A recent look at Debi Riley’s site, reminds me of the importance of color in creating mood in our Photography. Sometimes we spend too much time photographing “things” rather than developing moods.

I looked at some of my own images and discovered that the ones I like the most had warm color influences.

Some even had muted shapes but warm colors.

Perhaps we can serve ourselves well by thinking color “first” to express mood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’ve always liked this image which has mostly warm colors but less obvious subject.  Now, I understand the why.

Riley mentions placing  Warm colors in front of the Cooler colors.

 

 

When she talked of warm colors leaning toward red and cool colors leaning toward blue, I thought of a red poppy I had photographed in my yard…

Attracted to it as an icon, now I’m feeling the color itself.

 

As I reviewed images I like best, this one came forward. It had been a perennial favorite. Now I know why. I used to think it was about the fall colors and the nostalgic old building. I titled  it “broken window,” although I can hardly find the window now.

We’ve talked about complimentary colors  as in the Color Wheel, and that works well. Now to the next level of Mood Colors.

Perhaps, the next step is to enroll in an art class, or at the very least google more about the subject.

Thanks, Debi, for helping me along my journey with your most informative site and works of art.

As I looked at her works, mostly painting, with some photography, it opens my eyes. Creating mood in photography might be less challenging, if we think color first. While compositional elements are important, and interaction amongst subjects effective, when we add appropriate color we move our work to a new level. We might even find ourselves drawn to a new form with our work. Have fun and enjoy …

“The only thing that stands between a person and what they want in life is the will to try it and the faith to believe it possible.”  — Rich Daevos, from the Nature of Success by Mac Anderson.

Here is a short video on the color wheel, perhaps inspiring us to go further…