| Color can be a dominant element in photography, but | | | | perspective. If you want to send a clear dominate |
| not always for the better. If you use colorsloppily; just | | | | message in you image, youshould strongly consider a |
| because it's there, you have missed its real power. | | | | dominate color. |
| Back in the days of black andwhite, every image had | | | | As we have already mentioned, red is often |
| to stand on its own merits. A red rose for example; | | | | associated with passion and romance. But keep inmind |
| was not automaticallythought of as a passionate shot, | | | | that it can also bring up thoughts of pain and anger. If |
| because there was no color involved. You had to stop | | | | you want to tap into the subconsciousmind of your |
| and think;what makes a rose passionate? You had to | | | | viewer, then you need to be aware of many of the |
| use all the elements and principles of design to makea | | | | associations that people havewith color. For example; |
| shot work. Technically, you still do . . . but when color | | | | In the United States, the color white is often associated |
| enters into the equation it is very easy tolet it do all the | | | | with weddings. |
| work for you. | | | | A bright, colorful cheerful event, right? In Korea, white is |
| We've all heard things like: "Wow, that's a great red | | | | worn at funerals. To them that color isassociated with |
| sunset." Or "I love that cool blue in yourwaterfall." The | | | | death. If you are a MASH fan you will remember this |
| question still remains, would they have liked your shot if | | | | lesson when Max Klingeroffered his Korean Bride to |
| there was no color in it? | | | | be, a beautiful white wedding dress. He didn't exactly |
| Don't get me wrong; I'm all for color, but I consider it a | | | | get the responsehe was expecting. |
| great supporting actor, NOT the star ofthe show. If the | | | | Here is a partial list of some of the things that we |
| only thing you can state about a particular shot is that | | | | often associate with different colors. Rememberto |
| you love the colors, thenyou are guilty of being sloppy | | | | keep cultural and family history in mind as well. |
| with color. | | | | Red = passion and romance or violence and anger. |
| That having been said; far and away the most | | | | Yellow = joy and intelligence or criticism and being |
| powerful force of color is its emotional impact. | | | | scared. |
| In a novel by Irving Stone called "The Origin", Charles | | | | Blue = peace and harmony or fear and depression. |
| Darwin says, "Green is the most restfuland satisfying | | | | Orange = confidence and energy or slowness and |
| of all colors." In that same said novel, Dr. Adam | | | | pain (fire) |
| Sedwick replies, "You're right;green is the color to | | | | Purple = royalty and religious or bruised and beaten. |
| unravel the knots of life's rope. Blue is colder, red more | | | | Green = growth and soothing or envy and greed. |
| explosive,yellow turbulent . . ." | | | | Black = strong and committed or evil and death. |
| The first mistake that most photographers make | | | | White = purity and goodness or cold and distant. |
| when working with color is to assume that itis the | | | | A photograph that has a dominate color has a greater |
| most important factor - even to the exclusion of basic | | | | chance of sticking in the viewers memory,if it was |
| composition. I'm sorry my friend,but that is wrong. | | | | taken correctly to begin with. In other words, having a |
| Regardless of how vivid or exciting a color is that in | | | | dominate color will NOT make upfor poor composition |
| and of itself does notmean it will be a great | | | | to begin with. But if you already have a winner, (good |
| photograph. | | | | composition, good lines,rule of thirds, framing, etc.) then |
| To the extent that it is possible, keep in mind that | | | | the dominate color becomes the icing on the cake. If |
| ideally a photograph should have one dominantcolor. | | | | someonewalks away from your image with a strong |
| Additional colors should appear subordinate to and | | | | emotional experience (good or bad) you can |
| supportive of the main color. Rememberthat different | | | | consideryourself a success (at least with that image). |
| colors invoke different emotions. Some are positive; | | | | Now it's time to go out and do it again, and again,and |
| some are negative dependingon the viewer's | | | | again . . . keep on smiling! |