Maximum Yield USA December 2016 | Page 78

WHO IS THIS KELVIN GUY ?
As you can see , candlelight , which is toward the red end of the visual spectrum , has a lower kelvin rating or range than light on the white or blue end of the spectrum , such as that produced by a fluorescent fixture in an office building . This is another way in which kelvin can be confusing . In color psychology , humans tend to associate blue hues with cooler environments , often defining them as calmer , chillier shades . However , blue has a higher kelvin rating and color temperature than that of red , orange , or yellow light . Going back to our incandescent filament example , a white or blue filament is hotter than a red or yellow one .
Color Temperature and Visible Light Wavelengths
It may seem possible to convert light wavelengths to color temperatures . However , the relationship between the two isn ’ t as intuitive as it might appear . Visible light within the electromagnetic spectrum — that is , all the colors of the rainbow — has a wavelength range of 390-700 nanometers ( nm ). For example , blue light has a wavelength of around 475 nm and red light has a wavelength of about 650 nm . Color temperature ratings , however , don ’ t represent a single wavelength value . These ratings actually contain many , many wavelengths that collectively appear as a particular hue .

“ It may seem possible to

convert light wavelengths to color temperatures . However , the relationship between the two isn ’ t as intuitive as it might appear .

76 Maximum Yield USA | December 2016