Auto White Balance
Custom White Balance
Ever wondered how to correct the orange cast over the images you shot at dinner functions without flash? Look in your digital camera's white balance menu, and you should be able to find something like "custom set".
When you select that function, a small box will appear (for Panasonic digital cameras). Aim the box at an object you know to be white under normal lighting conditions and depress the shutter button. Do note that the white object should fill up at least 70% of the box. This becomes your white reference point for all images in the same lighting condition.
As with the example above, the image shot with auto white balance was warmer than the one shot on custom. The issue with custom white balances is that you have to change them every time the lighting changes, else the colours will come out really weird. So my advice would be to leave it on auto, and use the custom white balance only when you are shooting indoors with warm lighting and without flash.
Cheers!
geraldtay