The use of color plays such an important role in photography today, especially on social media.
Color can grab your eye at just the right moment, evoke certain emotions, and even tell a story that extends beyond the frame of the photo itself.
To celebrate the launch of our limited edition series colored printers, we’ve scoured the web to find some of the best photographers on Instagram who were willing to share how color inspires their work - and even give some tips as to how you can use color to tell your own colorful photo story.
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1. Plan location and wardrobe accordingly
Grant Puckett - @grantpuckettphoto
“Color has become a key component in my photography, especially personal work. It requires a bit of planning and location scouting, but I love to play off wardrobe and environment to achieve either a monochromatic look or contrasting colors.”
2. Explore contrasting and complementary colors
Kate Elliott: @KvePhoto
“Color theory isn’t just for great advertising...you can also use this knowledge to make your photography stand out to the viewer. Explore contrasting vs. complementary colors. Both can work together or against each other depending on the image. Is your model going to be standing in a green field? Ask them to wear a red outfit, the viewer’s eyes will be drawn to the model. Taking a photo of a product? Try placing it in front of a brightly colored backdrop that demands the viewer’s attention.”
3. Tell a story with color
Carley Rudd: @CarleysCamera
“Color plays a really important role in my travel photography. I am drawn to different tones and palettes because they say so much about a place and help me tell a story.”
4. Let color play on your subconscious
Christine Kenyon: @Christinekenyonphoto
“Photographs have the power to move our souls, draw upon our imaginations, and carry us to distant lands. Color is critical to that subconscious process. I enjoy recreating natural color, while at the same time, expressing my personal experience behind the lens, with a color treatment that best evokes the emotions I felt in the moment.”
5. Be selective in your color choices
Sangeeta Dey: @SangeetaDeyPhotography
“I use colors as a writer would use words in their writing. I always ask myself what is it I want to communicate in a scene, and how can colors assist in that self-expression? Just as a writer carefully chooses certain words to emphasize a point, I use colors to define the mood and draw the viewer to the main feature in an image. Even if the entire scene is very colorful, bringing out too many colors at the same time in an image can be distracting. I tend to use colors selectively to highlight the main features while toning down others that have the potential to take away from the image. This creates depth, harmony and provides a natural transition giving the viewer a sense of place in the scene.”
6. Find new perspectives
Chelsea Mealo: @chelseamealo
"Angles and colors: The two things that repeatedly make themselves evident in my photography. Whenever I am working with a subject I strive to find new perspectives to create a more dynamic story in the image. I focus not only on captivating angles, but also on vibrant, contrasting colors. Using color blocking and compliments can help set the subject apart from his/her environment and create a bold composition that will draw viewers in."
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#PrintColorfully Photo Contest: Win a Free Lifeprint Printer
To celebrate the launch of our limited edition printer colors, we’re giving away three printers to the best, most colorful photos from our Instagram community. Click the link below to see how you can enter to win.
