue nor too orange, then adjust tint until any green or magenta cast is gone. Work gradually, and compare the before and after often, as a small change can make a large difference.
If the photo is a RAW file, you have more room to adjust white balance without damage, so take advantage of it. If it is a JPEG, the adjustment is still useful, but be more restrained, as heavy shifts can introduce banding or colour artefacts. Check the result at full size, looking at whites, skin tones, and the overall mood of the photo.
Mixed light and skin tones
Mixed light is the hardest white balance problem. A room lit by both daylight from a window and warm artificial light will have different casts in different areas, and no single white balance will neutralise both. In Photomator, choose a compromise white balance that keeps the main subject, usually the people, looking natural, and use masking to refine areas that still carry a cast, such as a window or a shadowed corner.
Skin tones are the best guide. If skin looks too orange, the photo is too warm. If it looks grey or blue, it is too cool. If it looks green, adjust tint. Keep skin tones natural and healthy, avoiding an overly pink or overly yellow result, and check the photo on more than one device if you can, as displays differ.
Consistency, presets and export
For a set of photos taken in the same light, keep white balance consistent. In Photomator, set a custom white balance on one representative photo, save it as a starting preset, and apply it across the set, then refine each photo for its own light. A consistent white balance makes a set feel coherent, whether it is a family gathering, a wedding, or a day of travel photos.
Export at full quality and keep a high-quality master. When you are reading other Photomator how-to guides, you will see the same advice. White balance is the foundation of colour, and getting it right early makes every later edit easier.
Frequently asked questions
What is custom white balance?
Custom white balance is a manual white balance setting you choose for the light in the photo, rather than an automatic guess. In Photomator, you adjust temperature and tint until whites and greys look neutral, using a neutral reference in the photo where one is available.
Why does automatic white balance get it wrong?
Automatic white balance can be fooled by a dominant colour in the scene, such as a large blue sky or a red wall, or by mixed light. A custom setting lets you correct for the light you were actually in, with skin tones and whites as your guide.
Should I set white balance before other edits?
Yes. Set white balance early, before detailed colour adjustments, so every later decision is based on neutral colour. Check skin tones and familiar colours as a sanity check.
Can I fix mixed light with one white balance?
Not fully. Choose a compromise that keeps the main subject natural, and use masking in Photomator to refine areas that still carry a cast, such as a window or a shadowed corner.
Does RAW help with white balance?
Yes. RAW files give more room to adjust white balance without damage. JPEG files can still be adjusted, but be more restrained to avoid banding or colour artefacts.