Seeing Red: the effect of color in photography

April 19, 2021 • 1 Comment

I thought it would be fun to write a series on the use of color in photographs as each color in the spectrum can convey a different feeling, meaning, and association, resulting in a different impact.

When considering which one to start with, I thought why not start with one of the most powerful colors: Red.

Each photo provides some information to help illustrate how red can be used to enhance your photos. Hover over any photo to see the title and additional information. You can also jump to my Red Gallery here.

TulipRed flowers symbolize courage, respect, constancy, admiration and, of course, desire.

Red captures the attention of a viewer and provokes the strongest emotions of any color that range from anger to love. If you want your photographs to get noticed, try incorporating some red into the composition.

Crimson Columbine, Crater Lake National ParkRed flowers symbolize courage, respect, constancy, admiration and, of course, desire. You can use red to create engaging color contrasts because we are conditioned to focus on red before other competing colors in a photograph.

Fort Point State Historic ParkBricks get their red hue from the presence of iron oxide (rust) in clay being used. Because red is such a dominant color, you can use it to create as a leading line through your image.

Ladybug, Lassen National ParkThe ladybug’s red color serves as a courteous warning to would-be eaters – the brighter the bug, the more toxic its poison. You can use the color red to create a point of interest when there wouldn't otherwise be one.

Male Turkey wattleWhen turkeys are suddenly consumed by emotion, increased amounts of blood take up residence inside of their wattles, thus resulting in the reddening. Male turkeys frequently employ their wattles for courtship purposes. If they want to draw in female turkeys, their wattles frequently go red as a wooing signal. As one of the rarest and most powerful colors in nature, red is an important component in photography, but it can be overwhelming so a little goes a long way. Use it wisely.

Canyonlands National ParkMinerals like hematite and magnetite that have iron in them experience oxidation and become rust, turning the rocks red.

An image with strong red contrasts can also enhance texture, making the image stand out.

Fair Oaks Bridge, American RiverHistoric Truss Bridge, built in the early 1900's.

Human-made objects that are red can illustrate the dynamics of the modern world.

Autumn leaves, Union Creek OregonAs some leaves die, they produce chemicals called anthocyanins from built up sugars. These chemicals produce a red pigment that can combine with green pigments left from chlorophyll and display different shades of red. Red Autumn leaves can appeal to the viewers sense of time and season because these are temporary in nature. Fleeting moments like these tend to make the image a little more special.

Coquille River Lighthouse, Oregon Finally, red can be used as an anchor to guide the viewers eyes towards the subject.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. You can see more photos in my Red Gallery.

Keywords: anchor, anza borrego, autumn, bamboo, barker dam, bicycle, bug, canyonlands, cardinal, checkerbloom, columbine, coquille river light, dead horse point, dragon, fair oaks bridge, firewave, fireworks, fort point, geology, hibiscus, hornbill, human, john day fossil beds, joshua tree, kingfisher, kokanee, lady, leaves, modern, pomegranate, rocks, salmon, san francisco, southwest, sunflower, temporary, tulip, turkey, valley of fire, wildflowers

Comments

Jose Lopez(non-registered)

As always, your writing and photos are all on point. Well done.

No comments posted.