The third assignment on the OCA’s Art of Photography course is concerned with colour. The course notes, a course text (The Photographer’s Eye by Michael Freeman, Ilex, 2007) and a text recommended by my Tutor (Composition by David Prakel, Ava Publishing, 2012) all deal with the components of colour (hue, saturation and brightness), the distinction between primary and secondary colours (across the colour wheel), complementary/harmony colours (beside each other on the colour wheel) and contrasting colours (around the wheel by one third from each other). An additional component is that to ensure balance between colours you need to take account of the relative brightness. For example red and green are similar in brightness, therefore the colours need to be in the ratio of 1:1 to ensure balance, whereas orange is approximately twice as bright as blue therefore you need approximately twice as much blue to balance orange. A final element of colour that needs to be factored in is the emotional impact; reds as warm, anger, etc, blues as cool, detached etc.
This assignment required the making of sets of images that demonstrated colours that were complementary, colours that were similar, colours that contrasted with each other and colour accents (where a single colour punctutated the image). In preparing the assignment a number of factors were involved in the technical approaches and the choice of images as follows:-
- Feedback from a previous assignment had suggested including more people in my images. To address this suggestion I have included one image in each of the four sections that is a street scene with people in which the colour scheme requirements have been met.
- I do not have much experience in making still life or street photograph images so I felt it desirable to use these for at least some of the images.
- Many of the images were made in December of 2013 when weather and light conditions were very poor so as a consequence many were taken in RAW and processed through Photoshop to have greater control over exposure and colour hue, brightness and saturation. Additionally, some images were made during a business trip to Prague where I did not have access to a tripod so ISO was increased to overcome this drawback.
- Feedback from a previous assignment recommended the use of some form of screen calibration to ensure truer colours. In response I purchased ‘Color Munki’ hardware and software and recalibrated my computer screen.
For each of the four sets of images below there is a short introduction; each image is accompanied by a sketch showing the colour block relationships with the approximate ratio of each colour relationship noted; each image has a short note commenting on the way in which colour works in each image.
Complementary Colours
This section deals with images that include colours that are directly opposite each other on the colour wheel. The images for this section are all still life (a child’s soft toys) plus one street scene incorporating people.
Yellow Violet
Von Goethe’s colour ratios suggest a ratio of 3 to 1 violet to yellow. The image is more like 2 to 1 however the blue arms further add to the violet component thus balancing the image.
Red Green
Red and green are of approximately equal brightness thus roughly equal portions should provide balance. In this image, although the proportions are roughly equal it appears to me that the red dominates because the green cheeks are split on either side of the nose.
Orange Blue
Whereas a relatively small selection of children’s toys allowed the identification of red green colour combinations, interestingly, orange blue combinations were not in evidence and the image was created with different pieces. Approximately twice as much blue is needed in an image to balance the brighter orange. In this image the greater range of features in the image acts as a further draw to the eye and more blue would be needed to fully balance the colour in the image.
Red Green
As with the other red green images one to one ratios provide harmony. However, as with the previous image of the bear this image, because it has greater interest in the green, could benefit from more red to counteract the natural draw of the eye to the snake eyes and tongue. It is interesting to look at Steven McCurry’s iconic Afgan Girl which has roughly equal portions of red (headscarf) and green (undergarment, wall backdrop and, notably, green eyes). Equally, this, also by McCurry from Kashmir in 1995 with the striking red beard and green head wrappings.
The final image in this section is of a street scene in which red and green have been captured. Although the balance between the red of the coat and the green of the pharmacy sign is not one to one the the green sign with two of the three stips lit suggests more green because of the knowledge that the third strip is there but not lit.
Red Green
Similar Colours
The images in this section feature colours that are beside each other on the colour wheel – hence use of the term similar. An additional feature of using these colours is the mood or emotions that are generated when similar colours are used in combination. Most of these images generate a cool feeling. However, I must confess to a sickly feeling in relation to all the still life images – that may be because of the subjects! As with the complementary colour images, these were still life; this time using a selection of sweets with, in one instance reuse of two children’s soft toys. The final image is a street scene. 
Orange Red
Colour theory suggests that a slightly greater amount of red is required to balance orange. The sketch shows a slightly greater amount of red and, the outlier of red in the top left hand corner further helps to balance the colour in the image.
Green Yellow
The image and sketch shows a slightly greater amount of green than yellow. The brighter yellow requires a greater amount of the darker green to balance. This image is particularly sickly in the mood evoked.
Blue Green
‘One for you, one for me’. The blues and greens are fragmented in this image. Colour theory suggests a slightly greater amount of blue than green to balance. It is difficult to work this out precisely in this image, however, the eye is not drawn to either colour particularly suggesting the balance is about right.
Orange Yellow
Another cool, sickly sweet image this time showing orange and yellow in roughly equal proportions.
The final image is a street scene showing violet and blue in equal proportions, this time with people added. One feature is the violet wrapping being carried by the shopper which adds a further element to the colour.
Violet Blue
Contrasting Colours
This sequence of images features contrasting colours – colours spaced about 1/3 the way round the colour wheel from each other. Such combinations of colours are not particularly harmonious but are eye catching.
For this part of the assignment I chose to make images of children’s playground furniture. One upside to the Celtic tiger years in Ireland was the widespread provision of high quality children’s playgrounds. In preparing for this part of the assignment I visited a number of children’s playgrounds and found that strong deeply saturated primary and complementary colours dominate and colour contrasts are widely used. The reasons for this are not immediately obvious and a brief review of web sources of information did not enlighten me.
Red Blue Contrast
Red Blue
Orange Violet Contrast
Orange Violet
Violet Green Contrast
Violet Green
Yellow Blue
Orange Violet Contrast
Orange Violet
Colour Accents
The final sequence of images is of single colours punctuating generally even toned backgrounds. The first four images were collected in Prague were hand held, spot metered and, generally, used a high ISO to help manage the light conditions. The final image is a daylight street scene.
At the time of preparing this assignment I was introduced to the work of Scott Schumann, a journalist, photographer and blogger who publishes as ‘The Sartorialist’. His work is seen at http://www.thesartorialist.com. While much of the clothing photographed by Schuman has similar and muted colours occasionally flashes of bright and vivid colours have been used by the wearers and provide colour accents such as here with a bright bag, here with scarf and hat and here with a bright yellow smartphone.
Assessment Criteria and Reflection
At Level 4 of the OCA programmes the emphasis is on the acquisition of skills and good working habits including the keeping of learning logs . Additionally, Level 4 students should be informing themselves about others’ work by reading and viewing exhibitions. The learning logs associated with this assignment, which is itself being submitted as a blog, are all found at ‘adivinglifeblog.wordpress.com’. There are four types of blog; exercises associated with projects, reflections, book reviews and exhibition and photographer reviews. In general terms, therefore, the requirements of the programme are being met. The specific assessment criteria for Level 4 programmes, together with my reflection of how this assignment measures against them, are given below.
The Demonstration of Technical and Visual Skills – materials, techniques,observational skills, visual awareness, design and compositional skills.
The images captured for these exercises have involved still life, street and nighttime photography, a range of locations, lighting conditions and subjects that, in turn, have required the use of the full range of camera settings and techniques including slow and fast shutter speeds, narrow and wide apertures, changes in ISO and the use of a tripod. Additionally, post image processing has involved conversion from RAW, cropping, perspective correction and levels adjustments. The work to date therefore has demonstrated a wide range of technical skills.
In contrast to Assignment One, where I struggled to reflect on the visual skills component of the learning outcomes required, in this assignment, and the underpinning exercises, I am much more confident about demonstration of visual skills in this assignment. For this asssignment and underpinning exercises I deliberately chose to make images that I would not normally make; in this instance, still life and street photography. Whilst I recognise that making these types of images does not come naturally to me I believe the exercise has forced me to ‘reframe’ my understanding of what visually excites me.
The Quality of Outcome; content, application of knowledge, presentation of work in a coherent manner, discernment, conceptualisation of thoughts, communication of ideas.
Each of the exercises has addressed the particular task and frequently contained reflections within the exercise as well as post exercise reflections to ensure that learning was embedded. The work has been structured appropriately and narrated to ensure that lines of thought within the work are clear.
The Demonstration of Creativity; imagination, invention, development of a personal voice.
For this assignment and the underpinning exercises, I deliberately chose to make images that would not be abundant in my portfolio. As I have noted above, still life and street photography would not normally feature in my portfolio although this latter deficit was addressed somewhat in Assignment Two where urban and street scenes were included, albeit without much (any!) human presence. As noted at the beginning of the assignment I have included one image in each set of photographs that includes a street scene with people present.
Context; reflection, research, critical thinking (learning log).
Because I have a research background I am used to the need for reflection and critical thinking and am happy that the blogs in which the exercises, book reviews, exhibition reviews and reflections are covered are providing me with the appropriate learning opportunities. In a reflection on an earlier assignment I noted that a general lack of exhibitions in Ireland would be addressed by occasional visits outside of Ireland. A recent trip afforded the opportunity to visit FOAM and the HUIS Marseille in Amsterdam. A blog on my visit to the FOAM gallery is here and a blog on the HUIS gallery is here. Additionally, a number of the photographers featured in the Huis Marseille exhibition The Rediscovery of the World Juul Kraijer, Popel Comou and Scarlett Hooft Graafland, are featured in blogs associated with this assignment.
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