Using Color in Your Photography
Black and white photography gets its fair share of attention, but not many photographers focus on color in their images much further than, “Oh, that’s pretty.” As black and white photography can be dramatic and striking, so, too, can color photography, especially when under the direction of an informed (or very lucky) camera person.
- Firstly, it’s important whether you are going for color or black and white photography to always shoot in color. A camera can interpret a scene—colors, light, shadows, etc.—better than can any photo editing program. Go in with Photoshop afterward to play with saturation and shadows if you’re striving for black and white.
- Don’t be greedy; instead, choose a dominant color to focus on rather than an entire array. A sea of varying colors can be exciting and pretty, but very rarely are they more pleasing to the eye than an image that has one dominant color. With so many colors, we blink back and forth and take more time to realize the subject and nature of the image because our eyes don’t know where to look first. The focal point of the image is lost amidst so much color-chaos, and if a viewer doesn’t know what the image is about, it’s likely that the image won’t be appreciated.
- Know the difference between advancing and receding colors. The colors to which your eyes tend to be drawn—red, orange, yellow, the ones on the warm end of the color spectrum—are advancing colors. They’re bold, arresting, and eye-catching. They’re the reasons red lights mean stop (get it, “arresting”?) and why traffic signs (the ones signifying construction, no U-turns, or crosswalks) are yellow with black symbols.
Meanwhile, receding colors are at the cool end of the spectrum—blue, purple, green. These colors tend to signify relaxation, mystery, or calmness, and therefore let advancing colors take center stage when in the same frame. Try to look for scenes in which receding colors are in the background and advancing colors are in the foreground or serve as the focal point. For example, look for a blue or gray sky when standing in front of a yellow sign, or look for red structures or flowers in a green forest.
Don’t forget that you can use programs like Photoshop to single out certain colors and fade or completely desaturate the rest; if done right, this can have a startlingly beautiful effect. Black and white photography has its place, but you can use colors to your advantage, too.
Bio: Maria Rainier is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education, where recently she’s been researching different types of mechanical engineering degree programs and blogging about student life. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.
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