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Posts tagged “Complementary color usage in photography

It’s Complementary My Dear Watson

As I have stated before, I love to photograph a red headed doll in a green dress.  I am partial to the redheads in my collection so I enjoy photographing them.  Why then do I always seem to gravitate towards dressing them in green?  Yes, I like green but there are other reasons at play here. 

Most of us learn in grade school art class that there are three primary colors red, blue and yellow.  All other colors come from these three primary bases.  We also learn that there are complementary colors.  These are colors that are directly across from each other on the color wheel

complementary color wheel

In art and graphic design there are many theories about these colors and usage.  In photography, it is generally accepted that the use of complementary colors helps intensify  colors or makes them more active in your photo.  I am simplifying it I know and if you really want to do the research, there are ample reams of info on the internet.  My point is, using these complementary colors can help give that extra pop in some of your photos.

Red/Green

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DS Elise Empress of Emeralds compositeframed

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Blue/Orange(yellow)

Exaggeration art copy

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