![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/A1AE4A36-C7DE-470E-8DE7-FC47E159CD2A-800x566.jpeg?resize=800%2C566\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Another theory on colors: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Opponent Process<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d which states that our perception of colors comes from the contrast, or having opposite \u00e2\u20ac\u0153opponent\u00e2\u20ac\u009d colors battling the other color.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n ERIC KIM WORKSHOPS ><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n For example, note the swatch of colors below:<\/p>\n Green vs Red<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Yellow vs Blue<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Now we can see that these are also \u00e2\u20ac\u0153complementary colors<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d on the color wheel:<\/p>\n Let us experiment with these colors, and see what effect they have on us psychologically:<\/p>\n The green background with red shapes is more pleasing to the eye, instead of the red background with green shapes.<\/p>\n My theory: Red is a more powerful color than green, and therefore works better as a figure against the background. Color theory for \u00e2\u20ac\u0153figure to ground<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n Yellow seems to be a more dominant and powerful color than blue.<\/p>\n Therefore, it seems that a blue background with a yellow figure causes the yellow figure to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153pop out\u00e2\u20ac\u009d more.<\/p>\n However, a yellow background with a blue figure also looks pleasing to the eye. I imagine a golden sunset, with a blue mountain in the background.<\/p>\n White is typically associated with light, life, and purity. My theory is that as biological beings, we need light for food, warmth, and life.<\/p>\n Black is typically associated with death, fear, and the unknown. As humans we have traditionally feared the dark \u00e2\u20ac\u201d the absence of light, because that is where predators may be. Also, when your food is too black and charred from cooking, it tastes no good.<\/p>\n In terms of the color opponent theory \u00e2\u20ac\u201d I prefer a black background with a white subject. It is easier on my eyes. Even Leonardo da Vinci<\/a> said when painting, start with a black canvas\/background<\/a>.<\/p>\n Of course, a black subject against a white background also pops out a lot, and has strong \u00e2\u20ac\u0153figure to ground<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/p>\n It appears that the colors mentioned above are strong contrasting colors, and are naturally pleasing to the eye.<\/p>\n Therefore when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re making pictures (either candidly, or in the studio), try to integrate these colors into your pictures.<\/p>\n Also, whenever possible, switch the order of the opponent colors. Have the more \u00e2\u20ac\u0153dominant\u00e2\u20ac\u009d color act as the background, instead of the foreground. Study the psychological effect the colors have on you.<\/p>\n It is much easier to make high contrasting black and white pictures, instead of color pictures with yellow vs blue, or red vs green.<\/p>\n This is why I think black and white photography is so successful \u00e2\u20ac\u201d ability to create a strong \u00e2\u20ac\u0153opponent process\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or colors.<\/p>\n How to apply this color theory to your photography:<\/em><\/p>\n Orange and yellow are quite similar in color. Try to combine them whenever possible.<\/p>\n To be frank, I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t see a lot of green and red scenes. But whenever possible, try to incorporate them.<\/p>\n Practical advice: Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get too nerdy over color theory or photographic theory. Just shoot nice colors, and then when you go home try to study the colors and color combinations afterwards<\/em>.<\/p>\n For more vibrant colors, use a flash to saturate the colors and increase the vibrancy and contrast. Also, shoot in JPEG<\/a>, as JPEG often renders colors more nicely than anything you can do in RAW.<\/p>\n The world is a colorful place. Study colors in general, and have fun.<\/p>\n ERIC<\/p>\nThe primary colors<\/h2>\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/D108D0E8-874D-472E-BE6D-4D02D170EE15-800x566.png?resize=800%2C566\")
<\/p>\n![\"COLOR](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/CE_colorwheel-e1503069914987-800x936.jpg?resize=800%2C936\")
\nColor experiments<\/h2>\n
Green vs Red<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/2666EE1C-868F-4D3F-BD83-BEE4044F5810-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/72193939-FC5A-4A32-A37E-CD34D5CB4B21-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/8439B96B-C949-4CE4-880C-12565D93E4D9-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/0153EE93-A664-4E27-96BA-F49E074617FA-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/39615CF6-CA8B-4546-82A5-2A348F84D066-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/A1856A06-BA64-4335-B388-DE349F2E2645-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\nYellow vs Blue<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/6B519F01-CC99-4F3C-B0F1-7E814A60F6D6-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/1F90E372-FD9A-4BAD-88E7-1DD4022A93EA-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/1CC8788E-BC9D-4ED3-8B64-ADF7B3E60B11-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/CFCB91BD-3288-4BAC-9E5B-3425506D4E53-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/2AC7585D-F0C7-4509-9FE5-E67BC5D2173E-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/003E0279-65EB-4AA1-AE71-C5520C8FE02C-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\nBlack vs White<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/2E68EC7F-13D7-4BC7-A4A1-A44C8F6B4B18-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/5A748F74-B180-425E-95DC-371F009B47F7-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/E46B86CF-472A-426E-971F-9A133D9D6016-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/D555AAB4-B4A2-4676-8080-B566AD7BEBA0-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/51A3E53F-6203-4E0B-A58B-D7790BA97A3E-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/77F01752-8C40-44A5-87F4-1E0F6075C1E4-800x533.jpeg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\nFindings<\/h2>\n
![\"IKKO](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/5CEA7627-0EF0-4385-A012-E5F3D52F1B37-800x1067.jpeg?resize=800%2C1067\")
![\"High](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/7C2298EF-E518-4118-BF70-788D40144DCC-800x530.jpeg?resize=800%2C530\")
Black and white photography<\/h2>\n
![\"Cindy](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/6697D16C-6332-43D2-9439-FEB9E10C74A6-800x1208.jpeg?resize=800%2C1208\")
![\"Dynamic](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/CB524138-450D-4C11-90F7-F3D5F18BCE5B-800x532.jpeg?resize=800%2C532\")
<\/p>\n![\"Chiaroscuro.](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/B0EAD204-2D9A-4236-B00D-1D94A25022DF-800x530.jpeg?resize=800%2C530\")
<\/p>\n![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/79F45974-1003-4FAB-86C0-6662D4CE49CF-800x530.jpeg?resize=800%2C530\")
<\/p>\n![\"Man](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/326FC668-B28A-4496-B43C-B9F7E1DCA2F7-800x530.jpeg?resize=800%2C530\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/81B1A476-2E85-4636-8032-FB77D0CFDAC4-800x538.jpeg?resize=800%2C538\")
<\/p>\n
\nColor photography<\/h2>\n
![\"Red,](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/2017-08-19-04.31.51-1-800x600.jpg?resize=800%2C600\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Colors-4-800x531.jpg?resize=800%2C531\")
<\/p>\nYellow vs Blue in color photography<\/h3>\n
![\"eric](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/eric-kim-street-photography-portrait-orange-blue-mission-sf-800x1208.jpg?resize=800%2C1208\")
![\"Stylish](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/ERIC-KIM-PHOTOGRAPHY-KYOTO-v2-0135710-1-800x530.jpg?resize=800%2C530\")
![\"Red,](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/ERIC-KIM-PHOTOGRAPHY-KYOTO-0135424-800x530.jpg?resize=800%2C530\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/ERIC-KIM-PHOTOGRAPHY-KYOTO-0133860-800x1208.jpg?resize=800%2C1208\")
![\"Yellow](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/2017-08-20-12.44.21-1-800x600.jpg?resize=800%2C600\")
![\"Yellow](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/2017-08-18-06.20.26-1-800x600.jpg?resize=800%2C600\")
![\"Blue](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/6AB65D3C-9955-46A3-B8EF-ABDEC235B138-800x1071.jpeg?resize=800%2C1071\")
![\"Blue](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/2017-08-15-10.58.17-1-800x1067.jpg?resize=800%2C1067\")
Red and Green in color photography<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/ERIC-KIM-STREET-PORTRAITS5-800x1208.jpg?resize=800%2C1208\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/ERIC-KIM-PHOTOGRAPHY-KYOTO-COLOR-0138460-800x1208.jpg?resize=800%2C1208\")
![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/ERIC-KIM-PHOTOGRAPHY-KYOTO-COLOR-0138467-800x1208.jpg?resize=800%2C1208\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/09\/ERIC-KIM-PHOTOGRAPHY-KYOTO-COLOR-0138142-800x530.jpg?resize=800%2C530\")
Conclusion<\/h2>\n