Color

This lesson is an exploration of color in photography. You’ll briefly review foundational color theory principles and examples and then complete your own investigation into color by creating four images: one with warm colors, one with cool colors, one with complementary colors, and one that is intentionally black and white.

Before we begin taking our photographs and experimenting with new techniques, we will discuss the history of color in photography. Photography was invented in the late 1830s, but the first commercially successful color photographic process wasn’t made available until 1907. That was followed by decades of innovation and then widespread use. As a fine art form, though, color photography was not embraced by galleries and museums until the 1970s. Before that, museums only collected and exhibited black-and-white photography. (Part of the reluctance to accept color photography was initially due to its difficulty conserving it, as the pigmentation in early color photographs was highly unstable.)

Colors can influence us on a subconscious level. Take a look at some photographs that use colors in interesting ways. Take turns to answer the following discussion questions.

Questions for Discussion:

• What colors are you personally drawn to?
• How do colors influence your mood?

Review the vocabulary in the Unshuttered Color Reference Sheet as a large group. Keep this worksheet handy, either printed or saved on your computer or mobile device.

To begin, look at one of the three student photographs shown here. Pause for about 30 seconds to simply observe the image and discuss what you notice about the photograph. Transition to the next photograph and repeat.

• 30-45 seconds examining the artwork
• 2-4 minutes discussing the artwork
• Transition to the next artwork
• Repeat as time allows

Questions for Discussion:

• What do you notice first about this image?
  • Describe the image; be as descriptive as possible. This is not about interpreting the image but simply describing details you notice.
• What stands out to you the most about the color of this photograph?
• How is the photo framed?
• What is going on in the foreground and background of the image?

Getty Collection Artworks: Look at one of the three Getty Collection photographs shown here. Pause for about 30 seconds to simply observe the image and discuss what you notice about the photograph. After the discussion, read the artist description and information about the artwork. Transition to the next photograph and repeat.

• 30-45 seconds examining the artwork
• 2-4 minutes discussing the artwork
• Read the artist description and information about the artwork
• Repeat for the next photograph
• Transition to the next portion of the lesson

Questions for Discussion:

• What do you notice about this image?
• What artistic color choices did the photographer make?

About the Artist: (Image 1) Marian Drew is an Australian photographer. Her art practice spans more than 20 years and is characterized by innovation and exploration of photo-media. Drew’s unsettling and beautiful photographs serve as a reminder of the fragility of life and the impact that man has on our natural environment.

About the Artwork: Drew's tabletop still-life compositions feature fruits, vegetables, and dead animals and birds presented as game. While the unusual angles and lustrous colors bring to mind post-impressionist paintings, the richness of the fabrics and dramatic lighting seems to be inspired by traditional European still life painting from the 17th century. (For an example from the Getty collection, view here.) For this series of photographs, Drew gathered animals that had been killed by cars (roadkill) for her compositions. Roadkill gives Drew's photographs a twist that calls into question humankind's stewardship of the earth and its creatures.

About the Artist: (Image 2) Laura Aguilar spent most of her prolific career examining her identity as a Chicana lesbian artist. Aguilar is best known for her bold and intimate photographs of herself, her friends, her family, and marginalized groups such as women, people of color, and the LGBTQ community. A key figure in the Chicanx and queer art scenes of Los Angeles, Aguilar challenged idealized, contemporary depictions of beauty and highlighted the intimate link between the female form and nature. She also took on pressing subjects, like mental health and equity in the art world. Despite the fact that she started taking photographs in the 1970s, it is only recently that her work has been given its due.

About the Artwork: Aguilar’s images are focused on her identity as a working-class queer Chicana woman. This image is a self-portrait of the artist, with a border based on Lotería cards [a Mexican game of chance played with cards], and a handwritten message about her queer identity and general self-image at the bottom. Aguilar shows herself full-length, smiling, facing the camera, and surrounded by her possessions in a pose that may communicate a proud acceptance of her circumstances and identity.

About the Artist: (Image 3) Malick Sidibé was a Malian photographer who primarily worked in black and white to capture lively portraits and scenes of celebration. His best-known works depict the pop culture and nightlife of the Malian capital of Bamako during the 1960s.

About the Artwork: The photograph is mounted to a piece of glass that has been painted with a blue border, and red, green, and yellow leaf-shaped elements. The glass has a brown paper tape border, is backed with cardboard, and has cotton twine for hanging on the back. In this series, the artist documented young people and their dress in elegantly posed studio portraits with patterned backdrops, which either match or deliberately clash with the sitters’ outfits and poses. While Sidibé took a black and white photo, the patterns of the cloth, and his decision to use color and pattern in the frame creates visual energy and interest for the viewer.

Apply your knowledge of color and create four photographs that implement thoughtful color and lighting components. It is important to remember that photography is all about the process.

You’ll create:

• A photograph that uses warm colors
• A photograph that uses cool colors
• A photograph that uses complementary colors
• A photograph that is black and white

Watch: Look at a few videos that experiment with color in different ways. Colored Light, Traditional Portrait and Environmental Portrait.

Create: Grab your cameras, take photographs with intention, and have fun!

Edit: Once you have taken your photographs, select which images you want to digitally enhance. You may do so on your phone’s editing software or other photography editing software. Edit your photographs and upload them to a shared google drive or other platforms once they are digitally enhanced. Some apps you can use are: VSCO, Adobe Photoshop Express Editor, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom mobile, Canva, Pixlr, or Instasize.

Brainstorm: Artists often sketch or write down their ideas in a sketchbook or journal. This helps you keep track of your ideas and become helpful in the future when developing new ideas.

Take about 5 minutes to think about, write down, or discuss what techniques worked well, what did not work as well, and what to work on for the next class. Continue taking photographs and experimenting with color, and come back to class prepared to discuss one of your photographs.