Essential Principles of Color Theory for Nature Photography
Artistically, the effect of color on the photo is one of the most important parts of photography. The effect of colors on the emotions and interests of the audience is greater than all other elements of the image. Color theory is the use of art and science to use colors. This theory explains how colors combine, harmonize and contrast, while creating visual beauty and showing how people perceive colors. In color theory, colors in the color wheel are divided into three groups, primary, secondary and tertiary. This part of the ancient science of art helps photographers choose a color group that focuses on the emotion in the photograph.
To use color theory in photography, you need to know how to create a balanced color composition. These compounds can be introduced into color schemes. There are three main types of these color schemes: 1.Monochromatic, 2. Analogous and 3. Complementary.
Monochrome color scheme refers to a composition that uses only one color with different tones and color themes. If you’re interested in the fashion industry, you’ve probably come across the monochrome look where a person uses one color theme for all their items. It is the same in photography; this type of photo can be very effective. This part of color theory in photography has become very popular in social media, sites and professional photography sections, so that the creator tries to give the subject a special and unique look and feel by using this method.
Analogous colors uses similar colors that are placed together on the color wheel. Analog colors are usually based on a primary color that acts as a link between all their colors. But in some situations, the dominant color is a secondary color. The lack of a strong contrast between them creates a sense of calmness and balance in the photo. This color layout is usually seen in nature; for this reason, it has become very popular in landscape and nature photography. Think of the yellow and green colors of a ripe mango or the purple and red colors of a sunset sky.
Complementary colors are opposite each other in the color wheel and are one of the most famous combinations in photography. The reasons for this are:
- The juxtaposition of two contrasting colors creates a clear and attractive contrast.
- Colors that are opposite to each other naturally balance each other.
- These colors look nice together.
When it comes to the rules of composition in photography, apart from angles, shapes and numbers, color theory plays a major role in photography. In fact, color composition plays the biggest role compared to any other element in the photo. Color theory is as influential in photography as physical objects, as we pursue different colors for each subject. Hence, colors can be used as leading lines in a photo, natural framing, negative spaces, patterns, and as a way to create depth in a photo.