Passionate and Loving
This winter in southern Ontario has been a beautiful blend of snow and ice. And, it just keeps on coming. While I love the purity of the white snow and the stark contrast of winter branches and snow, every year I find myself longing for colour.
Why is this so?
Colour often affects us emotionally, but on a subconscious level. It’s used all the time in advertising for this reason. It’s good practice, as people and photographers, to become more aware of our own feelings around particular colours. We can use this information to create photographic images with impact.
According to this colour wheel I found on Pinterest, reds can make us feel angry and frustrated or passionate and loving, blues can make us feel disappointed and sad or relaxed and calm, and greens can make us feel happy and satisfied or obsessed. However, our reactions are subjective.
Everyone reacts to colour differently, depending on their past experiences and associations.
I created a set of my own images, organized according to the colour wheel. You could do the same with your own or others’ images by creating boards on Pinterest or Flickr. Here are a few of my favourites and the feelings they evoke in me.
Clear and Fresh
Free and Energized
Cool Strength and Power
I’m feeling better already. And, I’m appreciating more the winter wonderland outside my door. Do you have a colour that comes up most often in your photography?
What wonderful examples of colour and the emotional response they evoke. That bright green is amazing! It makes me feel tingly! The yellow makes me think of summer and the blue is just glorious – both the sky and the reflections in the building. Colour is so important in my own life and in the winter months quite especially so.
Love your photography color wheel! What a great idea! My favorite is “Cool and Fresh” – that clear green with its abstract reflections – magnificent!
Interesting post. I long for colors too, so I looked at your album in Flickr. It’s absoulute gorgeous. I’m really feeling better now! Thank you!
This Flickr set is just so amazing. I’m inspired to try the same thing but I don’t think I have enough to work with – yet! (Stupid) technical question – can you re-order photos in a Flickr set?
Thanks, Elena, and yes you can re-order pictures in a set. I pulled everything in I considered a colour shot, and then re-ordered. It’s interesting to see very different images with almost identical colour schemes side by side.
Well, Kim you inspired me! I love this post about color — your images are such great examples of the the different colors. I worked on a color set on Flickr and blogged about it. Thanks for the inspiration!