Learn Digital Photography - Understanding Colour in Photography
The appropriate use of colour in any photography adds a dynamic element to your images that is very pleasing to the eye.
So the correct use of it will allow you to create photographs to be proud of.
Bold colours and bright composition in your photos result in images that sell.
So use colour to your advantage.
I have always used strong colours in my images too good effect allowing the image to speak to the viewer.
We think and feel in colour which makes it obvious that well utilised colour will draw the eye of the viewer.
Here are some keys to understanding and using colour more effectively in your photos.
1.
Dominant colour At one stage I thought that filling the frame with lots of bold colours would make a dramatic image.
Not so.
Colours that clash cause confusion to the eye and results in a poor image.
Too many clashing colours is like multiple focal points causing the eye to dart around the image not sure what to look at first or focus on.
Rather choose one dominant colour which becomes the focal point of the image and draws the eye of the viewer to it immediately.
The greater the intensity of the colour the more it's going to dominate so be careful that your subject in an image has the dominant colour, otherwise a secondary subject could overshadow it because it has a dominating colour.
2.
Colour isolation It's very important to isolate colours when trying to create a dramatic image.
Using a telephoto or zoom lens will allow you to isolate a particular part of a scene that has a striking colour or combination of colours.
Another technique is to use your feet and change the angle of view so that the colour is isolated from its surroundings.
Getting in closer helps and allows you to combine colours that are more interesting and work well together, e.
g.
contrasting or complimentary colours.
3.
Advancing colours This was an interesting concept the first time I read about it.
Colours at the warm end of the colour spectrum stand out and demand more of our attention.
They are said to be advancing colours.
Take red for example, it is strong and bold and when viewed in an image tends to dominate through its boldness and rich colour.
You'll notice how strong it is when you have a scene that has only a little red, like a postbox, and yet it still has a dominating effect on the overall image.
Yellows and oranges have a similar effect although they aren't as strong as red.
So be aware of advancing colours so that they work for you and don't upset an image.
Another example would be a bridal scene where a red object is part of the image.
It will take the attention off the bride so be aware of this.
4.
Receding colours This concept is opposite to advancing colours.
They take a background role and are more like supporting actors in a film cast.
They like the background and add to the scene creating beautiful images.
This is why blues and greens, the more cooler colours, work so well as backgrounds.
They recede into the distance and help other colours stand out.
Large areas of blue sky do this together with rolling green hills.
Use them effectively and you will have great photos.
If you are prepared to take these techniques and incorporate them into your photography on a regular basis as you learn digital photography more effectively and the resulting images will improve dramatically.
Happy shooting!
So the correct use of it will allow you to create photographs to be proud of.
Bold colours and bright composition in your photos result in images that sell.
So use colour to your advantage.
I have always used strong colours in my images too good effect allowing the image to speak to the viewer.
We think and feel in colour which makes it obvious that well utilised colour will draw the eye of the viewer.
Here are some keys to understanding and using colour more effectively in your photos.
1.
Dominant colour At one stage I thought that filling the frame with lots of bold colours would make a dramatic image.
Not so.
Colours that clash cause confusion to the eye and results in a poor image.
Too many clashing colours is like multiple focal points causing the eye to dart around the image not sure what to look at first or focus on.
Rather choose one dominant colour which becomes the focal point of the image and draws the eye of the viewer to it immediately.
The greater the intensity of the colour the more it's going to dominate so be careful that your subject in an image has the dominant colour, otherwise a secondary subject could overshadow it because it has a dominating colour.
2.
Colour isolation It's very important to isolate colours when trying to create a dramatic image.
Using a telephoto or zoom lens will allow you to isolate a particular part of a scene that has a striking colour or combination of colours.
Another technique is to use your feet and change the angle of view so that the colour is isolated from its surroundings.
Getting in closer helps and allows you to combine colours that are more interesting and work well together, e.
g.
contrasting or complimentary colours.
3.
Advancing colours This was an interesting concept the first time I read about it.
Colours at the warm end of the colour spectrum stand out and demand more of our attention.
They are said to be advancing colours.
Take red for example, it is strong and bold and when viewed in an image tends to dominate through its boldness and rich colour.
You'll notice how strong it is when you have a scene that has only a little red, like a postbox, and yet it still has a dominating effect on the overall image.
Yellows and oranges have a similar effect although they aren't as strong as red.
So be aware of advancing colours so that they work for you and don't upset an image.
Another example would be a bridal scene where a red object is part of the image.
It will take the attention off the bride so be aware of this.
4.
Receding colours This concept is opposite to advancing colours.
They take a background role and are more like supporting actors in a film cast.
They like the background and add to the scene creating beautiful images.
This is why blues and greens, the more cooler colours, work so well as backgrounds.
They recede into the distance and help other colours stand out.
Large areas of blue sky do this together with rolling green hills.
Use them effectively and you will have great photos.
If you are prepared to take these techniques and incorporate them into your photography on a regular basis as you learn digital photography more effectively and the resulting images will improve dramatically.
Happy shooting!
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