Life is full of color.
Colors impact us each and every day. They cause us to stop and stare, they tempt us to smell or taste, and they even lure us to buy. From sunrises and sunsets to lush greens on a fairway or even the dizzying array of hues at a local farmers market, they are rich part of the joy of life.
It's no wonder that color (or even the lack of it in black and white) is a huge part of the visual arts.
As a result, let's take a look at colorful images that attract the eye, as well as the use of framing the color to make the image more appealing. Again, I'll use my photography since I know the guy who owns the copyrights!
Here's one that has the rich and powerful color of red. Red catches the eye easily and makes anything seem more attractive. Just ask the women out on the town in the red dresses or the men buying the red sports cars! Red is such a powerful color that it pairs well with black for a dramatic feel. Using a dark background made the tomatoes stand out and create a more dramatic scene for a photo of tomatoes being washed in the sink, don't you think? In this case, I KNOW you want to have some pasta right... about... NOW!
From a single potent color, we come to a nature photo with an array of colors. The green, orange, yellow and the hues in between create a pleasing image for the eyes. This amount of rich green practically screams nature, as well as clean. Our eyes enjoy greens like this. It must be part of the reason why golf courses are considered so beautiful, as well as why forests and fields draw many of us to hike and camp in their midst. Framing the main image of the colorful butterfly and flower with an expanse of green causes the eye to center on the butterfly itself, rather than be distracted to the sides of the photograph. It's fair to say we like green. We even like it in our wallets...
The next image has a lot of blue in it, along with other hues. Blue is such a natural color. Those primary colors seem to be eye catchers, don't they? Here, you can see I framed the blue with bursts of color on either side with the Aspen trees in autumn. Framing with color like this doesn't necessarily distract from the main object, it complements the overall photograph. So don't worry... it's okay to feel blue!
Remember to experiment in your photography by using color for framing and/or frame the color in your shots.
Have a great Labor Day weekend and God bless.
Lincoln Rogers
