[Photography Course] Color Basis (1): Photography and Color

Color is everywhere, and our life is inseparable from color, which makes the world we perceive colorful. Because color is as common as drinking water and eating every day, most people ignore the origin and use of color. However, color, as the language of visual art and an important means of expression, is particularly important for photography. The camera is just a tool. Only by understanding and using color can we capture the beautiful moments of color, better express our photographic intentions and better create photographic works.

Why do you say that learning photography is inseparable from color can be said from the following aspects:

First of all, color is a visual phenomenon, not an objective component or characteristic of matter. There is color only when there is light, and people can't feel the existence of color in the dark night, so there is no color without light. Light is a necessary condition for people to perceive the existence of color, and color comes from light. Because the color of the reflected light is different, the color of the object we see is also different, which changes with the change of light. Light has the characteristics of wave, the wavelength of light determines the hue, and the energy of light determines the brightness of color. The part of light wave that can be perceived by human eyes is called visible light, and the wavelength of visible light is about 380 ~ 780 nm. The color vision cells of the eyes will feel different colors when they receive visible light with different wavelengths, which is caused by the stimulation of light with different frequencies to the color vision cells.

Color light has the following characteristics:

colour

As the name implies, hue refers to "the appearance of color". Such as red, blue, lemon yellow, etc. Hue is the primary feature of color and the most accurate standard to distinguish different colors. In the visible spectrum, human vision can feel different colors such as red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue and purple, and different colors have their own wavelengths and frequencies. The characteristics of hue are determined by the spectral composition of light source and the ratio of radiation of various wavelengths reflected from the surface of colored objects.

purely

Purity refers to the saturation of color. The simpler the wavelength of light wave, the higher the purity of hue. On the contrary, the lower the purity of hue. It represents the proportion of color components contained in a color. The greater the proportion of color components, the higher the color purity, and the smaller the proportion of color components, the lower the color purity. Monochromatic light in the visible spectrum is the purest color, which is the ultimate purity. When a color is mixed with black, white or other colors, the purity will change.

light

Brightness is the brightness of color. Objects of various colors produce color intensity because they reflect different amounts of light. There are two kinds of lightness of color: one is that the same hue has different lightness; The second is that the lightness of various colors is different. Each solid color has its corresponding lightness. Yellow has the highest brightness, blue-purple has the lowest brightness, and red and green are in the middle. The brightness change of color often affects the purity. For example, when red is added with black, the brightness decreases and the purity decreases. If red is added with white, the brightness will increase, but the purity will decrease.

Color can not only cause emotional changes, but also often express its own culture. The characteristic of color is the psychological function and feeling that color gives people. The first thing that bears the brunt of a photo is the feeling that color gives you, and this is its psychological function.

The feeling of various colors:

Red: warm, festive, warm, enterprising and enthusiastic.

Green: vitality, peace, coolness, calmness and hope.

Blue: broad, fresh, deserted, quiet and silent.

Yellow: noble, solemn, brilliant, docile and bright.

Cyan: strong, smooth and cold.

Orange: gorgeous, rich, sweet and pleasant.

Purple: deep, steady, mysterious and cold.

White: sacred, pure, quiet and gentle.

Black: mysterious, sad, steady and lifeless.

Gray: peaceful, vigorous, gentle and steady.

Brown: Calm, honest, rigorous and deep.

Golden yellow: precious, elegant, gorgeous and orthodox.

Silvery white: noble, elegant, soft and bright.

Magenta: gentle, simple, frank and peaceful.