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Color is one of the most important aspects of a photograph. Even in black and white images, the varying shades of grey have a purpose and help tell a story. It’s very obvious when the color of a frame looks “off,” whether it’s awkwardly muted or too vibrant. Sometimes the color of a photo is intentionally edited in a post-production software program to produce a desired effect. Other times it’s a combination of the light, the setting, the camera and the skill of the photographer that make the colors appear the way they do. Regardless, the color of a photograph ties directly with the mood of the photograph.

Here are a few ways you can get creative with color:

Just because you can’t see it…
Most photographers, amateur or professional, know that sunrises and sunsets provide some of the most dynamic lighting, color schemes and shadows. But many don’t know that even after the most vibrant colors seem to have faded to your eye the camera can still pick up the brilliant hues. The lighting might be perfect for a little longer than you thought.

Minimize the color palette
Sometimes a color is more striking when it is the only thing we see. A pop of red or yellow on a white or black background forces the viewer to look at that object. It draws them into the frame and keeps them focused. Distinct colors also give clues to what the object is, so you can play with the exposure time to create movement while still capturing the object’s shape.

Artificial lighting
Different light bulbs produce different colors. Tungsten, halogen and fluorescent light bulbs give off a unique color spectrum that can have a dramatic effect on the scene of your photograph.

Tags: Digital Photography by Embassy Pro Books
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Food is as much visual as it is visceral. After all, don’t our eyes tell our stomachs something will be delicious because it looks like it? The old saying “you eyes are bigger than your stomach” goes to show that what we see directly influences what we want to eat, and how much of it we think we can handle. Pick up any cookbook, check out a cooking blog (even just a DIY home chef) and you’ll find unbelievably appetizing photos. The finished product has to look delicious, even when the viewer can’t smell or taste it. It’s the job of the photographer to make that happen.

Here are a few tips for when you’re photographing food:

Be careful with your lighting
Think of the food as the subject of a portrait. You have to light it in just the right way to capture the best aspects. Sometimes your best bet is natural lighting. Harsh, studio lights can make the food look waxy or fake, like what you’d see on a laminated fast food menu. Bright flashes can affect the color of the food or create off shadows. Well reflected daylight makes the food look much more natural and appetizing.

Shoot fast
Food only looks fresh for so long. Fresh vegetables and fruits start to brown and wither, especially if they’ve been peeled and sliced. Meats start to look grey and sauces congeal as they get cold. If you aren’t prepared for the shoot BEFORE the food is, you’ll waste precious time and soon you’ll be photographing leftovers.

Change up the point of view
You don’t always have to shoot food by looking down at it. Shoot as if you were the diner, ready to dig into that plate of pasta or carve into the cake. This perspective is more realistic and keeps the plate from looking flat. It also helps you show of the textures of the ingredients.

Keep the background clean
A beautiful fillet is fish is going to get lost on a red and purple stripped plate, which is sitting on top of blue polka dot table cloth, with an orange wall in the background. The food has to be the star of the frame. Most food photography has the food on a white plate or in front of a simple pattern background. Don’t let the food get lost in the props.

Tags: Digital Photography by Embassy Pro Books
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Some of the most intriguing photographs don’t actually show you something. Obviously there is a subject of some kind, but that subject doesn’t seem to be the real focus of the frame. It’s what is behind that open door, what is waiting in the alley’s shadows, what is just around the corner. The real subject of the photo isn’t actually in the frame at all, it’s just outside it. That is the power of suggestion and it is a powerful photography tool.

When you suggest something in a photo, you are encouraging the visitor to fill in the blanks based on their own experiences. Suddenly there is room for interpretation and the photo takes on a different meaning for everyone who looks at. Movies do it all the time, alluding to something just out of the camera’s scope. The best horror movies are when you don’t actually see the monster. You are left to create your own monster, which is far more terrifying and interesting than anything a director could create. Consider the Mona Lisa; her smile (or lack thereof) has captivated the world for centuries. Is she smiling? If so, at what? What does she see that we cannot? That little bit of a question mark makes the painting as relevant now as when the paint first dried.

You can use suggestion in your photography in a number of ways. Instead of focusing on the action, focus on the people watching it. Their expressions tell a new and different story about what it going on. Depending on where you are, maybe shooting from behind is a possibility. Instead of shooting from the audience’s perspective, can you shoot from the band’s point of view? What does the drummer see and how is that different from the way the lead singer sees the venue?

Tags: Digital Photography by Embassy Pro Books
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