A PHOTOGRAPHER'S GUIDE TO COLOR
by Ray Guillette
In photography, color is not an element simply to be observed. It should be an integral
part of the creative photographic image. If we have knowledge of color, its physical properties
and emotional effects, we see color differently and become users of color.
Photographers use many different elements such as composition, depth of field,
exposure, subject matter, focus, and filters to create a more striking image. Color, too, should be
added to this list of photographic elements to be used intentionally, artistically, and creatively.
Color awareness allows us to best use these other elements, (composition or design,
exposure, lens and film selection), to enhance the image.
Color adds a magical dimension to a photograph. It has a strong effect on the observer
apart from subject matter and composition. This emotional effect of color is potentially greater
than that of subject matter. At times, color can actually be the subject of the image. Color
awareness can be the difference between a memorable or commonplace image.
I hope this presentation will increase your COLOR AWARENESS and make you a USER
OF COLOR.
BA SIC S: Although color has always been an important part of Man's artistic expression,
it was only approximately 50 years after the Pilgrims came to America that Isaac Newton (1676)
began to describe the physical properties of color. He demonstrated that white light (sunlight),
when passed through a prism, results in the rainbow of colors we call the visible spectrum.
Light is the source of all color. All light has color, no matter what the source of the light is.
Sunlight, considered white light, is a mixture of all the colors we humans can see—the visible
spectrum.
Light is a form of electromagnetic energy which radiates from its source in waves, similar
to the ripples on a pond. The length of the wave determines its color (hue). The visible spectrum
encompasses red/orange (long waves) through blue/violet (short waves). Invisible light (infra-red
or ultra-violet) can contribute photographic illumination by the use of specially sensitive films or
techniques.
Just as a prism separates white light into separate colors, the physical makeup of objects
does also. When sunlight strikes a red apple, all colors are absorbed except red, which is
reflected back to us. Light striking a white egg is not absorbed but is completely reflected. Filters
remove one or more colors and allow a colored light to pass through to the film. A blue filter
absorbs red and green light and allows blue light to pass.
The three PRIMARY COLORS are red, yellow, and blue. These are called primary
because they cannot be produced by mixing other colors. SECONDARY COLORS are
produced by mixing two primary colors-. Yellow and red produce orange, yellow and blue
produce green, and red and blue produce violet.
Colors can be described as COLD or WARM according to the perception of temperature
found in natural substances possessing that color. Warm colors are yellow, orange, or red (sun,
fire). Cold colors are green, blue, and violet (vegetation, ocean, sky).
Warm colors are usually thought of as exciting or active, and cold colors as relaxing or
quiet. This widespread emotional effect is seen in a restful landscape with greens and blues, or
an exciting sunset with a dramatic red/orange sky.
Warm colors have high luminosity or kinetic activity, and seen to advance toward the
viewer. Cool colors seem heavier and retreat from the viewer. Thus, a red or yellow spot of color
on a center of interest can "reach out" to grab the viewer's attention. This kinetic effect of warm
colors is demonstrated by viewing equal-sized warm and cool colored squares on the same dark
background. The warm square appears larger because it is more active and stimulates the
retina to a greater extent.
COMPLEMENTARY AND HARMONIOUS COLORS: Relationships between colors have
strong effects on the viewer. These are demonstrated on a COLOR WHEEL. Colors opposite
each other on the color wheel are called complementary, and those adjacent are called
harmonious.
Complementary color pairs are red and green, orange and blue, yellow and violet.
Johannes Itten defined complementary colors as "opposites which require one another. They
incite each other to maximum vividness when adjacent." In other words, the eye requires any
color to be balanced by its complement, and will produce it automatically if it is not already
present.
Prove this concept to yourself b y staring at a red square on a gray or black
b ackgr ound . A gr een o u tl in e will so on a ppea r aro und th e re d squa re . Now, after
about 30 seconds, close your eyes and see an after -image of green where the red was. This
exercise also shows why black or dark backgrounds produce colors of higher luminosity or
radiance because the complements are always present. This vibrance results from the eye
making rapid adjustments between the different wavelengths of complementary colors.
Harmonious (similar) colors produce a sense of balance, symmetry, and order. Although
personal judgments determine part of this sense of what is harmonious, a few general rules
usually apply: Colors are harmonious if they are similar in 1) hue (color), 2) saturation (intensity),
3) lightness, or 4) luminosity (brightness).
As we observe an image, the presence or lack of a sense of harmony results mainly from
color relationships. This doesn't mean that the endpoint of all photography is a restful image.
Harmony can be present in an exciting image, an image showing action, or one that is highly
stimulating. If similarity between colors makes them harmonious or restful, then th e op pos i te
is also tr ue. Colors which CON TRAST w i th on e an o the r c a n g i ve a d y na mic ,
exc i ting, and ac tive effec t. Colors may con tr as t no t o nl y i n hu e , bu t als o i n
b righ tn ess , s ize , te mpe ra tur e (wa rm/co ol) , o r s har pness .
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF COLORS : C olors in th emse lves pro vok e s tro ng
e mo tio na l res pons es an d ha ve cer ta i n commo nly perc eive d qu alities . Thes e
u niversa l res pons es to c olor ca n b e use d by th e ph o tog rap her to a dd to the
messa ge of th e imag e.
T he co lor R ED su gges ts or s ymb olizes hea t or fire , as we ll as fie r y
e mo tio ns suc h as co ur age , ang er , p assion , a nd a ggr ess ion . It is a ch eer ful
a nd vibr an t co lo r whose r ad ia nce is sec ond on ly to ye llow . It can imp l y ac tivity
o r, a t sun rise and s unse t, peac e . It is a h ard , hea vy co lo r tha t sa ys "n o tice
me!".
BLUE, a c ool color , is found in sky and water . It s ymbolizes hope, peace,
se ren i ty, an d re ga l e le ganc e or d ig nity. It ca n a lso b e a s ad co lo r, su gges ting
loss o r d isa ppo in tmen t. It is us ua lly pass i ve or res tr a in ed . Blue is a dis tan t
a nd r ec ed in g c o lor . In a l ands c a pe , th e d is ta n t e le me n ts ( s k y , m ou n ta ins)
us ua lly lo ok b lu e . Th is is bec ause a tmos phe ric haze sca tters the sh or t
w a v el eng t h b lu e l ig h t , k e ep ing i t in t he d is tanc e .
YELLOW is n ear ly o ppos ite blue o n the c olor w hee l a nd als o on th e
e mo tio na l sca le . It is a ho t ac tive c olor , sug ges ting sp eed . Yellow is bo th
ch eer ful and divin e or p ower ful, symbo lizing g old an d the s un . T he ye llow
( go lde n) l ig h t o f m or n in g or e ven in g g i ves a s ense o f s p le ndo r an d l us ter .
Y e l low is th e m os t act i v e a nd r ef l ec t i ve c o lo r an d is alw a ys pro min en t in a n
image . Ye llow has a gr ea ter e ffec t o n the eye than on film b ecause the re tin a
o f t he e y e is m or e s ens i ti v e to yel l ow tha n an y o the r c ol or . I t is uni qu el y
b righ tes t wh en fu lly sa tura ted , an d un der e xp osur e can ca use it to look mu ddy.
( U s e a p ola r iz er to avo id t his . ) Y e l low pr ese n ts the s a me e xposu r e c h al le ng es
as w hite .
GR EEN , a m i x t ure o f b lu e an d ye l low , is an o the r un iqu e c o lor . I t i s
us ua ll y t hou gh t o f as a c oo l c o lor , b u t i t c an be q ui t e w a r m i f i ts y e l low
co mp one n t is s tron g , ( and c oo ler if b lue pred omin a tes). It is un ivers ally th e
co lo r o f spr in g veg e tation , givin g a s ense o f yo u th , h ope , and r enew al. It is
us ua ll y a qu ie t , s oo th in g an d s o f t c o lo r . V ar ie d s ha des o f gre en in a
l an ds c ap e , e nha nced b y a po la r iz e r , pro duce a s ens e o f r es t fu l ha r mo n y . ( Th e
g r ee ns are h ar m on ious .) G r ee n c a n a ls o h av e v er y d i f fe r en t fe e lin gs o f
j ea lo us y or f e ar .
P U R PL E , ha vin g the co olness o f b lu e an d th e w armth o f r ed , is usu ally a
q uie t, reg al, and dign ified co lo r . At twiligh t it is es pec ia lly pe ace fu l , as we ll as
a bi t s ad .
OR ANG E, a m i xture of t h e two ho t t es t c o lor s ( ye l low an d r e d) , is
surpr isingly less warm than i ts c o mp one n t c o lo r s . I t h as , how e ve r , a s tr o ng
e mo tio na l e ffec t on th e viewer , su gges tin g su nse t a nd fir e. I t is a glowing ,
w a r m , ye t s o o th ing c o lo r . Th e m on oc hr om a t ic ora ng e l ig h t o f s u nr ise or s u nse t
c a n be c apti v a t ing .
B L AC K , the abse nce o f c olor , is a par ado x. I t s ug ges ts d ea th , nigh t, and
sa dness , bu t i t s e f f e c t on o ther co lo rs is th e op pos ite . In the pres ence o f
b lack , o ther co lors look br igh ter a nd more sa tura ted . Black b rings o u t an
a dj ac en t c o lo r 's b r i l lia nce a nd lu m inos i t y . I t a l low s the m ind t o ad d
co mp le mentar y c olors if the y are n o t a lre ad y pr ese n t.
WH IT E, the pres ence o f all co lo rs , su gges ts p ur i ty, tru th , an d inn ocenc e .
It to nes d own ad jace nt co lo rs. On film, as in natu re, w h i te r e f lec ts th e c o lor s
o f its sur rou nd ings and o f the ligh t s ourc e. T h is c an be s een in sh adow areas ,
sn ow , or sk in .
PASTEL S are lighter, less saturated colors, thought of as s o fter and more
d elica te . Th e y see m more feminine and grace ful than th e more satur a te d
co lo rs . W he n pr esen te d as monoc hro ma tic, p as te ls ha ve the grea tes t
e mo t io na l e f f ec t o f a l l c o lo r s . S l ig h t o ve r e xp os ur e c an s o me t im es g i ve a
p le asing pas tel e ffec t, b u t be c ar efu l no t to sp oil yo ur image b y acce n tua ting
t h e h igh l igh ts .
COLOR RELATIONSHIPS-PRACTICAL POINTS:
VISUAL DEPTH-OF-FIELD is th e mind's perce p tion o f d ep th or ran ge in a
p ho to gr a ph. I t i s t he vi ewe r 's fe el i ng o f a th ir d d ime nsio n . W e k n ow th a t w ar m
c o lo r s ad va nce a nd c o ol c ol or s r ec ede . A n im ag e w i t h a c oo l bac k g r ou nd a nd
a w arm fore gro und has gr ea ter visua l d ep th- of- field tha n on e with a war m
b ackgr ound and a coo l fo regr oun d .
T he r es u l t o f gre at er v i s ua l d ep th - o f- f ie ld is gr ea t er c o n tr as t . A c o ol
b ackgr ound s uch as b lu e sk y or gr ee n fo lia ge w ill r ece de a nd pr o vide gr eater
co n tras t w ith a war m-co lo red s ub jec t in the for egr ound . R emembe r, thou gh ,
th a t an y blu rred or u n-s harp area is more ac tive th an th e sa me co lo red area in
s h arp f oc us . T hus a w a r m , o u t o f f oc us are a i n the back gr o und b ec o mes th e
mos t ob vious elemen t o f the imag e , an d is us ua ll y a di s tr ac t io n .
S o me t im es b lu r r ed or o u t o f foc us e le me n ts i n th e bac k g r ou nd c an be
h elp fu l. Two ad jace n t co lo rs ap pe ar more alik e (h armon io us) if the tr ans ition
b e twee n the m is gra du al or so fte r. Th us , va ried sh ades o f b lue o r gre en in a
b ackgr ound app ear ple asing o r ha rmo nious . T his e ffec t is en hance d b y th e
r ela tive un-s harp ness o f backgr ou nd e le men ts (c ompar ed to a s ha rp su bjec t in
th e fore grou nd) .
T he c o n tr as t b e tw ee n a dj ac en t c o lo r s c an be inc r eas ed b y us ing s h arp er
foc us , thus mak ing the tr ans ition b e twee n th em mor e su dde n . T his sha rpn ess
acc en tu a tes th e d i f fere nc e b e tw ee n the c ol or s . A b lac k l i ne o r s had ow
b e tw ee n the c ol or s c on tr as ts them e ve n f ur th er .
I RR AD I AT ION : Br ig h t o r l ig h t c o lo r s are mor e ac t iv e an d vi bra n t . T he y
make s ub jec ts look la rg er b y r e flec tin g more ligh t fr om the ir br ig h ter s ur face ,
t h us s ti mu la t in g the r e t in a m or e . A br ig h t c o lo r ed ob jec t looks big ger t han a
d ar k er ob jec t o f t he s am e s iz e . Th is p r i nc i ple c an b e use d to ac c e n tua t e a
s u bj ec t . I t a ls o e xp la ins w h y h igh l igh ts c an m ak e o r br eak a n i ma ge . An
o b vious h ig hlig h t can e mp has ize th e sub ject or e ven be the su bjec t. More
o f t en , h ow e v er , i t is a n ob v io us d is tr ac t i on.
TIME OF DAY AND I T S EFFECT ON COLOR: Be fo re s unr ise an d after suns e t,
co lo rs are co ol and mu te d, and th ere ar e n o sha dows . T he co ntras t be twee n
co lo rs is minima l. Ligh t in te nsity c han ges rap id l y, so be su re to meter
f r e qu en t l y , br ac k e t e xp os ur es , an d use a tri po d .
Sh or tly a fte r s unr ise ( or be fore su nse t) , ligh t is ver y wa rm, s ince it
t r a v e ls a lon ger dis t ance t hr o ugh t h e a tm os ph er e and th e s ho r ter b lu e
wa veleng ths ar e sca tte red b y a tmosp her ic h aze . T h is r edd ish or g olden lig ht
has a soft, nos talgic quality. Textured s ur fa c e s a r e e xa g g e r a te d , p r o v i d i n g
th eir own in her en t con tr as t. Shad ows ar e lo nge r an d b lu er , s ince the y ar en' t
i l lu m ina t ed b y t he w ar m l ig h t an d t h e y r e f lect t h e b lue s k y .
Midda y ligh t is th e pur est w h ite ligh t o f the d a y. Co lors ar e se en in th eir
t r u e h ues , a nd a r e e as il y di f f er en t ia t ed , thus c r ea t in g m or e c ol or c o n tr as t .
Sh adows ar e b lack , incr eas ing the br illianc e o f c olors . Ca pitalize o n mid da y
co lo r br illianc e an d con tr as t b y s imp lifyin g yo ur co mpos itions a nd limiting the
co lo rs used .
A t m id da y a t hi nne r la y er o f a t mos phe r e mus t be p ene tr a te d b y l i gh t
a l low in g mo r e b lu e to s h in e thr ou gh a nd c r e a ti ng a s l ig h t b lu is h c as t . Man y
p ho to gr a phe r s use w ar mi ng f il t ers ( 8 I - A , B , o r C ) to b al anc e th is b lu is h m idd a y
light.
WEATHER CONDITIONS w h ich di f f us e s un li gh t ( fo g , haz e, d us t , s moke ,
p ol lu t io n , an d r a in) , s o f t en th e l ig h t , r es u l t in g i n l es s c o lo r c on tr as t and mor e
b le nd in g or h armon y. Sh adows bec ome less n o tic eab le. T his is s imilar to the
ligh ting s i tu a tion b e for e s unr ise . Co lo rs beco me s ubdu ed a nd mo re
m on oc hr om a t ic . Th ese c ond i t ions s o f ten th e l ig h t b y r ed is tr i bu t in g the s tr on gl y
d ir ec ti ona l r a ys o f the s u n to a lar ger a r ea . T o e mph asi z e th e e f fec t o f t his
d i f fus e , o f te n c o lor ed l i gh t , s h oo t t ow ar d i t . U s e a l ens s h ade t o pre v en t f lar e.
T h is r es u l ts in b e t ter v i s ua l iza t ion o f the w ea t her c ond iti on .
Sn ow ma y p rese n t e xp osur e prob le ms , es pec ia lly in br ig h t sun l igh t.
O vere xposu re is o ften nee ded to pre ven t mud d y or gr a y s now . Side or
b acklig h ting c an g i ve a dra ma tic , te xtured ap pea ranc e to s now . Sn ow is highly
r efl ec ti ve . It p icks u p su rrou nd ing c ol ors . Wa rm li gh t ea rl y or l a te i n th e da y
ca n be drama tic whe n sn ow is on th e gro und . So me pho togr aph ers lik e the
b lu e cas t in s now fr om a clear or e ven o vercas t sk y. Oth ers pr e fer to w arm up
t h e i ma ge w i th a n 81 - A or B f i l te r .
FILM, DIGITAL SENSORS, AND LIGHT SOURCES: Th e h um an e y e a nd c a mer as s ee
c o lo r i n ver y d i f fer en t w a ys . A l l l ig h t has c olo r bu t th e e y e usu al l y i gn or es i t .
W h a t you s e e w i t h you r e ye is d if f er en t fr om w ha t yo u g e t w i t h yo ur c a mer a.
T he eye sees all co lo r as if lit b y midda y s unligh t o r stro be ligh t, bo th wh ite
ligh t so urces . It "d isre gar ds" the ligh t s ource , ig nor ing the wa rme r c as t o f
t u ngs te n l ig h t an d the b lu e- gr een c as t o f f lu or es c en t li gh t . A c a me r a , h ow e ve r ,
i s m er e l y a r ec or d in g d e vic e , and c ol or b ala nce mus t b e s e lec ted ac c or di ng t o
t h e l ig h t s ou r c e . You c a n use t he w a y c a me r as s e e d if f er en t li ght s o urc es to
p r o d u c e s tr i k i n g e f f e c ts . O n e e x a m p le i s a c i t y s c a p e a t t w i l i g h t , a m i x e d
l i gh t ing s i tu a ti on . T he w a r m tu ngs te n an d c o ol f lu or es c e n t l ig h ts c o n tr as t w it h
black buildings and dark blue sky to produce a deeply colored and r ic h image.
DIRECTION OF LIGHT AND ITS EFFECT ON COLOR: W hen the su bjec t is
FR ONT L IT , th e co lors r ecord ed ar e pro duced b y re flec te d lig h t, and the
s o urc e o f l ig h t s tr on g ly a f f ec ts the c ol or s w e s ee . T r y m e ter in g the c ol or ar ea
yo u wan t to be mos t b rillian t, a nd then unde re xp ose sligh tly.
SID E-L IGHT IN G br in gs o u t te xtur e an d g i ves th e po tentia l for co lor
h armon y by pr od ucing var ied s ha des o f the sa me co lor , ( for e xamp le , gr ass or
oc ean ) . The ma n y s ma l l s ha dows pr od uced b y s id e- li gh t in g a ls o inc r eas e the
e y e's perc e p ti on o f a c o lo r 's b r i ll i ance .
Wh en a tr ans luc en t su bjec t, (a le a f or flowe r) , is BACKL IT , the l ig h t
p r od uci ng th e c o lor is t r a ns m i t te d. I t i s mo r e br i l li an t tha n the r e f lec t ed c o lo r
o f fr on t- l igh t in g . W hen a back l i t s u bj ec t is p ho to gr a phe d a t th e ext r e mes o f
l i gh t ( dawn or dus k ) , o r i n haz y w e a the r c on di t io ns , the c ol or o f th e l ig h t
so urce is more e viden t and has th e po ten tia l fo r increas ed mon och roma tic
impac t.
HOW TO MAXIMIZE COLOR SATURATION:
1.
Use t he LOWE ST PO SSIB LE I SO S P E ED w i th a tri po d a nd c a bl e r e le ase
to minimize movement.
2.
UND ER E XP OS E s l ightly in mos t situations , but BRACKET EXPOSURES
i n a n y l ig h ti ng s i tu a ti on y ou a r e uns ure o f.
3.
B e aware of h ow the D IR ECT I ON O F L IGHT w i l l a f fec t t h e c o lor o f y o u r
s u bj ec t . I f p os s i bl e , use s id e- li gh t in g .
4
U s e a L EN S S H AD E to pre v en t s t r a y l ig h t f r o m d es a tur a t in g you r c o lo r s .
5.
F I LT ER S: U s e a po lar iz er t o e lim i na te gl are and al low th e ma x im um
a mo un t o f tr ue co lor to s how . Use a gr adu ate d filter if th ere is a 2+ s top
d i f fe r enc e b e tw ee n the s k y and th e for egrou nd .
6.
COMPLEMENTAR Y COLOR S will make e ach o the r app ear ma xima lly
s a t ur a t ed an d br i ll ia n t .
7.
L i mi t th e nu mb er o f c o lo r s use d . S I M PL IC IT Y SU C C ED S !
8.
A l l ow the vi ewe r to co ncen t ra te on co lor. A V O ID D I STR AC TI ON S b y
p a ying a tten tio n to tech nique and co mp ositio n .
9.
L ig h t i n tens i t y fa lls o ff w i th d is tanc e . U s e a s h or ter f oc a l len g th le ns i f
p ossi bl e an d G ET C LO SER T O YOUR SU BJ ECT .
BIBLIOGRAPHY
THE ELEMENTS OF COLOR, by Johannes Itten and Faber Birren, Van Nostrand
Reinhold Co.
THEORY AND USE OF COLOR, by Luginia De Grandis, Prentice-Hall.
COLOR DESIGN IN PHOTOGRAPHY, by Harald Mante, Van Nostrand Reinhold Co..
LIGHT, by Michael Freeman, Arnphoto.
©C op yr ig h t 1 990 , b y R a y Gu il le tte .
Revised 1-2010