Here's how you can put the power of a single color to work to make your photos more impactful.
Going for a single color isn't limited to shooting in monochrome mode. By making one color the dominant element in your frame, you can unlock a visual language for more impressive photos. In fact, Alex Kilbee of The Photographic Eye stresses in the video above that color is emotion, and shows how to put this to work using three examples.
First, he uses a lighthouse scene to show how to elevate it using the color orange. On its own, the photo looks simple, but it immediately brings our attention to the lighthouse by making it the dominant color in the frame. There are no other distracting elements or colors, so the bright orange stands out against the mostly browns and blues surrounding it. This composition technique of setting a pop of color against a darker tone or darker exposure makes it more vivid to the eyes. Setting cooler tones for the ground and the sky to fine-tune the image in post maximizes this effect.
Next is the street scene, which shows a pleasing combination of vibrant green at the center of the frame against hints of salmon pink surrounding it. As Kilbee explains, the simplicity of the color palette calms down a possibly chaotic scene where different elements in various colors clash. The slivers of light caught by the ripples of the green wrapping are a bonus, adding interesting textures and shadows to the image. This is a great example of how being more observant of the surroundings helps in creating compositions that need very minor work in post later on.
Finally, the scene of a seaside house shows the same effect as the first example. The splash of red-orange from the roof against the deep blue of the sea in the background, and the mellow greens of the grass in the foreground, demonstrate an eye-catching contrast of colors. Kilbee explains why the scene works on its own, but a few tweaks that emphasize the punchy mix of color will elevate it into a powerful fine art photo.
Make sure to watch the entire video to better understand Alex Kilbee's tips and tricks on using the power of a single color in your photos.
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