This post is all about color!

Have you ever wondered what role color plays in photographs you view or create? I did, so I did a little research and shared what I found here. Color is a powerful tool in all forms of art, including photography. Understanding how it affects the viewer is important for capturing attention, and conveying messages and feelings. Hover over any photo for additional information.

Primary colors

The primary colors are red, yellow, and blue. These are not created by the combining of other colors. 

Secondary colors

Secondary colors are a half and half combination of any two primary colors.These include: orange, green, and purple. 

Orange Orange is vibrant and engaging but evokes strong feelings. People either love it or they hate it

GreenAloe, Pacific Grove California Green is universally associated with nature and commonly represents ecology

Purple Secret Beach, Maui  Purple is rare in nature and represents nobility and luxury

Complementary colors

Complementary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel and complement one another. These combinations tend to look good together, playing off each others intensity, and creating balance. These include: red/green, orange/blue, and yellow/purple. 

Red/GreenHibiscus, Hawaii

Orange/BlueJellyfish, Montery Bay Aquarium

Yellow/PurpleSea Fig, Half Moon Bay

Analogous colors

These colors sit next to each other on the color wheel and share similar colors. They have one dominant color in common, most often a primary color, but can also be a secondary or tertiary. Analogous colors are often found in nature, like oranges and yellows in autumn leaves. Because these colors are close to each other on the color wheel, they tend to have a pleasing, harmonious feel. 

Red/Orange/YellowTulips, Roozengaarde, Mt Vernon Washington

Orange/yellowAspen leaves, June Lake California

Orange/Yellow/GreenPoppy, Hidden Falls Regional Park California

Green/BlueStellar Jay, Redwoods National Park

Blue/PurpleMoonrise, Mono Lake Tufas

Tertiary colors

Tertiary colors are created by mixing a primary color and secondary color, and include:

• Red + Orange = Red-Orange (or vermilion)
• Orange + Yellow = Yellow-Orange (or amber)
• Yellow + Green = Yellow-Green (or chartreuse)
• Green + Blue = Blue-Green (or teal)
• Blue + Purple = Blue-Purple (or violet)
• Purple + Red = Red-Purple (or magenta) 

Orange/YellowSunset, Wawona Road, Yosemite National Park

Red/Orange and Green/BlueVirgin River, Zion National Park

Orange/Yellow and Yellow/GreenAspens in autumn with motion blur

Monochrome color schemes

I often refer to black and white images as monochrome, but any image that contains solely one color value is monochrome. 

Monochrome: green color schemeAgave, Anza Borrego State Park

Monochrome: Orange color schemeFrost on leaves, American River, Sacramento, California

Monochrome: Blue color schemeMackrel, Monterey Bay Aquarium

Monochrome: Orange color schemeAfrican Elephant, Tanzania

I hope you enjoyed this color tour!