Color adds information that can set a tone, mood or emphasis to an image.

Color can also be the subject.

When something in an image distracts the eye by it's hue, saturation, brightness or contrast, we are really talking about color information. Once you begin entertaining or even considering this information, the original idea or concept has been "derailed" or at the very least distracted. Sometimes this distraction is so dramatic that the original intent becomes secondary to the nature of the color information.

In this project you are to select two colors that will act as your subjects. It is important that whatever you shoot (cars, boats, dogs, etc.) are less important than the color. One way to deal with this is to think about the image without color and see if it changes the overall success of the image.

Shooting Tips:

If you are not sure whether or not a color has become the subject, then "Break 3 sides". This means you should have your color break 3 sides of the image rectangle. Don't break all 4 or you will loose some visual tension.

Think of the intensity of the color and how it will change depending on your meter mode. For example: If you use an overall meter reading on a brilliant sunset, you may blow out the detail in the sky making the color lighter, however if you use a spot meter (or partial) and point it at the sky, everything will go much darker, thus preserving color information in the sky.

Think of how the color works with the subject. Is it harmonious, or is it contradictory? In other words, does it make sense? Clashing, vibrant, saturated colors make sense in Vegas, but not necessarily in a dentist's office or a nursing home.






Loretta Lux



Johan Simen