Color

[Carolyn Cogan]

Thanks for another view of color, it is complex and so important in the arts and crafts. I spent time reading and at lectures on color with my weaving. I used this lesson when we went to Tucson
visiting the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. At the museum, we saw a raptor flying show that was fun to photograph.

[Duncan Rawlinson]

Thanks for sending in another assignment.

Here is the EXIF data for these images.

[attachment=2:itrap1h5]Cactus in Red EXIF.png[/attachment:itrap1h5]
Date Time Original: 2013:01:19 10:27:49
Exposure Time: 1/1600
F Number: f / 6.30
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 250
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length: 90mm
White Balance: Auto white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D7000
LensInfo: 180/10 1050/10 35/10 56/10
LensModel: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Lens: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Exif Version:
Color Space: 65535
Pixel X Dimension: 960
Pixel Y Dimension: 1440
Date Time Digitized: 2013:01:19 10:27:49
Subsec Time Original: 10
Subsec Time Digitized: 10
Shutter Speed Value: 10.64
Aperture Value: 5.31
Max Aperture Value: 5
Subject Distance: 2.82
Light Source: Unknown
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Scene Type: Directly photographed
CFA Pattern: 870
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: 1
Digital Zoom Ration: 1
Focal Length In 35mm Film: 135mm
Scene Capture Type: Standard
Gain Control: None
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
ExifIFDPointer: 280
Orientation: 1
X Resolution: 240
Y Resolution: 240
Resolution Unit: 2
Date Time: 2013:01:29 10:54:08
Software: Adobe Photoshop CS5 Windows
Artist: Carolyn Cogan
Copyright: ©Cogan & Cogan Inc 2013
DateCreated: 2013-01-19T10:27:49.001-07:00

[attachment=1:itrap1h5]Mexican Raven EXIF.png[/attachment:itrap1h5]
Date Time Original: 2013:01:19 09:09:46
Exposure Time: 1/500
F Number: f / 6.30
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 100
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length: 105mm
White Balance: Auto white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D7000
LensInfo: 180/10 1050/10 35/10 56/10
LensModel: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Lens: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Exif Version:
Color Space: 65535
Pixel X Dimension: 1440
Pixel Y Dimension: 960
Date Time Digitized: 2013:01:19 09:09:46
Subsec Time Original: 20
Subsec Time Digitized: 20
Shutter Speed Value: 8.97
Aperture Value: 5.31
Max Aperture Value: 5
Subject Distance: 4294967295
Light Source: Unknown
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Scene Type: Directly photographed
CFA Pattern: 870
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: 1
Digital Zoom Ration: 1
Focal Length In 35mm Film: 157mm
Scene Capture Type: Standard
Gain Control: None
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
ExifIFDPointer: 280
Orientation: 1
X Resolution: 240
Y Resolution: 240
Resolution Unit: 2
Date Time: 2013:01:29 10:52:32
Software: Adobe Photoshop CS5 Windows
Artist: Carolyn Cogan
Copyright: ©Cogan & Cogan Inc 2013
DateCreated: 2013-01-19T09:09:46.002-07:00

[attachment=0:itrap1h5]Yellow Green EXIF.png[/attachment:itrap1h5]
Date Time Original: 2013:01:19 07:13:57
Exposure Time: 1/100
F Number: f / 13
Exposure Program: Manual
ISO Speed Ratings: 100
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: Flash did not fire, compulsory flash mode
Focal Length: 105mm
White Balance: Auto white balance
Make: NIKON CORPORATION
Model: NIKON D7000
LensInfo: 180/10 1050/10 35/10 56/10
LensModel: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Lens: 18.0-105.0 mm f/3.5-5.6
Exif Version:
Color Space: 65535
Pixel X Dimension: 800
Pixel Y Dimension: 1200
Date Time Digitized: 2013:01:19 07:13:57
Subsec Time Original: 70
Subsec Time Digitized: 70
Shutter Speed Value: 6.64
Aperture Value: 7.40
Max Aperture Value: 5
Subject Distance: 0.60
Light Source: Unknown
Sensing Method: One-chip color area sensor
File Source: DSC
Scene Type: Directly photographed
CFA Pattern: 870
Custom Rendered: Normal process
Exposure Mode: 1
Digital Zoom Ration: 1
Focal Length In 35mm Film: 157mm
Scene Capture Type: Standard
Gain Control: None
Contrast: Normal
Saturation: Normal
Sharpness: Normal
Subject Distance Range: Unknown
ExifIFDPointer: 280
Orientation: 1
X Resolution: 240
Y Resolution: 240
Resolution Unit: 2
Date Time: 2013:01:29 10:48:01
Software: Adobe Photoshop CS5 Windows
Artist: Carolyn Cogan
Copyright: ©Cogan & Cogan Inc 2013
DateCreated: 2013-01-19T07:13:57.007-07:00

You have done a great job here on this assignment because you’ve simplified color your photographs. The simplification of color is one of the most important things you can do to improve your photographs.

In your first image of the cactus I like that the most interesting element in the frame is also the most colorful. This is a beautiful cactus and a lovely photograph. The extremely harsh light creates those crisp shadows and as such you may want to photograph this type of thing at a less harsh time of day.

Your second photograph of the raven is just blue and black. From a color perspective this is certainly a simplified. The shutter speed was a little slow and the bird itself is underexposed. You can see the loss of details into the blacks. One trick for shooting images like this is to meter from the bird on shutter priority mode and maybe even add a stop or two of light. In other words try to expose for the bird and not the sky.

Your last image is very nice but it also feels a little underexposed. From a color perspective you have chose analogous colors which give a nice theme and flow to the image. I really like this photograph and it is the strongest of the three. The problem with photographs that are analogous colors is that you don’t end up getting much contrast. In this case you’ve got a prickly subject and soft analogous colors. It makes for quite the juxtaposition.

There is no right color combination or wrong color combination in photography. The key is just to be aware of color and make sure you use it to your advantage.

Understanding the psychology of color and the interplay of color is fundamental to great photography.

Nice work here. 🙂

[Author]

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