Week 8: Color

Last week I didn’t have time to take pictures and used the opportunity to explain my project for this week: using color in photography. (In that post I explain the very basics of color theory, so I won’t reiterate them here.) My plan was to test out what I’d learned about color over Thanksgiving break.  My camera is still in set in the strange 16:9 aspect ratio that appeared when I used it for the interviews I did with Brian and Gretchen, so I’ve had to work around this weird stretched out shape.  I wish I could change this setting back to normal!   If nothing else, the elongated frame has forced me to approach subjects knowing they’ll be placed in “skinny” frames before cropping.

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I started out by mentioning the effects of different lighting on color.  Keeping light in mind when walking around town, the cloudy skies gave me a chance to compare the same subject under different light conditions.  I think the following images emphasize the difference between the muted colors under diffused light and the brighter colors created by direct light.  I didn’t use a software slider to adjust these colors, either–the differences are completely created by lighting!

Two views of the same street from different positions (in November & October, respectively):

Then I mentioned color moods. Here’re “warm” (red) and “calm” (green) pictures, respectively.

I *think* the cabbage image also exemplifies both abstract and harmonic colors.

Before looking for complimentary colors, I didn’t realize how correctly pairing them can make different objects stand out.  This juxtaposition of orange and blue creates quite a sharp contrast between otherwise boring newspaper stands.

Of course, this post wouldn’t be complete without some primary colors!  Now that I know what complimentary colors are, however, I think I like them better…

Like UMW, the campus near my house is fairly squirrel-infested.  But the upside to rogue rodents?  Easy monochromatic silhouettes!  FYI, the “help me” sign is one of many creepy doodles in our basement…

So I’m disappointed that the osage oranges are a little out of focus, but I think they still do a good job showing how “a little bit goes a long way” when it comes to color.  The flower picture is actually by my sister, but I think it pairs well with the image above it.

Thanks for reading this giant post!  I decided to go “all out” this week because it’s going to be tough to get in much more photography before finals.

Irrelevant to color, but I like this concluding action shot!