Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) Practice Exam

What does a CC filter primarily do?

1. Enhance image contrast

2. Correct color balance

3. Reduce light exposure

4. Increase sharpness of the image

The correct answer is: Correct color balance

A CC filter, or Color Correction filter, is primarily used to adjust and correct the color balance in an image. This type of filter comes in various colors and shades and is specifically designed to modify the color temperature of the light entering the camera, ensuring that colors are represented accurately under different lighting conditions. For instance, if you are shooting under tungsten lighting, which casts a warm yellow hue, a CC filter can help to remove that yellow tint, balancing the colors to achieve a more natural look. This correction is crucial in photography, as incorrect color balance can lead to unrealistic skin tones and an overall undesirable color cast in the final image. In contrast, enhancing image contrast typically involves adjusting the exposure and tonal range in post-processing or using other types of filters, while reducing light exposure relates to ND (Neutral Density) filters. Increasing sharpness often means using post-processing techniques or specific sharpening filters. These functions are outside the primary role of a CC filter, which focuses solely on color correction.