​Color and visual context of photos

In a digital photographic work, according to the needs of the theme, the photographer should adjust and control the layers of images, the contrast between virtual and real images and the relationship between light and shade of colors in the creation process, which forms the tone of the work. The tone of photographic works can be divided into the following types: from the light and shade relationship can be divided into high, low and medium tone; from the color relationship can be divided into cold and warm tone; from the image level contrast can be divided into soft and hard tone.

High profile picture

High profile is a large area of white or light color image and small area of the image formed by the contrast of dark. However, in general, dark and dark parts are the main body or focus of the work, while white and light parts are the substrate or secondary parts of the picture. High-key picture gives a person a light, pure, quietly elegant, bright feeling, suitable for the performance of children, girls and health, science and education of a kind of subject matter.

When shooting high-profile works, the background should be white or light color, and the intensity of the back light should be increased to enhance the contrast with the subject. For portraits, white or light-colored clothes should be chosen as the main clothing to ensure that black and dark parts are the finishing points.

When taking high profile pictures with digital SLR camera, the dark part should be selected as the measuring point, and the half-stage exposure can be increased to ensure the brightness of the picture. When taking high profile pictures, the lighting should be mainly smooth, so as to minimize the light and dark contrast and bad shadow of the object to enrich the main body of the picture.

Low key images with Rembrandt lighting

Low-key with a large area of deep shadow image and a small area of light image to form the image. However, the light color and bright part are the focus and center of the work, while the dark part, although large in area, only serves as the background or substrate of the picture to explain the environment and render the atmosphere.

When photographing low-profile portraits, black or dark background cloth should be selected, or the photographed characters should be placed in bright places with large contrast between light and dark, and the costumes of the characters should also be in dark color. When shooting with a digital camera, the brightness should be taken as the reference point and the exposure of half stage should be reduced appropriately to ensure that the background can be darkened.

Low-key images are suitable for depicting heavy, solemn, melancholy, horror and mysterious subjects, such as the elderly, adult men, villains are often used, but also used in dark indoor or night shooting. The low-key picture can hide the messy background and objects unrelated to the theme in the dark, making the subject stand out in the light. Backlight, side light or soft local scattered light are mostly used in light distribution. This way of light distribution is often used in western paintings, especially indoor figures and subjects like still life. The famous oil painting master Rembrandt USES it best.

The most commonly used intermediate tone

The picture in the middle tone refers to a work with normal contrast between light and dark; rich image levels, and a balanced proportion of black and white in the picture. Medium tone picture is very appropriate to the three-dimensional sense, texture and color of the object being photographed, the combination of light and light use a variety of directions lighting, in order to avoid light than too strong, the contrast is too large, but if the light is too flat also adverse to the formation of medium tone.

The medium tone picture is suitable for the expression of the content and subject matter is relatively broad, easy to give the viewer a real, cordial feeling. When taking intermediate tone photos with a digital SLR camera, the photometry can be measured according to the average brightness. The exposure should be accurate and make the best use of the tolerance of photosensitive devices so that more layers can be shown through the image.

Tip: The middle tone is likely to produce a flat tone. In order to avoid this shortcoming, some efforts can be made in composition to enhance the visual impact and appeal of the picture. As shown in the shipyard photo above, the light is flat but the visual impact is strong due to the low Angle upshot and wide Angle lens.

Cold and warm

When using digital SLR camera to take color photos, the color composition will affect the formation of cold or warm colors as the main picture, which can be called cold tone photos and warm tone photos respectively. Cool colors refer to pictures with blue and blue as the main tones, which remind people of cold weather or objects such as ice, water and snow. Warm colors are mainly red, orange, yellow and other colors, which remind people of hot weather or objects such as sunlight and flame. The formation of cool and warm colors is not only related to the inherent color of the object, but also affected by the environmental color. In digital image shooting, it is more affected by the color temperature of light, such as, out of the sky or at sunset; the color tone taken is definitely warmer. Images taken on cloudy or misty days tend to be slightly cooler.

In the same picture, whether alone with the cool tone or warm tone performance, will make the color produce a harmonious feeling. If there is a strong contrast between cold and warm colors in the same picture, people will feel that the colors are not very harmonious. However, if used skillfully, it will sometimes produce another unique artistic conception and show a deeper theme.

If you take black and white photos with a digital SLR camera, or convert the color picture into black and white images when the computer is adjusted in the later stage, it should also be noted that the black and white images synthesized by multiple color layers will also generate color deviation phenomenon due to small color imbalance, and the color deviation will make the black and white images produce warm or cold colors.

Photo color and visual context of the master recipe

Tips: there are several ways to change or enhance color heating and cooling: 1. 2. Add color filters with different color temperatures for shooting; 3. Skillfully use the white balance setting in the camera, such as shooting sunset; Set the white balance on a sunny or cloudy day to enhance the orange-red color; 4. Change color balance during computer adjustment in later period to strengthen the effect of subjective assumption.

Soft and hard

Soft tone refers to a photographic work with rich image layers, small contrast and soft images. Soft tone image in the shooting light more use light soft scattering light, light is smaller, light direction and intensity should not be too strong. In outdoor natural light conditions, it is advisable to shoot on overcast or false overcast days. When shooting with artificial light indoors, give priority to soft and even lighting. It is ideal to use a soft light box or reflective umbrella. Soft tone images are suitable for delicate pictures and emotional photography works, such as quiet scenery, simple but elegant flowers, and portraits of young and beautiful girls and children.

Hard tone is opposite with soft tone, light pursuit contrast is big, light is strong, direction also USES side light more or side reverse light, make the image black and white contrast that takes a picture comes out is obvious, be like woodcut general. Hard adjustment is suitable for the performance of personality resolute, decisive emotion or with obvious lines and color block elements of the content of the picture, such as tall modern buildings, industrial plants and large equipment and other themes. If the subject is to be photographed, it is suitable to show the old man who has experienced many vicissitudes or the manly man.

The shot is a part of modern architecture. In order to emphasize the composition of the building, a long tealeaf shot is used to compress the sense of space. It is ideal to use hard light in this kind of subject, which can enhance the lines and texture

Tips: Introduce several methods of softening image: 1. Use soft lens when shooting; 2. 2. Add a soft lens or gauze in front of the lens; Breathe on the camera when the weather is cooler and shoot right away. 4. Soften your adjustments with the computer.