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How to use color contrast for standout photos

Color contrast is one way to make your photos pop and garner more interest. There is a certain simplicity and charm to these kinds of pictures – but only if one knows which colors pair well and work together. Here are some tips to consider. 

Image source: HGTV.com

Achieving color entails a basic understanding of color, or knowing what primary and secondary colors are and what they also represent. Color has become so crucial in identifying and differentiating between specific things and their states, and it can signal critical situations that need attention, such as a red traffic sign. White evokes purity and cleanliness, while green is linked to life, nature, and the environment. 

Among the simplest forms of contrast is black and white, which makes photographs in this style look effective. But color contrast photography is a bit more complex than black and white. It happens when a cold color is paired with a warm one or opposites on the color wheel. For starters, find a good location, a place with a solid color or a neighborhood with artistic walls. 

You may also create your own color contrast, such as asking a subject to wear a specific color of clothes or planning around colored paper and materials from a local crafts store. Nature offers great color contrast on its own, so don’t think twice using fruits, flora, and other stuff outdoors to achieve the goal. Think of a volcano set against a blue background after sunset, with orange lava gloriously bursting out of it. 

Look for the right colors to broaden your knowledge and portfolio of color contrast photos, adding punch to the textures without oversaturation or devoting too much time to doing it in post-production. Let complementary colors, again, work to your advantage. 

Image source: Pixabay.com

Dr. James DeVellis used to teach law in New York but is now devoted to nature photography as a hobby. Learn more photography tips here.
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