Lecture on Color Theory for Photography

Introduction

• Study Duration: 5 years of in-depth study on color theory.
• Importance of Foundation: Mastering the rules before creatively breaking them.
• Role of Color: Adds life, character, and unique styles to images.

Basic Color Theory

• Primary Colors: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple.
  • Red: Dangerous, vibrant
  • Orange: Happy
  • Yellow: Bright
  • Green: Calm, nature
  • Blue: Calming
  • Purple: Deep, calming
  • Black & White: Luxurious, evil vibes (black) & vibrant (white)

Color Manipulation

• Adjustments: Muting, desaturation, changing luminance, and saturation.
• Essential Photography Tools: Props and clothing with pleasing tones.

Hue, Saturation, Luminance, and Temperature

• Hue: Basic colors like red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple & intermediate hues.
• Color Systems:
  • RGB: Used in digital (Lightroom). Combining all colors = white.
  • CYM: Used in painting. Combining all colors = black.
• Complementary Colors: Differ in RGB (red and cyan) vs. traditional (red and green).
• Usage:
  • Lightroom Editing: Use RGB for balance.
  • Real World: CYM for complementing colors.

Warm and Cool Tones

• Warm Colors: Advance in an image (e.g., red in the foreground).
• Cool Colors: Recede in an image.
• Composition Technique: Warm tones in the foreground, cool tones in the background.

Color Harmony

• Types of Harmony:
  • Analogous: Colors on the same side of the color wheel.
  • Monochromatic: Variations in lightness and saturation of a single color.
  • Triadic: Three colors evenly spaced on the color wheel.
  • Complementary: Opposite colors providing high contrast.
  • Split Complementary: One base color and two adjacent to its complementary color.
  • Square and Compound: Four colors evenly spaced (balancing look).
• Usage Tips: Balance, create calm or contrasting eye-catching images, suited for various contexts (e.g., movies, ads).

Practical Applications

• Editing Software: Adobe Color for experimenting with palettes.
• Street Photography: Timing and scene composition based on color harmony.
• Balancing Colors:
  • Dominance Splits: 70%-20%-10% or 60%-30%-10% arrangements.
  • Contrast Usage: More saturated colors for eye-catching elements, less saturated for visual rest.

Advanced Techniques

• Color Balance Adjustment: Dominant colors should be of less intensity to not overpower other colors.
• Visual Rest: Incorporating small amounts of other colors for balance.
• Patterns: Matching patterns to create harmony.

Tools & Practical Tips

• Presets: For achieving monochromatic/complementary splits in Lightroom.
• Image Cohesion: Small color adjustments can enhance overall image harmony.
• Environmental Factors: Sometimes, adjustments must occur post-shoot due to environmental constraints.

Final Thoughts

• Combination of Shooting and Editing: To achieve desired styles and looks.
• Further Reading: Check out resources on color and curves in Lightroom for more detailed information.

Conclusion

• Goal: Using color theory, Lightroom, and real-world applications to enhance photographic style and composition.