Red, white, blue: How shades in a photo affect our emotional perception. Why does a photographer need a color wheel

Article text updated: 02/11/2019

If you try to analyze why photographs taken by professional, talented photographers are so catchy for the viewer, it becomes clear that in addition to the correct composition and exposure, the photographer also worked with color. Color theory obviously plays a huge role in photography, yet not many of us have sufficient knowledge in this area or understand how to use it to improve our work. In today's tutorial, I will share what I myself learned about the nuances in this area.

I will clarify right away that some definitions, concepts that you will meet below may be difficult to understand. To be honest, I didn’t quite understand what I wrote either ... But still I decided to publish this photo tutorial, because I think that it can give some understanding to novice amateur photographers “in which direction to dig in order to improve their photography skills”, give an incentive to search additionally videos and articles on the topic of color theory, and related rules, techniques and guidelines.

I also note that most of the material I received in English sources, video lessons will be given in Russian, and if there are no suitable ones in my native language, then in English. So, if somewhere the translation is not very reliable, I ask you not to throw tomatoes, but correct it in the comments. Thanks for understanding.

There will be a lot of text. I think that from the first time, few people will master the entire article to the end, they will have to return to it. For convenience, I give the content - by clicking on the link, you can go to the desired point of the lesson.

1. Color mechanics

2. Historical background

3. Basic color wheel

3.1 Primary colors

3.2 Secondary colors

3.3 Tertiary colors

4. Color model

5. What is a color space?

6. Use of color in photography

6.1 Color tone

6.2 Saturation

6.3 Lightness

7. Shades, shadows and tones

8. Color harmony

8.1 Complementary colors

8.2 Triad

8.3 Similar colors

8.4 Monochrome colors

9. Color psychology

11. Glossary of terms

1. Color mechanics

A person sees the color, but does not feel it, since it exists only in the light.

The visible part of the spectrum (figure above) that we perceive is part of the wider electromagnetic spectrum.

The red roof of a house is perceived as red because the painted surface absorbs all visible light except for the red that is reflected from it and perceived by the eye.

In reality, this looks a little more complicated, since often the color of an object is a mixture of several colors, and not one pure color.

The scientific basis of color theory is, of course, broader than this description: it is a vast topic in itself, and many books have been written about it. But as photographers, we don't need to dive deeper into it.

2. Historical background on the origin of color theory

Someone probably likes the story, but today's lesson is about something else. So let's stop briefly. ​

What we understand about color theory today was discovered by Isaac Newton. His experiments on splitting the visible spectrum with a prism led to the invention of the first color wheel.

After publishing many variations of color wheels by other authors, the German theorist Johannes Itten developed the color wheel that designers and photographers use today. It is based on primary colors: yellow, red and blue.

Itten's color wheel took into account Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's hypothesis about the emotional value of colors: for example, blue was associated with cold, and red with heat.

3. The color wheel as the basis of color theory

Color theory may seem simple at first glance, but becomes more complex as you learn. Over the centuries, artists, theorists, philosophers and many others have tried to explain color using various theories and systems. Even today, there are areas in which some color theories remain controversial.

When it comes to color theory, it is natural to consider it from the standpoint of primary, secondary and tertiary colors. ​So let's start with the color wheel diagram in photography.

3.1 Primary Colors

​A true primary color is a color that does not contain any other colors (i.e. it does not mix different colors when it is formed).

For most of us who own computers and televisions, the primary colors are red (R ed), green (Green) and blue (Blue), abbreviated as RGB. RGB colors are also known as digital primary colors used to display images in electronic devices.

When it comes to printing in a print shop, we use cyan (C yan), magenta (M agneta) and yellow (Y ellow) as primary inks (CMYK). To confuse even more: yellow ( Y ellow), red ( R ED) and blue ( B lue) are taught as primary colors in art schools. Which is also called the YRB color scheme.

Each scheme is used in its own industry and has its own advantages. In today's tutorial, we will use the YRB color wheel: artistic color wheel(Figure 3) to illustrate the point of view being described. This may completely contradict the color model, which we will consider below. However, YRB is a system adopted by artists since the 19th century.

3.2 Secondary Colors

​Secondary colors in the YRB scheme are formed by mixing two primary colors.

• Orange = yellow + red;
• Purple = red + blue;
• Green = blue + yellow;

3.3 Tertiary Colors

Tertiary colors in the YRB scheme are formed by mixing primary and secondary colors. The color name is formed from the name of the primary color at the beginning and the secondary color following it:

• yellow-orange;
• red-orange;
• red-violet;
• blue-violet;
• blue-green;
• yellow-green.

4. Color model (Color model)​

A color model is a system for creating a full spectrum of colors using a set of primary colors. There are two color models: additive and subtractive, they differ in how colors are created.

AT additive model we are talking about the colors of radiation or luminescence (for example, the glow of a computer monitor or a light bulb), they are formed by mixing two rays of primary colors (the resulting color will be lighter than its components).

The name "additive" comes from the English word "add" (add). If the rays of the three primary colors are mixed, it will turn out white, and if there is no radiation at all, then black will remain (imagine a computer monitor turned off and only blackness remained). When mixing two primary colors, we get secondary:

• blue (cyan) = green + blue;
• magenta = blue + red;
• yellow = red + green.

AT subtractive model we are talking about physical pigments, such as those contained in the ink of a printing press or printer. They partially absorb white and reflect the remaining radiation, which is seen by the human eye as a color (it will depend on which part of the spectrum the absorption occurs).

• cyan = white minus red;
• magenta = white minus green;
• yellow = white minus blue.

Note 1. In different sources, the cyan color is called either blue or blue-green.

Note 2. Since we are dealing with physical pigments in the subtractive model, the primary colors here are called "primary inks".

In the subtractive model, if we mix two primary colors, more light is absorbed and the resulting color will be darker. If you mix all three primary colors, you get black (maximum light absorption), and if all three primary colors are absent (we did not put paint on white paper), you get white.

In addition to the two described, there are other color models that are responsible for how we understand color at the present time.

Artists can manipulate color when they paint their paintings. It's harder for photographers: we can only observe our scene, which we are shooting, and note what happens to the colors on it. Probably, only when shooting in a studio do we have the opportunity to somehow influence the color component of the photo.

Consider another way of understanding color, which has more to do with photography.

5. What is a color space

For photographers, color space is more relevant. This is a mathematically defined range of colors (also called gamut) that a device can display (such as a computer monitor) or print (such as an inkjet printer).​

We use it every day when setting up a camera, when post-processing in Lightroom or Photoshop, when publishing images on the Internet and when printing. ​

​There are many color spaces, such as sRGB for web, CMYK for print, Rec. 709 for HDTV, etc. Photographers use only some of them.

The CIELAB color space (CIE = International Commission on Illumination; LAB is explained below) is used as a standard for comparing color spaces. ​ The CIELAB color space (the color graph in the figure above) is specifically designed to show the coverage of all colors that the average person can see.

Photographers should be familiar with the following color spaces. The black triangle will show the gamut of each color space within CIELAB.

Standard RGB (sRGB)

• The standard color space for displaying images on the Internet.
• Includes only 35% of the visible CIELAB colors.
• Without additional settings, any 8-bit file, program or device interface can be considered as being in the sRGB color space.
• Narrower color gamut, especially in the area of ​​blue-green colors, and therefore may not be used by specialists in publishing.

Adobe RGB

• Developed by Adobe in 1998 to include most of the CMYK color space for printing, but uses primary RGB colors for display on monitors.
• Contains just over 50% of all visible colors.
• Allows you to print more vivid colors, but without conversion to sRGB on the Internet is not displayed correctly.
• Can be converted to sRGB, but not vice versa.

ProPhoto RGB

• Developed by Kodak, also known as ROMM RGB (Reference Output Medium Metric).
• Includes over 90% of all visible colors.
• Wide color gamut to avoid posterization of the image, it is recommended to work with a color depth of 16 bits.
• Ideal for post-processing, can be converted to sRGB for web or CMYK for print.

• An abbreviation for Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and K, which stands for black. This is a subtractive color model used in color printing.
• ​Technically, it's a color model, not a space. But it can be displayed on CIELAB for comparison with the RGB color space.
• A direct comparison between RGB display and CMYK prints is difficult due to differences in color technologies and properties.
• You can print using ProPhoto RGB or Adobe RGB images. For optimal results, it is best to consult your print shop.

• CIELAB, also formally called L*a*b*, where L = lightness, from the brightest white to the darkest black. A-axis from green to red and B-axis from blue to yellow.
• Covers all perceived colors.
• Colors are absolute and do not depend on the playback device.
• It is taken as a basis in color management systems for communication between different devices (for example, when converting computer colors for printing: Adobe RGB -> Lab -> CMYK).

Practical tip #1. Choosing the right color space for your workflow

Color space management can be confusing for beginner amateur photographers. There is no set standard for choosing the color space in which to work. Every photographer has different workflow preferences. Many professionals shoot in RAW and process images at 16-bit color depth using the ProPhoto RGB color space in Lightroom and Photoshop. When photos are prepared for posting on the Internet, they are converted to sRGB.

AT photoshop to set the working color space, press Edit > color Settings(Edit>Adjust Colors), under Working Space (Working space) choose the desired color space. To set the output color space, click Edit > Convert to Profile(Edit > Convert to Profile) and choose a color space under Destination Space(target space).

In a programme Lightroom By default, image management uses the ProPhoto RGB color space and this option cannot be changed. But you can choose the color space to export. We can change the color space of images exported to Photoshop by going to Lightroom > preference(Lightroom > Settings). To export images to another location, go to the menu File > Export (File > Export) and choose a color space in the section File Settings(File settings).

Most monitors display colors inaccurately. This creates problems when printing images from a computer. Without calibration, the color of the printouts may differ from the colors of the images on the screen. The solution is to use a calibrator.

Do we need to calibrate the monitor? Perhaps not. If we do not make a living from photography, then this is not necessary. In addition, calibrators cost money. ​Alternatively, you can check the color accuracy of our display using special tables.

6. Applying color to photography

We can't control the color at the time of shooting, but we can boost or tone down colors in general or selectively in post-processing.

This is achieved by adjusting parameters such as hue ( hue) , saturation ( saturation) and brightness ( lightness) . All photographers who are engaged in post-processing of images have come across the term HSL in Lightroom editor or adjustment layer Hue/ Saturation(Hue/Saturation) in Photoshop.

Before we start, let's define the terms so as not to get confused in the future.

Hue = color. Saturation = color intensity. Lightness = lightness.

Practical advice number 3.Let's find out where the HSL settings are

AT photoshop this section is called Hue/ Saturation(which also has a Lightness slider). Located in the Adjustments panel (Correction), below the Layers panel (Layers), or it can be found by going to layer > New adjustment layer > Hue/ Saturation(Layers > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation).

In a programme Lightroom sliders HSL are in the module Develop(Development). L - designation Luminance (Lightness) in Lightroom.

6.1 Color tone (Hue)​

A hue is essentially a color. Someone defines it as the name of a color or the color of a color. For example, the hue of red, red, remains red even if we reduce its saturation or brightness.

Colors (color tones) are warm and cold. It is believed that the warm colors of the image highlight, bring closer, play a more active role in the picture. Cold colors calm, distance, convey a sense of distance or serve as a background.

Let's see how to manage color in photography for your own purposes, especially if a certain color is used especially often.

Red

• Warm, intensifying color.
• Stands out against any other color background. Dominates the composition even in small quantities. Therefore, it is better to use it in moderation.
• We are more sensitive to warm colors, especially reds, because there are more red cones in the retina (64% of all color cones).
• Red is the primary color for skin tone in RGB. When converting to CMYK, most of the details go to cyan.

Practical advice number 4.In view of the foregoing, we use the setting selective color (Selective color correction) inphotoshop for fine correction of skin tone in images

In layer selective color choose from the dropdown menu Reds(Red). Using sliders Yellow (Yellow) and Magenta(Purple) to correct skin tone and cyan(blue) for saturation.

Note. Well, maybe I still need to go deeper into the methods of adjusting the skin tone.J

Green

• Cold color.
• Saturated and contrasty, the green channel dominates the default conversion to monochrome in Photoshop (59% green, 30% red, and 11% blue).
• This is the natural color of the foliage, but if you drop the eyedropper over the leaf in the image in Photoshop, you'll actually find more yellow than green! Especially in sunlight.
• A person is better at distinguishing the brightness levels of green than other colors, so night vision devices work in this color range.
• May fall outside the CMYK to RGB gamut (particularly Adobe RGB and ProPhoto RGB). This must be taken into account when printing.

Practical advice number 5.To enhance the color saturation of the foliage of trees, use the toolTargeted adjustment Tool (Target Adjustment Tool) instead of choosing a separate color channel

It's on the panel HSL in Lightroom. First, make sure you choose Color tone (Hue) before using Targeted adjustment Tool.

There is also an option to use the tool Targeted adjustment Tool in the Adobe Camera RAW converter for Photoshop. Its icon is in the top left corner. It can also be found in an adjustment layer. Hue/ Saturation.

*The icon in all three cases may be slightly different.

Blue

• Cold, distant color.
• When we see blue, it is associated with the sky, as well as space, distance, and coolness.
• Pure blue (R:0, G:0, B:255) is not perceived by human vision. Therefore, blue shades can fall out of the color gamut, especially bright blue. Pay attention to blue skies in images when printing.
• If you look closely, the sky often has different shades and tones of blue instead of pure or almost pure blue. You need to take this into account in post-processing so as not to make it overly saturated.
• The blue channel is the noisiest of all the RGB channels.

Practical advice number 6. Desaturate the blue sky to highlight the foreground

It makes you want to add saturation to the sky in post-processing, especially if the photo is a bright sunny day. Since blue is a receding color, slightly lowering its saturation can bring out the foreground more. A warm-colored foreground object (red/orange/yellow) will also help.

Perhaps not the best example. In any case, professional photographers advise you to carefully study your photo and make sure that the colors in the picture do not compete with each other for the attention of the viewer.

Practical advice number 7. ​Let's make the water whiter by adding a hint of blue

Adding a slight tint of blue to the water makes the viewer perceive white as whiter. The effect will be even stronger if you shoot at a slow shutter speed, making the flow of water smoother and smoother.

How I photographed this waterfall in the Himalayas is told

In Lightroom or ACR in Photoshop, use Adjustment Brush (Adjustment brush) to selectively select a waterfall in the image. After that you need to move the slider Temp(Temperature) to the left to add a little blue tint to the water.

Yellow

• Warm color.
• Primary in YRB color scheme, but not in RGB.
• Has the highest lightness (~brightness) value of all colors. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the degree of color saturation.
• Like red, yellow stands out and draws attention if the background is darker or less saturated. We use this in post-processing photos with autumn leaves.
• Yellow should be balanced with magenta when processing skin tone.

Orange

• Warm color.
• Yellow/orange is the sunlight we perceive. It also gives a feeling of warmth.
• Like red, orange stands out very much. It must be used in moderation.

Practical advice number 8. Let's enhance the color of the sunset by adding a little color to the sky

In Photoshop, we can add color to a new layer to enhance the color of the sun. This is a simple and effective post-processing technique.

Step 1. Let's create a new layer. Let's choose a tool Brush (Brush) while holding down the key Opt/Alt to select a pipette. Use it to select the yellow/orange tint of the sunlight. We may need to increase the saturation or brightness of the selected hue.

Step 2 We use Brush by setting Opacity (Opacity) by 100 and hardness (Rigidity) to 0. On a new layer, circle the place where you want to make the sunlight brighter.

Step 3 Change the blend mode of the new layer we've drawn to Soft light(Soft light). Let's reduce Opacity up to about 20% (by experimenting with the picture). Let's create a mask in this layer and those areas on which we do not need to change color, paint over with black.

Note: as you can see, I used two layers of paint: one is orange, taken with a pipette, the second is red.

The story of how I shot this landscape -

6.1.1 The concept of color temperature

So far we have been talking about color in isolation, but it is also necessary to have an idea of ​​color temperature. This feature is also called white balance.

White balance allows you to change colors to simulate changes in color temperature.

Why is it for photographers? Selecting the correct white balance allows the colors in the image to be displayed without unwanted casts. We can also purposefully add a given hue to an image for artistic purposes.

The auto white balance (AWB) of modern digital cameras is pretty good at determining the correct color temperature in the range of 3000-7000K (daylight temperature is about 5500K). Anything outside this range needs to be set to white balance manually (eg, shadowy areas, indoors, especially under artificial lighting, with flash, etc.).

Particularly picky photographers buy sets of calibration targets for adjusting white balance (for example, "ColorChecker Passport") or a white translucent lens cap (for example, ExpoDisc) for customizing white balance. In general, the best way to get the right WB is to always photograph in RAW format, since such a file retains all the color information received from the sensor.

Correcting the white balance is quite simple. Choose a white balance preset from the WB drop-down menu in Lightroom or ACR in Photoshop.

When shooting in JPEG, the ability to select WB presets is lost. We will have to manually adjust the white balance using the slider. temperature( Temperature ) .​

Color temperature is measured in Kelvins (K), ranging from yellow (coldest) to blue (warmest) with white in the middle.

I think many of you have already scratched your heads why yellow (which is considered a warm color) is called cold! The textbooks write the following about this: when heated, a piece of metal first begins to turn red. As the temperature increases, it turns white and glows blue at maximum heating. In addition, the flame at its highest temperature is blue, despite the common misconception that it is red.

If cooler temperatures are red and warmer temperatures are blue, why is the Temperature setting in Lightroom and Photoshop reversed? This is because of the visual representation of color compensation. For example, the photo was taken indoors with artificial lighting without a flash. The picture will have a yellow/orange tint. The camera will increase the color temperature (blue) to correct the white balance.

It's even clearer in post-processing. When the image has a blue or yellow tint, move the Temperature slider in the opposite direction to correct the white balance.

Practical advice number 10. In post-processing, you can use digital filters (photo filter)

Gone are the days when you had to carry a bag with a set of these accessories to store color filters. Such filters were installed in a special holder mounted in front of the lens.

The most common are warm and cold filters. Their effect is to increase or decrease the color temperature of the image.

Now this effect is easy to recreate in post-processing with one click. In Photoshop go to Image> Adjustments> photo filter(Image>Adjustment> Photo Filter). We can also click on the icon photo filter (Photo filter) on the panel Adjustments(Correction). Select a filter from the dropdown menu. We can also click color (Colour) and choose any color as a filter. We change Density(Density)(0-100%) filter and put a tick in " Preserve Luminosity» (Keep Glow) so that the filter does not make the image darker.

In addition to the built-in filters in Photoshop, there are others in the form of presets (including paid ones) or programs that apply filters to images.

A good example of such software is the Color Efex Pro package from Google Nik Collection. It is a plugin for Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Lightroom and Apple Aperture. I showed examples of using this free application in the tutorial on how I process RAW files in Lightroom and Photoshop.

6.1.2 Setting the white balance manually

One of the tricky things about using a slider temperature to adjust the color balance is that this process is a guessing game. The perception of BB is very subjective, since each person perceives "neutral" in his own way. If you prefer to set your color temperature more methodically, then you'll like the point black, white and gray" instrument " color sampler Too l". It can be found in layers Curves(Curves), Levels (Levels) and exposure(Exposure) in Photoshop.

The tool itself is easy to use, harder to find a pure black, white or gray pixel in an image.

Practical advice number 11. Finding black, white and gray pixels in a photo

The secret to finding the true black, white or gray point is to use a layer Threshold(Threshold, Isohelia). Add it on top of the adjustment layers Curves/Levels/exposure.

Drag the arrow in the layer Threshold from the middle to the left until the image is completely white. Now start slowly moving the arrow back (towards the center) until black appears (indicated by the red arrows). Cross checking with the graph will make sure that the arrow is pointing to existing pixels. These are black pixels. Zoom in and apply the tool color sampler Tool (located where the pipette is, below) to highlight the black pixel.

Drag the arrow to Threshold from the middle to the right until the image is completely black. Now start slowly moving the arrow back (towards the center) until white appears (indicated by the red arrows). Cross checking with the graph will make sure that the arrow is pointing to existing pixels. These are white pixels. Zoom in and apply color sampler Tool to select a white pixel.

Gray point search. These steps are similar to finding a black dot. The only difference is that you need to add a new layer above the image layer and below the adjustment layer. Threshold, fill it with 50% gray and change its blend mode to Difference(Difference). Move the arrow to Threshold to the leftmost position and begin to slowly move to the right until we see the appearance of black. It is 50% grey. Zoom in, select any gray pixel and mark it with the tool color sampler tool.

Now we have black, white and gray pixels marked and we can fix the white balance.

Click on color sampler Tool for black (if it is not clear which of the three, you need to move the mouse over it and wait a couple of seconds for the hint to appear) and click on the place where the black pixel is located. You may need to zoom in to accurately determine the position of the pixel.

Repeat these steps for white and gray. Now our shot has the correct white balance!

You can also watch a video tutorial on adjusting the white balance in Photoshop, using black, white and gray points for the layer Curves (Curves), Levels (Levels) and Exposure (Exposure). It's a pity that the author of the video works silently, however, after watching it several times, you can understand the algorithm of actions (especially if you turn on subtitles).

In general, white balance can be adjusted in several ways. Here are two more tutorials on setting this parameter in Photoshop and Lightroom.

6.2 Saturation

Saturation is the intensity of a color. It is also called color. The highest chrominance value represents the color in its purest form.

In photography, we rarely see color in its purest form. Since in reality the color can be of different saturation, lightness, shades and tones.

Human vision is designed in such a way that more saturated colors attract the eye, less saturated colors seem to be located at a distance. At the same time, several saturated shades can compete for attention.

In this chapter, we'll look at how we can control saturation (in the next chapter, lightness) to increase the depth of an image.

6.2.1 Increase saturation

We can increase the saturation of a frame or subject during or after shooting.

To enhance the saturation and clarity of the image while photographing, you can use a polarizing filter that removes glare and haze. The maximum effect of the polarizer is achieved when the axis of the camera lens is perpendicular to the direction of the sun.

In post-processing, the most common tools for adjusting contrast in Photoshop are by far Levels and Curves(Layers and Curves). You can also use settings brightness/ contrast(Brightness/Contrast), Vibrance (Juiciness) or Hue/ Saturation. Lightroom has sliders contrast (Contrast) and Clarity (Definition).

Practical advice number 12. What is clarityClarity)? How does it work?

Strictly speaking, clarity is not a matter of color theory, but let's consider what it is anyway.

Increase definition (Clarity) emphasizes borders, mostly in midtones. The border is the place where the bright part of the image meets the dark part. In other words, sharpening enhances micro-contrast, making dark areas darker and light areas lighter in the midtones. Because of what any image looks better.

6.2.2 Desaturation

The presence of bright colors is not always good for the picture. Sometimes it makes sense to lower the saturation of selected areas of the image. This adds depth and dimension to the 2D image.

​In nature, desaturated scenes occur when there is fog, mist, or cloudy weather. These weather conditions scatter light so colors appear less saturated, allowing for a mystical or even nostalgic monochromatic effect.

Practical advice number 13. Selective saturation adjustment using Saturation masks ( Saturation mask )

We love colorful pictures. But sometimes the excessive brightness of the image makes it unnatural and tasteless.

What if we only need to adjust saturation on part of the image? You can use the tool adjustment Brush (corrective brush) in Lightroom or Hue/ Saturation in Photoshop with a layer mask, but we won't be able to make a precise selection if there are a lot of fine details in the frame.

Idea Saturation masks (Saturation mask) similar to the brightness mask ( Luminosity mask). The difference is that the saturation mask works on the most saturated areas with a smooth transition to the less saturated ones. This means that such an adjustment occurs without transitions noticeable to the eye.

What Layer mask in Photoshop. I'll try to explain briefly, although I'm not sure what happens without a visual demonstration. Let's say we need to combine 2 images: on the lower one, Petya is on the left, on the upper one, Vasya is on the right. Can be applied tophotoshop2 layers and on the top of the frame erase with an eraser. But a more efficient way is to overlay the second image on top of the first and apply a layer mask to it (layer mask) to be filled with black. Now, if you paint over this mask with a white brush according to Petya, then the white areas will appear on top of the bottom image, and all the black areas will remain opaque. Unlike the Eraser, the image on the top picture is not deleted, but only its transparency is reduced. If we have gone beyond the edge of Petya's face with white, we simply repaint it with black and it disappears again.

What Luminosity mask (Luminosity mask) in Photoshop? Let's say in the example above, we want to paint with a brush the silhouette of a pine branch against the sky. No matter how hard we try, we can't do it accurately. But with a series of manipulations, you can get a black and white copy of this image and turn it into a layer mask.

Usage example: We want to lower the brightness of the evening sky, but not darken the images of the pine tree. We createLuminosity maskand on it we reduce the brightness - only the sky will become darker, without affecting the image of the tree. And such a correction of the picture will be invisible to the viewer, since in the black and white image of the Luminance Mask, the transitions from dark to light tones are made very smoothly. We get an analogueHDR, but looking very natural.

What is Saturation Mask (Saturation mask) inPhotoshop? Let's say we want to reduce the saturation of only too acidic areas in the image, without affecting the normal ones. Create a copy of the layer. With the help of a series of manipulations, a black and white copy of it is created, where the acid colors will be white, the normal colors will be black, and the transition colors will be gray. Now, if we reduce the saturation in this layer, then this parameter will decrease only in the acidic areas, without affecting the normal ones. And since there are gray areas in the Saturation Mask, the transparency of this layer changes smoothly and the transition from acidic to normal colors also goes very evenly, imperceptibly to the eye.

Let's see the comparison Saturation masks (Saturation mask) and Luminosity masks (Luminosity mask) on examples.

The foreground remains black. Adding a Saturation Adjustment Layer with a mask will only affect the highlights and not the areas with lower saturation and muted colors.

Okay, it's better to watch once than read five times. Here is the first tutorial with an example of usage Saturation masks (Saturation mask) in Photoshop to correct the image.

Here is an example of correcting a wedding photo using the same Saturation masks.

In the next tutorial, I plan to go into detail on how to properly create and use Luminosity masks. Now I can only offer to watch a video in English, which describes this powerful tool.

6.3 Lightness (lightness)

Guys, I read dozens of articles in Russian and English, but I didn’t fully understand what this parameter was. I'll try to explain, but I'm not sure if I'm right...

In general, the main color parameters include hue (Hue), saturation (Saturation) and lightness (Lightness). In English, the word "lightness" is synonymous with brightness (brightness, value) and luminosity (luminosity). But in the context of color theory, the concepts of "brightness" and "lightness" are different.

Lightness is a relative value that shows how bright a surface feels to the viewer in relation to the brightness of a white surface under the same lighting ... I didn’t understand anything ...))

Many sources give this example: a sheet of blue paper lies on the table, it is illuminated by a light bulb and reflects the light. This sheet of paper will have a certain brightness, and a certain lightness, which is calculated in relation to the white cup. Now the situation is the same, but the table is illuminated by the sun - a more powerful source of light. Now the brightness of the sheet of paper has increased, but the lightness has remained the same, since under this lighting, the ratio of the brightness of the blue sheet and the white cup has remained the same ... I still did not understand anything, even after watching the following video in English ...))

I can only give such an example: white is added to a jar of red paint - the lightness of the red color increases, and if black is mixed in, the lightness decreases. That is, when they say about a color that it is dark red or light red, they mean its lightness.

Even in an article on color theory, they cite such a picture and say that all three squares have the same brightness (100%), but the lightness is different ...

Each color has its own lightness, and yellow has the highest lightness of all colors. This leads to the fact that we perceive yellow as the brightest, even if in the photo all the colors are equally bright and saturated.

From this it is concluded that human vision is more sensitive to light than to shadow.

An image with a black and white background has the most contrast, but our eyes are more attracted to a dark background. We can apply this principle to highlight an object in an image.

During the Renaissance, a painting technique called Chiaroscuro (chiaroscuro distribution) appeared. The word "Chiaroscuro" comes from Italy and means "light-shadow". The technique uses the tonal contrast between light and shadow to create a three-dimensional picture. The viewer's attention is drawn to an object illuminated by light against a dark background.

Practical advice number 14. Create volume by selectively adjusting saturation and brightness

Considering the scene, you need to pay attention to where the light comes from. The shadow area has less saturation. Thus, it makes sense to increase the saturation of the illuminated areas!

In addition, when increasing saturation, we use Vibrance, instead of increasing the saturation of muted tones. This often creates a more natural effect.

Now let's look at how to selectively desaturate an image.

In the Lightroom editor. Applicable adjustment Brush (Adjustment brush) to outline the areas of the image that we need to desaturate. This will create a selection and we can apply the settings with the slider Saturation (Saturation) . Or we can do the same with Radial filter(Radial filter).

In Photoshop. One of the easiest ways is to desaturate the image completely and mask certain areas with a layer mask (Layer mask). But, if more precision is needed, it is better to try Luminosity mask, Zone mask or color Range (color range). These techniques are used to create a selection before applying a contrast adjustment layer. Applying the Dodge (clarifier) ​​and Burn (dimmer) tools on top of the 50% gray layer is another good way to create artistic lights and shadows. I don’t know how to use it, but I want to demonstrate two video tutorials.

The first lesson in Russian is an example of adding volume using the manifestation of lights and shadows with a toolDodge & BurninPhotoshop. At a minimum, check out the scheme for darkening and brightening a female portrait, the description of which begins at 1:34 minutes.

The second lesson is in English (you can also study landscapes and improve a foreign language). The author actively usesDodge & Burn, as well as masks to reduce or increase saturation in the right places.

Another video tutorial (also in English) is the processing of a landscape in Lightroom using an adjustment brush or a radial filter for the same purposes: correcting the black and white pattern, saturating the picture.

I don't know if I can master such processing methods. But at least now it’s clear why my landscapes sometimes look flat, while the pros have voluminous ones.

7. Shades, shadows and tones (Tints, Shades andTones) in color theory

These concepts are more relevant for artists and those who work with pigments. But for us photographers, this is useful information.

Shades, shadows and tones are the products of mixing color with white, black and grey. This reduces the chromaticity, but the predominant color remains unchanged.

• Tints: Blending a color with white to increase lightness.
• Shadows (Shades): a mixture of color with black to reduce lightness.
• Tones: Blending a color with gray to create a muted tone.​

The use of hues, shadows, and tones is more common in monochrome images. We will look at this in the next chapter.

8. Color harmony

Color harmony is the theory of combining colors to create a harmonious (pleasant to the eye) image. It represents the balance and unity of colors. The human brain achieves a state of dynamic balance when it recognizes the visual interest and order created by harmony.

In photography, we have little control over the combination of colors (only to some extent). The viewer is attracted to bright, colorful objects, to enhance the impact of the image, you need to constantly think about the combination of colors (and take it into account either when shooting or in post-processing).

However, learning about color harmony can help you understand why some of our shots get more attention than others.

Designers and professional photographers can use the Adobe CC tool (previously called Adobe Kuler: https://color.adobe.com/en/create/color-wheel) to analyze the colors in their photos to find harmonious color combinations. Let's start with the most common color harmonies.

Practical advice number 15. Using Adobe CC to Analyze Image Colors

Step 1: Click on the camera icon in the upper right corner (create from image). Select the desired image and click "Open" ( open) .

Step 2: We will see that the image is analyzed based on 5 colors in large squares. Then click on the color wheel in the upper right corner.

Step 3: Let's look at the color wheel and see if the colors in the image match any color harmony.

You can also experiment with the menu on the left in step 2 to analyze different color properties.

Video tutorial with an example of use Adobe CCto create image harmony.

Another Lesson in EngagementAdobe CC for successful image color grading (in English).

8.1 Complementary colors

What are complementary colors? These are colors that are opposite each other on the color wheel. A typical example of complementary colors is sunset, where there is blue and yellow/orange.

Since the colors are at opposite ends of the color wheel, the full spectrum of color is present in the image. The presence of both colors in equal proportions creates mutual completeness.

Please note: in post-processing, you should not increase the saturation of both colors equally. Saturated complementary colors can mutually emphasize each other and create a contrast effect (an apparent increase or decrease in the perceived parameters of objects).

Less saturated complementary colors are more harmonious and stand out less in the image.

Practical advice number 16. Creating volume with warm and cold shades

Remember that warm colors bring you closer and cold colors move you away? We use this psychological move when we have additional colors in the image to emphasize the volume of the image.

In the example above, we can saturate the yellow/orange more than the blue. The less saturated blue will give way to the more saturated yellow/orange, which will stand out even more.

8.2 Triad

A triad is when three colors on the color wheel are at the same distance from each other. As in the case of complementary colors, this indicates the presence of a full range of colors.

The triad and complementary colors have a similar visual impact: they create a sense of unity and balance. At the same time, the effect of muted colors is stronger than saturated ones.

When there are a lot of colors in an image, it makes sense to make 1 color dominant to avoid competition for attention.

8.3 Analogous colors (successive color harmony)

A combination of similar colors is three shades located side by side on the color wheel. It is more harmonious and has a slightly monochrome look. Usually observed in nature, for example, in autumn.

Colors typically have similar lightness (or brightness), little contrast, and are less colorful than complementary and triadic colors.

8.4 Monochrome colors

Monochrome colors are characterized by only one color, but combining different shades, shades and tones.

This gives a greater range of contrasting tones to draw attention or create focus.

A monochrome image is less distracting than a color image. This allows the viewer to pay more attention to what is depicted in the picture and its history.

I suggest watching a video tutorial with an overview of 5 color harmonies and examples of images where the color combination is made taking into account these concepts.

Practical advice number 17. Improving images with toning (color correction)

Toning is the process of enhancing or changing the color of an image. For photography, this can be done in post-processing, for example, in Photoshop.

Color grading is more commonly used in the film industry. Take for example the film Amélie of Montmartre or 300 Spartans, where a clear color theme runs through the entire film. The purpose of toning is to give the film a personality.

If done correctly in terms of color harmony, we can establish a close relationship between the subject and the background and direct the viewer's attention in our own way.

Color correction is beyond the scope of this article. It should be studied separately. Here is an example of a video where they work wonders with a child's portrait.

Practical advice number 18. Apply split toning to enhance the color harmony of the image

Split toning (split-toning) consists in adding one color to the highlights and / or shadows of the image.

If we select colors that are already in the image (and if they are already harmonious), then this will enhance the effect of color harmony. We can also choose other colors to experiment with the result.

Split toning is easy to do in Lightroom and ACR in Photoshop. As shown in the image below, use the sliders to adjust Hue and Saturation for Highlights (Sveta) and Shadows(Shadows). We use Balance (Balance) to adjust the settings towards highlights or shadows.

AT Lightroom split-toning is in the Develop module. AT Photoshop when opening the image, go to Filter> Camera RAW Filter (Filter> Camera RAW Filter). This will display the split-toning panel as shown in the image above.

• If there is more than one dominant color in the image, we will reduce the saturation or brightness of the others to avoid simultaneous or competing contrast.
• Muted colors look better in equal amounts than pure, saturated colors.
• It is worth experimenting with different levels of saturation and brightness of each color to create a three-dimensional image.
• The visual impact is more obvious for bright colors than for dark ones.

9. Color psychology

The psychology of color is the study of how color affects human behavior.

This topic is studied in detail and widely used in marketing and branding. Color affects how the consumer subconsciously perceives the product and ultimately becomes or not a buyer. From a photographic point of view, the colors in the image affect how the viewer perceives our work.

Color perception can be influenced by culture, geography, religion, time of day, season, gender of the viewer, etc. This explains why a color can have multiple meanings.

Here is a good video explaining how color affects the psychological aspects of how a viewer perceives an image.

• ​Red associated with passion, love, excitement, confidence, anger and danger.
• Very emotional color. Becomes easily noticeable even in small quantities. Also energizes and enthusiastic.
• Very effective on a dark background. It should be used in moderation.

• Green associated with nature, life, growth, prosperity, purity, health and harmony.
• Natural natural color. It has a calming, calming effect, gives calmness.
• Stimulates the pituitary gland, increases the release of histamines and causes smoother muscle contractions. Simultaneously relieves stress and invigorates.​

• Blue associated with coolness, space, distance, eternity, masculinity, reliability and sadness.
• Stimulates the body to produce chemicals that cause calm and tranquility, that is, it has a sedative effect.
• A richer, more vibrant blue - electric blue or brilliant blue is energizing.​

• Yellow associated with warmth, fun, optimism, happiness, wealth and caution.
• Stimulates mental processes, the nervous system, activates memory and the desire for communication.
• The color with the maximum glow level will stand out against the background of other colors.​

• Violet associated with wealth, luxury, sophistication, inspiration and tranquility.
• Rarely found in nature, symbolizes magic, mystery and spirituality.
• Being a balance between red and blue, purple can cause anxiety and anxiety, but is the favorite color of teenage girls.​

• Orange associated with energy, fun, creativity, vitality, joy, excitement and adventure.
• Stimulates activity, communication, stimulates appetite.
• Pure orange can indicate a lack of intelligence and bad taste.​

• Black associated with elegance, refinement, authority, power, death, night, evil and mysticism.
• Can cause strong emotions, but in large quantities can also be overwhelming.
• Allows us to feel inconspicuous and mysterious, evoking a sense of potential and possibility.​

• White associated with purity, innocence, simplicity, lightness, emptiness and neutrality.
• Symbolizes strength, victory, peace and conquest.
• Promotes clarity of mind, encourages the removal of obstacles, clears thoughts and gives you the opportunity to start a new life.​

• Grey associated with calmness, balance, restraint, wisdom, but also being neutral, dull and depressing.
• The most important color in photography!
• Deep dark gray evokes a sense of mystery.
• Perceived as durable, classic, often elegant and noble.
• Controlled and inconspicuous, it is considered the color of compromise.

10. Increasing the level of knowledge on color theory

As you can see, color theory cannot be comprehended at once! All we need is a little time to digest the information received and implement it into our workflow.

Understanding how we perceive color and what attracts attention helps professionals create better photos. And I am sure that it can be guaranteed that it will help any amateur photographer!

The last video in today's article, where all those aspects of color theory that we discussed today are discussed visually and with examples.

Well, if you are reading these lines, then you have mastered all my writings, and I wrote it not in vain. Please share a link to this lesson on social networks - maybe someone will be interested in the topic, it will help him make his pictures better. Thank you! Good luck with your photos. If you have not subscribed to notifications of new articles on this blog, I advise you to do this, because there are ideas to publish something else interesting for novice photographers.

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 outwards, making objects convex, while the cold ones, on the contrary, recede, making objects concave.

The task of the photographer is to make the photo harmonious. Using color theory is one way to achieve this. Color performs a number of useful functions:

1. affects the perception of photography in general;
2. gives the photo a special charm;
3. creates the mood of the picture;
4. allows you to create balance, harmony or contrast in the image;
5. selects the required object.

Types and combinations of colors

The color wheel is the main tool of any professional photographer, artist, designer.

The diagram contains 12 primary and mixed colors - this is the basis. By adding black or white to the presented color models, you can get many different shades.

Also, the color wheel is traditionally divided into two halves: warm and cold.

Contrasting colors

Contrasting, or complementary, colors are located opposite each other on the spectral wheel. Each color can be contrasted not only with one contrasting color, but also with a pair. This is the so-called broken contrast.

Opposite shades complement each other: when combined, each of them becomes brighter and more saturated.

Contrast makes the image more dynamic, allows you to evoke interesting emotional reactions: for example, red will cause passion, and blue will instantly calm you down.

There are several ways to use contrast in photography:

1. look for opposite colors around, try to capture good angles with them;
2. use contrasts when creating compositions for staged shooting;
3. apply contrast in portrait photography: choose a contrasting color for clothes and a background.

The contrast of warm and cold tones is also possible. So, "warm" objects look favorably on a "cold" background. But with the reverse combination, you should be very careful.

Similar combinations

Similar combinations are created using 2-3 tones located side by side on the spectral wheel. Neighboring tones bring harmony and calmness to the photo.

With this method, you should not choose rich, bright colors. It is worth giving preference to pastel, light shades.
The advantage of the method is the ability to combine a huge number of different tones.

monochrome combination

This type of photography is created by combining with all its possible shades. The method allows you to convey overflows and subtle color relationships. Such pictures always look noble.

Other combinations

One of the most popular combinations is the classic triad - colors that form an equilateral triangle in the spectral wheel. This combination always looks alive, even when using pale tones.

The choice of equidistant colors, or the analog triad, is also popular. The first color becomes the basis of the composition and conveys the mood, the second emphasizes and beats the selected tones, and the third subtly places accents. The method is used in comfortable compositions, as it gives the image softness.

One of the favorite options for combining colors is a contrasting triad. In this case, not the opposite color is selected, but its two “neighbors”. Such shades form an isosceles triangle in a circle. The advantage of the method is in creating soft tension and in the ability to use different proportions.

There are also complicated options - combinations of tones in the form of a rectangle, square, pentagon. Such a variety can only be used by experienced and professional photographers. An incorrect combination of tones will lead to the opposite effect: it will place accents incorrectly, make the photo discreet or annoying.

Basic rules for working with color

When working with color, it is important to adhere to the following rules:

1. Choose your background wisely: a white background makes the color thicker, and a black background makes it brighter.
2. Place accents: one bright touch can change a photo beyond recognition. A weak tone can be enhanced with a contrasting shade.
3. Choose the right direction of light: the color changes depending on the nature of the lighting;
4. Change the shooting angle: the color may vary depending on the position of the camera when shooting.
5. Decide on the dominant color: most often, the dominant hue is associated with the main subject.

All professional photographers prefer to use the color wheel. However, thoughtlessly following the rules will not necessarily bring the expected result. In photography, not only the right choice of color is important, but also a developed artistic taste, color sense and experience. Feel free to take pictures, gain experience! Knowing the psychology of color, you can easily create masterpieces that attract the viewer's eye.

Why do so many people choose to create artistic shots in black and white rather than color? Do colors detract from the subject, as most say, including myself in the recent past? Now I will answer "no", not when color is used thoughtfully and with the intent to emphasize the subject.

Last year, when I first started experimenting with color after producing exclusively black and white photographs for many years, I wanted to explore my creative options and find out why color doesn't work as well as black and white in art photography. Because I was sure it was just a myth. Why, then, are almost all the paintings of famous artists in the history of art created in color and resonated with so many people, including me?

That's where I started my research: by studying the artists I love to understand more about how they used color.

Throughout the ages, artists have used colors in a very conscious and effective way based on color theory. If you are familiar with the color wheel and color schemes, then you are aware of harmonious combinations such as complementary, triadic, and analogous colors.

As photographers, we can learn a lot from famous artists. You may already know about Rembrandt lighting, which is the distinctive triangle of light just below the eye in portrait photography, named after the Dutch great painter Rembrandt. And you may be familiar with the term "chiaroscuro", which is a dramatic use of contrast in light and shadow, and was coined by the Italian artist Caravaggio. But have you ever noticed the limited color palette in Rembrandt's paintings? Or how Da Vinci used "sfumato", which deliberately blurs outlines and fades color to create a sense of depth? Many other ideas can be gleaned from great artists, such as Van Gogh's use of bright complementary colors placed side by side to attract attention, or Vermeer's technique of using half-strength complementary colors to achieve a more subtle effect.

Since I have always admired Rembrandt's limited palette, my use of color is inspired by his work. This is by no means the only correct way, it's just my preference, so if you prefer a different color scheme, then try using it.

After studying the work of Rembrandt and other great artists, I have identified three secrets for both enhancing a composition and effectively capturing the viewer's attention within that composition through color:

First, the use of selective contrast in the highlights.(This rule also applies to black and white photography.) If your main subject of the composition has the highest contrast in highlights, then the eye will be drawn to it, because the human eye is always drawn to areas with the highest contrast in light and shadow.

Secondly, the use of selective contrast in color. Use the most contrasting colors on your main subject so that the eye is directed there. The eyes seek contrast, so placing contrasting colors next to each other will draw attention to that particular area. If you use complementary colors (opposite colors on the color wheel), then this effect will be magnified.

Third, the use of selective saturation. The more saturated the color, the more the eye will be drawn to this area. This means that the place where you want to draw the viewer's attention should be more saturated than the rest of the image.

In photography, as in painting, there are ways to fine-tune control over different areas of the image in post-processing. By making sure that the highest contrast of all three elements (light, color, and saturation) is focused on your main subject and the area surrounding it, you can be sure that the viewer's eye will be drawn to it as effectively as using leading lines in a composition. .

What is my approach to color photography based on a preference for a limited color gamut? If you look at my color photographs, you will see that I use an analog color scheme combined with a few split complementary colors to enhance the composition. The highest contrast in saturation, light and color is always concentrated in the main object and the area around it. In addition, I use "sfumato" - colors that are further away from the focus, more faded and less contrasting. This makes the details not so noticeable, on the verge of almost completely disappearing, and thus creates an atmospheric perspective and great depth. You will also see that I use a lot of neutral colors.

When you look at Rembrandt's paintings, you will see that the colors are richer, brighter and more contrasting in the faces in his portraits (the areas he wants to draw your attention to). He uses many shades of brown combined with black and gray in the background and to a certain extent in people's clothing. This is because the eye moves away from neutral colors. The use of neutral colors also lends a calm, peaceful look to the image, as well as a place where the eye "rests". Black, white, gray and brown are considered neutral colors. Shades of gray or a combination with shades of another color are also considered neutral colors.

Their use in combination with contrasting, saturated colors will effectively attract the viewer's eye and create tension at the border of their intersection. What did Rembrandt do so well. On the other hand, the use of highly specific and intense complementary colors next to each other will create a certain amount of anxiety, and Van Gogh used this effect in many of his paintings.

Finally, avoid the temptation to globally saturate all your colors. Instead, develop a color concept for your image and be the same artist who uses light, color, and contrast wisely.

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