Photographer's color wheel. Colors in photography: basic and complementary

Guys, we put our soul into the site. Thanks for that
for discovering this beauty. Thanks for the inspiration and goosebumps.
Join us at Facebook And In contact with

Scheme No. 1. Complementary combination

Complementary, or additional, contrasting, are colors that are located on opposite sides of the Itten color wheel. Their combination looks very lively and energetic, especially with maximum color saturation.

Scheme number 2. Triad - a combination of 3 colors

The combination of 3 colors lying at the same distance from each other. Provides high contrast while maintaining harmony. Such a composition looks quite lively even when using pale and desaturated colors.

Scheme No. 3. A similar combination

A combination of 2 to 5 colors located next to each other on the color wheel (ideally 2-3 colors). Impression: calm, relaxing. An example of a combination of similar muted colors: yellow-orange, yellow, yellow-green, green, blue-green.

Scheme No. 4. Separate-complementary combination

A variant of a complementary combination of colors, only instead of the opposite color, the colors adjacent to it are used. The combination of the main color and two additional. This scheme looks almost as contrasting, but not so tense. If you are not sure that you can use complementary combinations correctly, use separate-complementary ones.

Scheme number 5. Tetrad - a combination of 4 colors

A color scheme where one color is the main one, two are complementary, and another highlights the accents. Example: blue-green, blue-violet, red-orange, yellow-orange.

Scheme number 6. Square

Combinations of individual colors

• White: goes with everything. The best combination with blue, red and black.
• Beige: with blue, brown, emerald, black, red, white.
• Gray: with fuchsia, red, purple, pink, blue.
• Pink: with brown, white, mint green, olive, gray, turquoise, baby blue.
• Fuchsia (dark pink): with gray, tan, lime, mint green, brown.
• Red: with yellow, white, brown, green, blue and black.
• Tomato red: blue, mint green, sandy, creamy white, gray.
• Cherry red: azure, gray, light orange, sandy, pale yellow, beige.
• Raspberry red: white, black, damask rose.
• Brown: bright blue, cream, pink, fawn, green, beige.
• Light brown: pale yellow, creamy white, blue, green, purple, red.
• Dark brown: lemon yellow, sky blue, mint green, purplish pink, lime.
• Reddish brown: pink, dark brown, blue, green, purple.
• Orange: blue, blue, purple, purple, white, black.
• Light orange: gray, brown, olive.
• Dark orange: pale yellow, olive, brown, cherry.
• Yellow: blue, mauve, light blue, purple, grey, black.
• Lemon yellow: cherry red, brown, blue, grey.
• Pale yellow: fuchsia, gray, brown, shades of red, tan, blue, purple.
• Golden yellow: gray, brown, azure, red, black.
• Olive: orange, light brown, brown.
• Green: golden brown, orange, lettuce, yellow, brown, grey, cream, black, creamy white.
• Salad color: brown, tan, fawn, gray, dark blue, red, gray.
• Turquoise: fuchsia, cherry red, yellow, brown, cream, dark purple.
• Electrician is beautiful in combination with golden yellow, brown, light brown, gray or silver.
• Blue: red, grey, brown, orange, pink, white, yellow.
• Dark blue: light purple, sky blue, yellowish green, brown, gray, pale yellow, orange, green, red, white.
• Lilac: orange, pink, dark purple, olive, grey, yellow, white.
• Dark purple: golden brown, pale yellow, gray, turquoise, mint green, light orange.
• Black is versatile, elegant, looks in all combinations, best with orange, pink, salad, white, red, lilac or yellow.

It means colors that are harmoniously combined with each other. This concept is used by both artists and photographers. To visually display this concept, a color wheel was invented, which shows three pairs of colors located opposite each other. This wheel is based on the modern concept of color space CMYK, which includes:

1. Red - red; Cyan - blue with a hint of neon glow
2. Yellow - yellow; Blue blue that approaches purple
3. Green - green; Magenta - magenta.

All these colors can be combined in a different order, but it is the combination described in the works that will cause a much greater response from the audience.

Complementary colors How is the harmony of the color wheel manifested? You might immediately think that these colors do not match well. The inscriptions in each circle are made in color from the opposite circle. This clearly demonstrates the combination. This incompatibility, which manifests itself when considering a combination of colors, is deceptive. The fact is that it is with this combination that a person can perceive both the color and the structure of the object. The colors contrast with each other so that even in rich and heavy colors such as magenta, red or navy, lettering is clearly visible. Thus, visual harmony is achieved. It is this color scheme that can be found in the popular graphic editor Photoshop. It is found in the Color Balance tool:

"Color balance" in the graphic editor photoshop In nature, there is proof of the compatibility of colors of complementary pairs. What in nature combines according to this rule? For example, a sandy yellow beach and a blue sky, purple flowers in green foliage, again, a yellow sun and a blue sky, a sunset that combines a red sun and a blue sky. Examples can be seen in the pictures. A shot of an ancient Egyptian temple shows a variety of shades of yellow, from dark to light, that blend with the blue sky. Shapes and geometry also affect the feel of the image, but if you change the original colors, the feeling will be very different.

The next photo was taken at night. It immediately catches the eye with a combination of a blue-purple hotel and a yellow-brown Eiffel Tower. The building of a dark yellow hotel in the background completes the composition. creating a transition between the main objects.

Undoubtedly, everyone saw the robes and paraphernalia of monarchs. The main color of the kings is purple, and the main symbol is the golden lily. Luxurious purple robes embroidered with gold. The next picture was taken in Fontainebleau. This is the former residence of kings and the last refuge of Emperor Napoleon. The photo shows a decorative element of the interior wall. For a long time the colors have faded, but the yellow shades still create a pattern on a purple background.

Here is another pair of colors: green and purple. This combination is inherent in nature. Green vegetation and purple flowers create a lively contrasting picture. An orchid on a background of green grass looks amazing. It is worth noting that almost all the work in the picture is done only by color. Most of the details are out of focus.

Another shot from the artificial world. The photograph symbolizes the RGB color space. The outside was illuminated with changing color. The backlight changed in accordance with the complementary rule. It is very interesting to observe the change of accents. Objects faded in and out of the color space in turn. In this image, green rakes stand out the most on a purple background.

Now consider red and light blue (Cyan). The picture shows one of the cars of the fifties of the last century. The color of the car is in harmony with the red carpet, but how do the reflections appear on the blue stains.

In the last picture, ordinary shops are located. These colors can be found anywhere. In this example, the combination of red and turquoise attracts special attention ( cyan). Yes. turquoise, because cyan- this is turquoise, although in official sources it is more often called light blue. These colors contrast wonderfully and stand out. There is another pair in the picture - this is a light yellow and dark yellow (orange) building in combination with purple tones.

Knowing about color combinations can go a long way in advertising and stock photography. to get a good result, you need to plan everything in advance and select matching colors.

Based on materials from the site:

When creating a photograph, few people pay attention to the color component of the frame.
The harmony of colors also plays an important role in the perception of the image.
Which ratios are the most iconic, and which, on the contrary, conflict with the author's idea.
Yes, and the perception of the viewer at the initial stage begins with the awareness of "pleasant-unpleasant" to the eye.
Let's start with the question of primary and secondary colors in photography.

Primary colors are definitely blue, green, red. In this regard, the existing canons of color composition are guided by these colors.
When mixing them, you will definitely get any other color. White light is obtained by mixing all three primary colors, indicating harmony.
Secondary colors are placed on the light circle opposite to each other - cyan and red, magenta and green, yellow and blue. If you start mixing the main color with a complementary color that is in direct contrast to it, you will end up with gray.
Complementary colors are obtained when the ratio of the other two is purple, orange, violet.
If we assume we take any of the primary colors and compare it with the additional one, we get a color contrast.
And he, in turn, enlivens the image, gives dynamism to the composition of the frame, and if, on the contrary, we use harmonious combinations, then the perception becomes calmer.

Important detail:"Strong" color in photography must be used in such a way that the frame is balanced.

Is it necessary to use color contrast in photography?
Again, it all depends on your idea. This technique is certainly a powerful tool for the perception of the composition of the frame. The most powerful contrast is obtained if the primary color is correlated with the secondary one, the frame turns out to be “flashy”.
One such example is mixing blue with yellow. As a result, you get a color resonance that enhances the emotional impact.
Do not forget also that if one color prevails over another in the frame, this reduces the effect of exposure.

Also, do not forget about the actual impact of the color itself. Warm colors - such as red and yellow - "protruding", focus on the object or subject, but "cold" - blue, green - "retreating", visually increase the spatial resolution of the frame. If you want to mix a warm color with a cold one, then the warm one will definitely dominate, and the cold one will be the “background”.

Of course, each color carries its own additional semantic load; when perceiving a photograph, the viewer is primarily repelled by his own associations.
There are also generally accepted ideas about colors.
Red is a challenge, love, blood, a warning color.
Yellow and orange - the sun, joy.
Cold colors, for example, blue, are associated with the sky, the sea, and loneliness.
Finally, green evokes peace and tranquility.
Therefore, one should not forget about the subconscious influence of color on a person in building a composition.

How to achieve color saturation in photography?
One of the most important factors is the quality of natural light. The brightest colors are obtained in the morning or in the afternoon when the light is directed towards the front of the subject.
If you are working in studio conditions, then the use of special filters will affect the color saturation in the frame.

What colors go well with each other?
Colors located next to each other on the "color wheel" give harmonious combinations (yellow with red, yellow with green, green with blue and). However, even less contrasting colors can form harmony.
Such harmony in the frame has a calming effect on the viewer. Not only that, you can take beautiful photos using one color or its shades. This effect can be achieved with soft light that brings the colors together. This effect is created artificially and is called "monochrome color".

Warm colors have a stimulating effect, cold colors do the opposite. Warm colors are close to the yellow spectrum, cold colors are close to the blue spectrum (the color of coolness, night cold, morning fog is before sunrise). They evoke certain emotions. Photographers are well aware that the warm tones in the pictures visually seem to protrude outward, making objects convex, while the cold ones, on the contrary, recede, making objects concave.

Color is one of the most obvious elements of a composition. Everyone knows that bright, intense colors make people pay attention to your photos. Have you ever wondered why pictures of sunsets and flowers are so popular? The reason is the color!

Color in photography performs several functions. First, it grabs the viewer's attention. Perhaps because the use of color as a tool is obvious, many photographers try to improve their skills in various ways and use color to the fullest as a compositional ingredient in photography. We need to focus and remember a few things.

Sharpen your interest!

Using color to grab attention is a simple and effective way. As a rule, this requires the saturation and color intensity of the photo. This "type of color" tends to captivate the viewer and cause them to focus directly on the area of ​​color for a long period of time. Color allows you to focus and grab the most important detail of the picture with your eyes.

There are a couple of basic ways to use color. The first is to use very rich and vibrant colors, such as a dramatic sunset. The second way is a combination of a contrast range. For example, autumn colors, when you can get a lot of red, orange and other shades at the same time.

Shaping the mood of a photo with color is a more elegant way to draw attention in photography. Different shades evoke different moods. Since there are a huge number of colors, it is not possible to describe the impact of each on the feelings of the audience. Let's consider just a few.

Blue brings a feeling of calm or coldness, depending on which shade is used. The perception will be similar to what a person experiences from color in nature: a deep calm ocean, a cloudless still sky, a large amount of ice - everything has a blue tint. Thus, a photographer who wants to create a sense of calm must include a blue object in the composition of the shot.

Green often interacts with a feeling of freshness, lushness of plants. Again, human feelings associated with this color are based on the perception of it in nature. We tend to associate green with spring and new growth. Hue is often used in landscape photography: meadows, plants, fields can convey a mood of prosperity and splendor.

Yellow, orange and red

These colors are associated with feelings of warmth and comfort. Photos of the same sunsets are a great example of how warm shades create a feeling of comfort for the viewer. A photographer who wants to take advantage of these colors can include anything that contains these vibrant hues in their composition.

Another way to use color to create mood in an image is to use light. Early morning and evening provide the photographer with colored light, which can be a powerful weapon in getting the right effect in an image.

Before sunrise and about twenty minutes after sunset, everything is bathed in soft bluish light. This light will help to immerse your shot in an atmosphere of calm mood.

Just after sunrise and before sunset, the light is very often warm with red, orange or yellow reflections. Use this light to create a feeling of comfort.
With the right play on color, light and brightness, your pictures will be irresistible!

Bookmark and use for the benefit of creativity!

Ron Bigelow, translation S.Zavodova

Most of us carelessly use color in photography. But as soon as you take a selective approach to the shades in the frame and pay attention to the colors in the composition, you will see a qualitative change in your work.

We'll go back to the basics color theory and tell you how to use color circle to mix and match colors perfectly. Then we'll focus on the use of color and the different ways to create vibrant, exciting shots.

If you decide to practice, then bright elements of clothing will come in handy. They can be inexpensive. First, we'll show you how to create a distinctive look in a portrait by adding a single bright color against a predominantly neutral hue.

Then you can move on to experimenting with additional colors.
The third stage is to create striking effects by mixing shades of the same color. Finally, let's touch on the use of a great variety of different colors for fun rainbow photos.

And, importantly, you will learn how different lighting options can dramatically affect the perception of color in photography.

You probably know that color can have a huge impact on our mood. And using it wisely is a great way to add life to your shots.

The easiest experiment with color is to add an accent of one bright shade as opposed to the predominant neutral composition.

In this case, the red color works flawlessly. Also, any warm shade, such as orange or light pink, will look good as a focal point.

The model in the photo above has red lips and the same scarf, which stands out clearly against the black coat and gray walls. The eye contour enlivens the frame.

After mastering the simple use of one bright color, try contrasting two shades in a portrait.

The easiest way to match two shades in a photo is to use the color wheel. Colors that are directly opposite, such as orange and blue or red and green, tend to complement each other well.

Visual perception of different colors can cause a very strong emotional reaction.

For example, red symbolizes passion and danger, while blue promotes relaxation and has an instantly calming effect.

You can deliberately evoke certain feelings in the viewer by using several shades of the same color in the picture. In our example, shades of green are combined. This creates a calming effect.

Choose the right white balance

For the two portraits above, different white balance settings were applied, which drastically affects the changes in the color palette of the image. In the first case, the “tungsten lamp” WB setting softened the tone of the model’s purple dress and gave the portrait a cool mood. In the second, natural light was retained so as not to affect the different shades in the photo.

It happens that violation of the rules and principles in photography gives an extremely pleasant effect. This also applies to color theory.

Try mixing and matching colors to see what happens. The more you experiment, the better you will begin to understand what looks good and what is just bright.

In this portrait, blue walls, a green dress, a purple scarf and yellow flowers met, which, by all rights, should not happen in a photograph. But in combination with soft light, it was possible to create quite an attractive rainbow effect.

Designers usually use a blank with a palette of different colors and automatically get matching shades.

For the effective use of color, not only the right shades are crucial, but also the lighting.

Colors photographed in harsh sunlight will look very different from those photographed in subdued indoor lighting. The key to how colors are perceived is the positioning of the light source. You can clearly see this in the three pictures below.

In each case, the scarf on the model looks very different.

The use of backlighting gave new options for perceiving shades. You can dim the colors to pastel tones, and create different contrasts with side lighting. Moreover, the same principles apply to both artificial lighting and natural lighting.

front lighting

Positioning the sun or other main light source directly behind the photographer will show the colors as we perceive them in real life. That is, with all brightly and evenly lit tones. This is exactly what we see in the picture above with the model's rainbow scarf.

Back (rear) lighting