Using Colour in Photography

We often take photographs of people when we’re out and about and we don’t think about how the colours in the background work with the colours on the person.

Colour Theory

Colour theory is about which colours look good together and how one colour affects how we perceive another. It helps us put colours together. Art and film use colour theory all the time.

There are a few backgrounds that come up in our photographs a lot and they have specific colours. These are a few clothing colours that’ll work with the background colours.

The Beach – Sand and Sky

The beach, with a blue sky and yellow-orange sand is already a classic colour combination. It’s called a complementary colour scheme.

Colours that go with a beach scene with blue sky and yellow sands are:

  • More blues and yellows
  • Blue, yellow, green and pink
  • Blue, yellow and neutrals (brown, grey, cream, black, white)

In this image you can see the clothing choice accentuates what’s already there. The rock, swimsuit, wrap and skin tone are all beautiful yellow-orange colours. The sky and sea are both coloured blue.

woman in orange up on a rock over the ocean
A complimentary colour scheme of blue and yellow

Forest Green

The green of leave of the forest vary throughout the year. During the spring, when leaves are new and so thin that the light passes through them, they are generally yellow-green. Towards the end of summer, when leaves have thickened and block out the light from the forest floor, they become a deep, dark green.

Colours that can work very well in a green leafy scene, with brown/red tree trunks are:

  • Green and red
  • Green, red, yellow and blue (the red will always draw the eye)
  • Green and neutrals (brown, grey, cream, white)
Nina Carrington Photography Creative Portrait Photographer
Red and green dominate here, but there are also hints of yellow and blue

Autumnal Woodland

We love the oranges and yellows that come with autumn. They work really well with the blue sky on a clear day.

  • Orange, blue and green
  • Orange and teal
  • Orange and neutrals (brown, grey, cream, black, white)
Nina Carrington Photography | Portrait Photographer England
This autumnal woodland matches the auburn hair. The white of the dress is a neutral and will work with all colours.

Conclusion

As you can see going with any colour plus neutrals is a really easy way to ensure your images works colour wise. If your scene is quite dark, putting someone in black can make them blend into the background too much.

Photography is how you capture light, but light is colour – think about the rainbow 🌈 – it’s just light reflected, refracted and dispersed in water droplets.

If you want to make your images spectacular, think more about colour.

I’m Nina Carrington, a portrait photographer in Kent and London. For a free consultation, please email nina@ninacarrington.com.