Using Colour with Intention | by Abi Coop
Colour is one of the fundamental ingredients for creating a strong, compelling image. It plays a huge role in visual storytelling; drawing the eye to the subject as well defining the setting and mood. In this blog, I share 5 ways of enhancing your work by using colour with intention.
Pops of Colour
The viewer’s eye will be always drawn to the brightest area of your image first. In a black and white image, this will be the lightest, whitest tones. But in a colour image, unless there is a particularly light patch causing distraction, it will be the brightest colour. Take control of this by intentionally incorporating a splash of colour befitting to your story. Use this technique in any weather conditions and throughout the year. In a drab wintry scene, a single subject in a vibrant coloured coat will stand out and create a captivating image. On a hazy, sun-drenched sandy beach, have a brightly coloured bucket and spade to instantly catch the eye. Combine these pops of colours with compositional tools, such as placing it on a rule of thirds or surrounded by negative space.
Repeated Colours
The brain has a natural inclination for patterns and repetition. Using a particular colour, or a few colours, multiple times through an image will make it visually stronger. Keep your eyes peeled for such instances as you shoot out and about. You might spot that your child’s outfit perfectly matches the furniture or a fluffy yellow bumble bee is busy collecting pollen on a sunflower. If your work involves set-ups, choose props carefully to fit a limited colour palette. The plates, cups and curtains could all be the same colour for example.
Spotting Colour on Your Travels
There are many fun, interesting, colourful spots to be found. Watch out for them on your commute to work, your drive to the gym, your day trips and your holidays. Perhaps bold billboards, a row of coloured beach huts, a decorated shop window or some funky street art. You might not have your camera handy or have the time to stop right then, but make a note of the location and come back. When I spotted this wall in Italy, I knew I wanted to shoot something image there, but it was very crowded at the time. So I came back later on in the day and even then had to stitch two images together to get the full width as there were too many people around for me to get any further back!
Shooting at Different Times of the Day
We’re all familiar with the photographer favourite - golden hour - when everything is bathed in beautiful golden light, but don’t forget about all the other times of the day. One of my favourites is blue hour. This period of time comes before sunrise and after sunset. Only blue wavelengths of sunlight pass through the atmosphere, turning the sky stunning shades of blue and purple. The mood these cooler colours create is very different to that from the warm tones during golden hour. There can be a sense of mystery, or romance or eeriness.
Another favourite of mine is nighttime. Various different artificial lights come on at night, in a whole array of colours, that really stand out against the dark background. A busy town after dark will be full of hustle and bustle, with lots of colour. Piers and lighthouses may be lit up and reflecting in the water. Train stations, fairgrounds and illuminated landmarks are fun to shoot at night. Please, however, stay safe. Don’t go alone to any dark, isolated locations.
Play with Colours in Post-processing
You can use photo editing software or Apps to manipulate the colours in the image after you’ve taken the shot. The colours already there can be altered through the white balance, colour balance and hue adjustments, or you can change the colour of a particular element. These enhancements can completely alter the mood set by the image. As an example, I have edited this image in two different ways. The first shows a complementary colour scheme (colour opposite on the colour wheel), whilst the second is an analogous colour harmony (colours adjacent on the colour wheel). Both versions look visually pleasing, but each creates a different ambience, evoking different emotions.
Experiment with these techniques and develop your own unique style. Have fun exploring the endless creative possibilities that colour brings to your photography. If you’re eager to dive deeper, my course, The Magic of Colour, will take you on a journey through the psychology of colour - how different hues evoke emotions and shape the mood of an image. You’ll master colour theory, learning how colours interact in various lighting conditions and how to make intentional choices that strengthen your storytelling. Finally, I’ll walk you through many post-processing techniques to enhance or change colours, helping you bring your creative vision to life and take your work to the next level. Find this course in The Framed Focus shop.
