Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Practice Exam

During which condition does daylight have a color temperature of 5,000-6,500 K?

1. Clear sky at noon

2. Shade or overcast sky

3. Dusk or dawn

4. Night with artificial lighting

The correct answer is: Clear sky at noon

Daylight exhibits a color temperature of 5,000-6,500 K during conditions where the sun is high in the sky, typically observed on a clear day at noon. This range reflects the quality of daylight when the sun's rays are direct and have minimal atmospheric diffusion, resulting in brighter and bluer light. In contrast, other scenarios, such as shades or overcast skies, tend to have a lower color temperature due to the softening effect of clouds and shadows which diffuse the sunlight and add a warmer tone to the light. During dusk or dawn, the color temperature drops as the sun is below the horizon and the light takes on warmer hues, often ranging below 5,000 K. Lastly, night conditions with artificial lighting will generally have even lower color temperatures depending on the types of artificial light used (e.g. incandescent or fluorescent), which can also vary widely in color quality.