12 Color Wheel Cool Proffesional Drawings
For today's compositional lesson– I want to talk about color theory— and how you can amend utilize colors when it comes to your street photography.
Personally around 2 years ago, I fabricated the switch from shooting fully black and white — to just shooting color picture (Kodak Portra 400).
Since then, I have learned to see the globe in a totally dissimilar fashion. Information technology has been fun, refreshing, and quite exciting.
Even so at the same time– shooting in color presented a new handbag of worms. Whereas black and white tended to simplify a scene, colour could exist distracting and have abroad from a photo (if the colors didn't add meaning and value).
Then for this lesson we will talk about some color theory — in terms of how we tin can brand colors better piece of work for u.s.. I am certainly not an skilful when it comes to working in color, but I will endeavor to share some practical tips of how you tin can better shoot street photography in color.
Complementary colors
The first theory we volition tackle is "Complementary colors." What are complementary colors? Well, this is the definition according to Wikipedia:
Complementary colors are colors which cancel each other'southward hue to produce an achromatic (white, gray or black) light mixture.
Complementary colors tend to work really well together– and create a nice harmony that experience balanced.
If you want to think of piece of cake complementary colors to recall off the top of your head. Here are some examples I came upward with:
Sports Teams
Often sports teams apply complementary colors. If you lookout man the NBA, here are some examples:
Los Angeles Lakers (Violet and Xanthous)
New York Knicks (Blueish and Orangish)
Beer
Marketers also dearest to use complementary colors when it comes to creating logos. For example, our beloved Heineken beer has the same "Christmas colors" (Red and Light-green)– which are probably the most famous complementary colors:
And then now allow us delve into some street photos that have great complementary colors. Nosotros volition depict heavily from Steve McCurry– one of the best color photographers alive:
Complementary colors: Ruby-red-Greenish
In this captivating portrait McCurry captured– you encounter two kids covered in all blood-red powder. The kid in the foreground is looking direct at the camera, with his piercing eyes and inquisitive look. The background is a bluish-greenish hue, with some carmine marks on the left of the wall– and another kid blurred in the right of the frame.
The kid in the foreground looks curious– and reminds me of my curiosity when I was immature too. And those optics are just and so powerful– it is an image that burns itself into my mind.
Do you lot see the complementary colors in this shot? Yes, information technology is blood-red and green. Considering the background is a light-green-blue hue, the red of the kid's face really pops out from the background. In a more than simplified color wheel, nosotros show it beneath:
This red-dark-green dynamic also occurs in one of his most famous photos– the Afghan Girl:
The ruddy-greenish dynamic here is quite amazing. Kickoff of all, you accept a simple green background, and hints of light-green in her tattered shirt– and of grade, those amazing green eyes. In terms of red, you see it in her article of clothing, and her skin. It creates a prissy rhythm that alternates between red and light-green.
In terms of the image itself, it has a sense of mystery and intrigue. This young Afghan girl has wear that is falling apart and is probably in a more destitute status, yet she shows her power and willingness in her eyes. She seems to take the burn down burning within her that will help her overcome any obstacle that confronts her.
A fleck off-topic (thought y'all might exist interested), but McCurry also tracked downwardly the young girl — and below is a photo of her now (and before). She still has that look in her eyes:
You tin also run across how having a certain color predominantly occupying the groundwork– and having i effigy every bit a complementary color, it create a potent effigy-to-footing relationship.
For case, in the photo below– we run into a predominantly cherry-red groundwork– with the one figure of the human in green. What happens? The green pops out at us:
A skilful examination if a photo has stiff figure-to-footing is to blur the epitome. If you lot can even so see who the predominant subject is– the photo works:
Complementary colors: Orange-Blue
Another complementary colors include the orangish-blue dynamic. Steve McCurry has tons of great examples — generally of monks.
So you lot can see in this fun and quizzical image of a agglomeration of monks upside down (about like spiderman)– in prayer position. The photo is starting time a flake puzzling, but in one case your mind wraps effectually what is going on — information technology becomes quite amazed by the strength and decision of these monks.
As yous can see, the orangish of the skin of the monks (and their pants) juxtapose well against the faint blue of the background. If nosotros refer to the color wheel below, you tin can encounter that the orange-blueish dynamic are strong complementary colors.
You can also come across it in some other photo by McCurry below (once over again– monks):
Some other slap-up photo that shows this orange-blue dichotomy is this photograph below by David Alan Harvey:
Yous see a jet-blue color on the left side of the frame, with a boy gently smiling in the middle of the frame. Then on the right side of the frame, you have an orangeish-cherry-red color, with an ominous looking (peradventure sinister) shadow of a man in a cowboy hat– approaching him. The photo makes me seem like it is impending danger– yet the boy looks so calm and hopeful?
Warm vs Cool colors
Another color theory comes to "Warm" vs "Cool" colors. What are warm and cool colors? For warm colors– think almost colors of a sunset:
Warm Colors
- Reddish
- Orangish
- Yellow
You can also see them on a color cycle below:
Absurd Colors
- Bluish
- Green
- Violet
So the theory of "warm" vs "cool" colors is that warm colors tend to be more agile– and advance to you in a photograph (or painting). And cool colors tend to recede into the groundwork— and are less active.
So if you describe the attributes of color — warm colors tend to be more active, stimulating, and energetic . Cool colors tend to be more calming, relaxing, and chill .
Permit us wait at some examples of warm vs cool colors:
In this photograph by Martin Parr, you can run across how the pare of the woman is warm. Her skin is a orangeish-red hue. And the footling blue eyepiece that covers her eyes are a deep blue– that pop out at you the viewer.
In another photograph by Steve McCurry– you tin see how the pinkish of the worker'south clothes actually popular out from the mostly cold background (white and grey colors).
In another photograph by Steve McCurry of a Geisha in Kyoto– you come across that the warm color of her red kimono pops out from the absurd background color that is a dirty white-grey.
In a photo I took for my "Colors" project– I saw an interesting mural that is predominantly a absurd color (blue). The odd matter is that I saw a door croaky open past a warm color (orange) cone. The orange pops out from the background. I too call up the photograph is interesting and surreal because it is almost like a backdoor in the universe.
In ane of Eggleston's well-nigh famous images– you lot see a woman placing a straw inside her beverage. The background is predominantly a cool colour (the blueish of the sky, and the white of the tray table). Then you run into the orangeish-red of her drinkable (possibly Coke) — it pops out every bit a strong color (warm).
In this photograph by Alex Webb in which he shot on the outskirts of Tijuana, you run into the generally cool colors of the groundwork. There is desolation and what appears to be abandoned buildings. It is a quite moody and grim feeling image.
Then you have the loftier-heels in the foreground, which are predominantly a very warm color — like the cherry-red of the high heels that simply popular out. It creates a fascinating juxtaposition between the dark mood of the background, and the elegance of the high heels.
In this photograph by David Alan Harvey, in that location is a post-apocalyptic mood of the ominous clouds in the groundwork. The colors are by and large cool– with the exception of the girl riding the bright pinkish horse in the middle of the frame. It is the 1 ray of hope and sunshine in the photograph.
At that place is also a swell deal of surrealism in the photo– the girl'south face up obscured by her jet-blackness hair. And her white apparel– which is a symbol of purity and innocence. Then you have the nude black man in the photograph– which makes the photograph experience even more sensual.
Coordinating Colors
Analogous Colors are also another colour theory. The idea is pretty much that colors close to one another on the color wheel create a sure feeling and mood.
Warm Colors
In this famous photo by Steve McCurry– yous have all these women huddled together in a sandstorm. The primary colors are the red of their dresses, and the orangeish-yellowish hint of the sandstorm in the background. It creates a warmth in the photo– of the women protecting 1 another against the terror of the ferocious sandstorm.
If y'all wait at the color wheel below, the reds to the yellows are all side by side to i some other on the color bicycle– that create a warm mood.
In ane of the photos I took in Downtown LA — y'all run across a human being donning a cerise conform, consummate with a pale yellowish shirt, vivid xanthous sunglasses, and a striped orangish tie. The background colors are predominantly warm (with the xanthous seats and tables)– with a scrap of cool colors on the peak of the frame:
I feel that the mood of the photo is a very energetic and up-beat one. The human being in the photo is certainly a character– a very eccentric one. I get the impression that he is ready to pop his collar– to accept on the globe– and he can take on anything. Information technology is a very warm and inviting image.
The colour red is also a metaphor for danger, caution, or warning. One of Eggleston's about famous images is that of a lite seedling on top of a blood-cherry background. The red of the groundwork almost feels like that of blood. If I can call up the photo correctly, this photo was taken in the sleeping accommodation of one of Eggleston's good friends. Sadly a few years afterward Eggleston took this photo, his friend died (I forget of what happened to him). The photo certainly does seem to exist a dark and sinister image– that of impending doom.
Absurd Colors
There are too photos out there that have primarily cool colors. These photos make yous feel more calm, relaxed, and are much more mellow.
In this photograph by David Alan Harvey, you take a human being looking as if he has his fingers interlocked every bit in prayer. Behind him is what seems to be his lid– sitting quietly past itself. Then the pastel-blue-dark-green (and his blue shirt) create a calm and relaxed mood. It perfectly fits the somber mood of the homo in prayer.
In this photo I took in Mumbai, you lot meet a man'south hand over a blue patterned groundwork. The colors in the groundwork are predominantly blue– which adds to the relaxed and calm mood of the image.
In the above photograph by William Eggleston, it is predominately cool. You take the moody pale bluish of the sky, with it going the blueish-green of the mustang in the foreground. The woman in the car is doing a fascinating hand gesture with her left paw. Perhaps she is signaling she is going to plough left? Or she is waving farewell? Or she is just gently touching the cloth convertible tiptop? The overnice impact of this photo is also the stoplight in the top left corner– which is supposed to control traffic and speed. And of course, the mustang is a symbol of speed.
Just the overall mood of the photograph — with its cool colors, feels at-home and relaxed. It is the mood you get when it is a rainy and overcast twenty-four hours outside– and all yous want to do is sit at habitation and drink hot cocoa.
In one of my favorite images, I took a photograph of a man taking a nap at a beach in Marseille, in the s of France. The background of the water is a lovely blue-green hue, which puts you at ease. Of grade the man sleeping makes the photo experience fifty-fifty more relaxed. Therefore the photo makes me recollect of dreams, reverie, and no worries about the earth.
Conclusion
And then i of the questions you might exist asking yourself is: "How witting are the photographers of the colors and these color theories when they are actually out shooting these photos?"
I can't speak of other photographers — but for myself now that I shoot exclusively color, I specifically look for color when I am out shooting. I wait for colorful people, colorful scenes, or colorful things. And so of class in terms of whether the colors work in harmony or not– that is sometimes luck, and is determined in the editing phase.
However in the real world (when shooting street photogrpahy), the virtually practical manner you lot tin apply color theory on the streets is the "warm" vs "absurd" color theory.
For instance, if you see a more often than not cool background color (blueish, purple, dark-green)– endeavour to look until someone with a warm color (cherry-red, orange, yellowish) shirt walks by. It tin can be the other style besides. Y'all can look for a by and large warm background– and await for someone with a cool colored shirt to footstep into the scene.
At the terminate of the day though it is easy to say whether colors work or not in hindsight. Just I still recollect it is of import for us to continue these color theories in mind. The more we call up about information technology consciously, the more than nosotros tin can use it when nosotros are out shooting in the streets.
Also another matter yous want to retrieve almost is the value that shooting street photography in color adds. Are you but shooting street photography in color for the sake of it? Or are you trying to create a sure mood through the colors you capture? Exercise the colors in your photo add context and meaning?
If you are interested in shooting more street photography in colour– here are some of the best photographers I recommend you lot to check out their work:
Color Masters
- Alex Webb
- Martin Parr
- Constantine Manos
- David Alan Harvey
- Stephen Shore
- Joel Sternfeld
- Carl de Keyzer (see his "ZONA" volume)
- Alec Soth
Contemporary Color Street Photographers
Below are some contemporary street photographers whose colour work I actually enjoy– in which color adds depth, emotion, and context to the photos:
- Jack Simon
- Justin Vogel
- Ola Billmont
- Simon Kossoff
- Maciej Dakowicz
- Caspar Claasen
- Matt Stuart
- Jesse Marlow
- Shin Noguchi
- Trevor Marczylo
Source: https://erickimphotography.com/blog/2013/11/26/street-photography-composition-lesson-12-color-theory/
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