The Frame – Factors that can change the feel of your photo

Jarvis He, Writer|April 24, 2017

Mastery of two simple things could do so much for your photography: Color & Movement.

What Can Color Do?

Colors can do a lot to either make or break your photos. Dull or vibrant colors can either give your photo a feeling of calm or a feeling of energy. Color can really change the mood of a photo. Eye catching colors like neon green can make a photo feel energetic.

Warm colors against a cool colored background can make the warm colored subject stand out more.

Color Temperature Scale: Warm vs. Cold Colors.

Examples:

@Doug8888 on FlickR
Red against a blue background makes the flower really stand out.

Movement

Movement also can influence a photo greatly. A lot of movement combined with vibrant colors can make the photo feel very energetic; while a photo that is calm would have little to no movement at all.

Another good technique to utilize is active space. It is used a lot in wildlife and sports photography. People use this technique by putting space in front of the subject for it to move into. It makes the viewers eyes move in the direction of where the subject is moving.

The subject is running into the empty space.

Color and movement could do so much for your photos. Mastering these two skills can improve your photography immensely.