My aim in this assignment is to show how colour can be
used in order to make a photograph more balanced as well as creating harmony
and tension using complementary and contrasting colours respectively.
Complementary colours are those which face each other
across the colour circle, such as red and green or orange and blue. The values poet,
J.W.Von Geothe assigned to the primary and secondary colours according to their
brightness are ; yellow 9, orange 8, red and green 6, blue 4 and violet 3.
These values can be used to enable us to create the correct proportions of
colour in an image, those for complimentary colours being;
red:green – 1:1
orange:blue – 1:2
yellow:violet
– 1:3
01. ’01 - Text-talk’ shows a red mobile phone cover
against the green backdrop of a garden lawn. The large blocks of colour are
balanced in a 1:1 proportion, consisting of similar amounts of each hue.
02. A red/green combination is also shown in ’02 –
Bride’ although both colours are in much more muted tones.
03. The bright yellow centre of the flower in ‘03 - Sun
Salutation’ is about a third of the size of the violet petals. Had the
photograph been taken from above, showing the petals to their full extent, the
violet may have overpowered the yellow. This side view lessens the proportion
of the violet area, creating a more harmonious balance.
04. ’04- Cool’ is an example of how a desaturation can
affect the balance of an image. Although the proportion of orange:blue is
around 1:2, fitting with Geothe’s values, the orange can obviously stands out
as the main focus of the image. Factors such as depth of field and perspective play
a part, however the intensity of the orange compared to the subtle blues really
swing this balance. I like the imbalance in this image; for me it creates a
certain amount of tension which fits with the need for a cool drink on a hot
day.
Harmony can also be created using similar colours,
those which are close together on the colour wheel. This often consists of
placing warm colours together such as red and orange or cool colours such as
blue and green.
05. The deep pink of the flowers in ’05 – Marry Me’
would be between red and violet on the colour wheel, which is very close to the
violet of their backdrop. The similarity of the hues creates harmony in the
image. Although the colours are similar, the slight blue edge to the violet
backdrop cools the otherwise warm tones, giving a fresh feel to the flowers.
06. I spotted the row of boats in ’06 – Boat trip’
after taking my children rowing on the lake. The Vivid blues and greens are
used to create harmony through similarity in the image.
07. The yellow t-shirts worn
by the performers in ’07 – Sundance’ fit perfectly with the outdoor environment
as they harmonised with the grass and sky. I felt that using the greenery alone
as a backdrop would create an overly yellow image, therefore I adopted a low
angle to include more sky. As yellow, green and blue flow through the colour
wheel mainly on the cooler side, harmony is created through similarity. The
blue and green accents to the outfits adds a smaller, yet more intense version
of these hues, balancing the bright yellow.
08. While waiting for the
comedian to appear at a recent festival, I noticed that the clothing of the two
girls in ’08 – Tent’ almost mirrored the decor in the tent. I added this image
to the similar colours section as the first thing I noticed were the blues of
the hoodie and walls and the purples of the t-shirt and roof. On editing, I
also noticed the golden tones in the girls’ hair and tent accessories which compliment
the purples.
Colours spaced a third of
the way round the colour wheel such as blue and red can create a striking
contrast, sometimes to the point where they clash. This contrast can be used to
create striking images.
09. The red leaves in ’09 –
Flame’ create a dramatic contrast with the blue sky. When composing the shot, I
kept Geothe’s values in mind, ensuring that the image contained slightly more
blue than red.
10. The muted green and
violet in ’10 – Dandy’ are too washed out to create a striking contrast;
however the contrasting tones do add some interest to the image.
11. The bins in ’11 – Bins’
were in a busy area of a festival, making it very difficult to get a shot from the
right angle. On the last morning whilst eating breakfast, I finally got my shot.
I composed in order to include less orange than green in line with Geothe’s
proportions.
12. Instinctively, I felt that
the colours in ’12 – shack’ balanced very well but didn’t really think about
why until I had uploaded the image. The main subjects of the image are made up
of the three contrasting hues; blue, red and yellow. The plastic sheeting and
roof show the largest area but most muted tones of blue. Also on the roof and
in the barrow, slightly smaller areas yet brighter tones of red are shown and then
smaller yet more saturated patches of yellow are present in the bags. I feel
that the green elements to the corners add a softness to an otherwise
contrasting image.
My final selection of images
displays accent colours, created when a large area of colour is broken by a
small splash of another colour. Accent colours can be used with complimentary,
similar or contrasting colours.
13. A complimentary
combination is shown in ’13 – Peek-a-boo’ with a red accent sitting in a large
area of green, drawing attention to the little girl peeking through the door. The
impact is muted slightly by the earthy tones interspersed with the greens.
14. The yellow flowers in ’14
– Meadow’ provide an accent to the similarly coloured greens; however I feel
that it is the complimentary link between the yellow and violet which creates
the harmony in this image. Without the yellow accent, the green and violet
create too sharp a contrast for such a relaxing image. If the violet were
omitted, the similarity of the green and yellow would not create enough impact
for an interesting image.
15. The green of the
cucumber in ’15 – Pimbino’ provides a vibrant contrast to the orange jug, enhanced
by the uneven proportion of the two hues. This contrast, however is slightly
softened by the red and yellow accents.
16. Warm hues are used in ’16 – Humber Accent’ with
very pale shades of violet and pink. Had the background been blues or greens or
the boat yellow, the impact of the accent would have been much greater.
However, as the image contains similar colours, the red of the boat does not
leap out of the page and demand attention in the way that a contrasting accent
would. Instead it sits calmly, adding interest but not detracting too much from
the peaceful nature of the overall image.
