Photography is only possible with contrast: contrasting subject matter, contrast with light vs dark, and contrasting elements.
1. Color contrast
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/000A6E02-1FC6-4C46-A01B-DF5050257D0B-2000x1500.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1500)
Simple contrast between colors:
- Red and Green
- Blue and Orange
- Purple and Yellow
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-2019-ricoh-gr-ii-85-2000x1325.jpg)
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![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-photography-lumix-g9-mexico-city-JPEG49-2000x1500.jpg)
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![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-photography-lumix-g9-mexico-city-JPEG102-1500x2000.jpg)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-photography-lumix-g9-mexico-city-JPEG72-2000x1500.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-photography-ricoh-gr-ii-roma-2019-mexico-city13-1324x2000.jpg)
Keep the colors simple. Look for contrasting colors in nature, the streets, fashion clothing, etc.
2. Contrast monochrome
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-91-2000x1325.jpg?resize=2000%2C1325)
Simple contrast (figure to ground) between white and black.
For more contrast shoot with flash, use minus exposure compensation, or increase the “black slider” and “contrast” when processing your photos.
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-92-2000x1325.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-93-2000x1325.jpg)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-89-2000x1325.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-88-1325x2000.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-84-2000x1325.jpg)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-81-1325x2000.jpg)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-80-1325x2000.jpg)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-69-2000x1325.jpg)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-67-2000x1325.jpg)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-65-2000x1325.jpg)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-42-2000x1325.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-35-1325x2000.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-33-1325x2000.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-30-1325x2000.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-28-1325x2000.jpg)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-mexico-city-street-photography-ricoh-monochrome-black-and-white-2019-7-2000x1325.jpg)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-cruise-photography-black-and-white-56-2000x1336.jpg)
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![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cruise-eric-kim-photography-v2-black-and-white-fujifilm-xf10-42-2000x1333.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cruise-eric-kim-photography-v2-black-and-white-fujifilm-xf10-41-1333x2000.jpg)
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![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cruise-eric-kim-photography-v2-black-and-white-fujifilm-xf10-28-2000x1333.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cruise-eric-kim-photography-v2-black-and-white-fujifilm-xf10-25-2000x1333.jpg)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cruise-eric-kim-photography-v2-black-and-white-fujifilm-xf10-23-2000x1333.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cruise-eric-kim-photography-v2-black-and-white-fujifilm-xf10-22-2000x1333.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cruise-eric-kim-photography-v2-black-and-white-fujifilm-xf10-17-2000x1333.jpg)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cruise-eric-kim-photography-v2-black-and-white-fujifilm-xf10-16-2000x1333.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cruise-eric-kim-photography-v2-black-and-white-fujifilm-xf10-1-1333x2000.jpg)
3. Contrast emotions
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-photography-american-flag-20-2000x1327.jpg)
![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/eric-kim-photography-american-flag-9-2000x1327.jpg)
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![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/bank-of-america-car-night-boston-31-2000x1325.jpg)
Make photos that show your own personal contrasting emotions and perspective to whatever you’re photographing.
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/eric-kim-america-90740016-2000x1327.jpg)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/eric-kim-america-32-2000x1327.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/eric-kim-america-25-2000x1327.jpg)
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![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/only-in-america-eric-kim-street-photography-color43-2000x1327.jpg)
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![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/only-in-america-eric-kim-street-photography-color54-1327x2000.jpg)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/only-in-america-eric-kim-street-photography-color31-2000x1327.jpg)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/only-in-america-eric-kim-street-photography-color32-2000x1327.jpg)
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![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Americans-20-2000x1326.jpg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/only-in-america-eric-kim-street-photography-color63-2000x1333.jpg)
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![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/only-in-america-eric-kim-street-photography-color117-2000x1361.jpg)
Conclusion
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/27D7C77E-F561-4448-AA50-4CD916D34848-1500x2000.jpeg)
![](https://i1.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/C8D666D3-8209-4C0C-82ED-ED143059D599-2000x1500.jpeg)
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![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/2EE41A17-8A36-427B-8283-CE1F9BDE3111-2000x1500.jpeg)
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![](https://i2.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/F87BB6BE-DCC6-40D0-931D-AA76D686104C-2000x1500.jpeg)
Without contrast, you cannot make photos.
ERIC